JUSTICE, EQUITY, Diversity and inclusion

We believe that justice, equity, diversity and inclusion are fundamental to what we are trying to achieve. 

The financial system, and the barriers which stand in the way of transformative change, are huge; no single organisation can change this on their own. That’s why a core part of our work is building collective power for change.  We can’t transform the financial system without building and participating in a diverse movement of changemakers; and we can’t effectively contribute to that movement if we aren’t also focused on embedding justice and equity in our own organisation, our programmes, and our approach to working with others. 

Everyone is welcome in the Lab community regardless of age, disability, gender, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Acknowledging that particular identities are currently underrepresented and marginalised in the financial system, we aim to create spaces where these voices are heard and elevated, and everyone is included and valued. That’s why justice, equity, diversity and inclusion must be at the very heart of what we do. 

That doesn’t mean that we’re already getting all this right. This work, and our learning in this area, are ongoing. Progress can feel slow – and always feels insufficient – but we’re committed to moving forward, and doing so at a speed which allows us to do this work safely and effectively.  

Our definitions

• Justice is about how systems and systemic structures are designed to deliver equitable or inequitable outcomes, and how we engage in dismantling oppressive structures at the wider community, societal or global level. It’s about looking at the systems around us, such as finance and the economy, and asking: are they fair? who benefits? who is left out or disadvantaged? Understanding the changes needed to the wider systemic context is a key part of our work.  

• Equity considers specific disadvantages and obstacles that certain groups or individuals may experience on the path to obtaining the same outcome, and how we take action to remove such barriers or mitigate the impact of systemic disadvantages. People do not all start from the same place. Some face more barriers than others. Equity means recognising these differences and responding to them.

• Inclusion is about belonging. Effective inclusion ensures that everyone is able to participate fully and safely, regardless of their identity or background. Creating and maintaining an inclusive culture in which we recognise, respect, value and accommodate difference is a necessary first action if we are to achieve and maintain diversity safely. Inclusion is also closely connected to accessibility, by which we mean enabling meaningful, usable access to (for example) activities, knowledge and environments, for all, at a reasonable level of equivalence.

• Diversity is about representation. We see diversity as an outcome of working on justice, equity and inclusion, not the starting point. When we think about diversity, we do not just mean ‘different’. Rather, we understand diversity as meaning that groups typically marginalised and underrepresented are represented. Only with this understanding of diversity, and by actively working towards achieving this, can we shift power dynamics in the financial system which determine how the system operates, who gets most influence, and whose interests prevail.

• Anti-oppression means actively identifying and eliminating systemic barriers faced by those marginalised through connected systems such as racism, sexism and ableism. While we more often refer to this work under the JEDI umbrella, this is more a question of terminology than underlying meaning. Whatever we call it, we are committed to taking action which has real impact, moving us towards justice and equity for all.

• Intersectionality recognises that people hold multiple, overlapping identities, and that the experience of inequity is often shaped by how these intersect. For example, a Black Disabled woman may face compounding barriers that are distinct from those faced by any single aspect of her identity alone. All our JEDI work must be informed by an intersectional lens.

Our understanding of these terms continues to develop. We expect these will evolve over time, and welcome any feedback you might wish to share with us on these.

You can read more about our JEDI work in our blog here. 

diversity at the lab

As part of our focus on this area our team and board complete a diversity survey every two years. This first ran in 2022 and was repeated in 2024 and 2026.

Summary results for 2026 are available here (opens pdf). This includes 2024 figures for comparison.

The 2024 survey results document is available here (opens pdf).