CEO to earn same as staff under charity's flat pay structure plans

The chief executive of voluntary organisation Anti Racist Cumbria, Janett Walker, is to earn an annual salary of £32k under plans to create a flat play structure across its team.

Walker will earn the same full time equivalent salary as the organisation's five full time and two part time staff members at the organisation, which launched in 2020.

The staffing roles have been created following a funding award of £200,000 from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation for the next three years.

The organisation submitted its application to be registered as a charity in August.

“One of the things that Covid showed us is that those who are genuinely essential are often overlooked and underpaid; we believe that every part of our work is as important as the other,” said Walker.

“Why should I be paid more than anyone else when our community work and social media posts are as crucial as our meetings with MPs and business leaders.

“By flattening the pay-structure we lead by example, we walk what we talk, and we walk together, being paid the same empowers each of us to be valued and to contribute.

She added: “We are humbled and grateful to have been granted the funding from Esmée Fairbairn to help make our plans for a county a reality, a place where everyone can contribute fully and reach their full potential.

“It is an endorsement of our work to date and approach to making changes in the future and we give thanks to Esmée Fairbairn for their faith in us.”

The remaining new jobs will be advertised in the coming months “and people from all backgrounds will be encouraged to apply”, said Anti Racist Cumbria.

Laura Lines, funding manager at Esmée Fairbairn Foundation added: “Esmée Fairbairn Foundation is committed to tackling injustice and inequality, and to addressing structural and systemic racism in the UK both as an organisation and through the work we support.

“We are delighted to support this pioneering work with unrestricted funding, so that Anti Racist Cumbria can evolve and develop their plans over the next three years.”