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Race Equity · Race Ahead

Turning awareness into action

Race Ahead® is our flagship one-day programme for managers, senior leaders and anyone with influence across an organisation. Designed for people who shape culture, make decisions and influence others, it equips leaders with the confidence, knowledge and practical tools to create lasting change.

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What this course is

Race Ahead is often where organisations move from learning about race equity to leading meaningful change. Building on the foundations of race equity and allyship, this practical and thought-provoking programme helps leaders understand the influence they have on workplace culture, decision-making and employee experience. Participants leave with increased confidence, practical tools and a clear action plan for moving race equity forward within their organisation.

Key Messages

  • Build confidence to lead conversations about race, racism and allyship
  • Understand how systemic racism can impact workplace experiences and outcomes
  • Learn how to identify, challenge and respond to microaggressions effectively
  • Develop practical allyship skills and understand the role of leadership in creating change
  • Develop a practical action plan to support meaningful and lasting organisational change.
Where it leads

Race Ahead doesn't end when the training finishes. Many organisations use the action-planning session to shape race equity priorities, leadership commitments and longer-term organisational strategies. The Allyship Community helps keep that momentum going by providing ongoing learning, practical support and opportunities to continue embedding change.

See the Allyship Community →

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The expertise behind the programme

More than just Training.

Race Ahead is led by Bianca Jones, an MHFA England Associate Instructor delivering since 2017. Organisations choose EDP for the depth of experience behind the facilitation.

  • MHFA England Associate Instructor, delivering since 2017
  • 50+ race equity plenaries delivered to MHFA England's own instructors
  • Trusted by organisations from Airbus and OVO to the NHS, Aardman Animations and Bristol City Council
  • CIPD Level 5 qualified, with award recognition across Bristol and beyond

Where learning becomes action

What Makes Race Ahead® Different?

Race Ahead® is designed for managers, senior leaders and people with the influence to create change. The final 45 minutes of the day is dedicated to facilitated action planning, turning the learning into practical next steps. Leaders identify what they can change now, what needs longer-term focus and the commitments they want to take back into their organisation. For some, this shapes a race equity strategy. For others, it strengthens existing plans or creates clear leadership commitments. The learning matters. What happens next matters more.

The impact

What changes in the organisation

Every cohort completes a feedback form before and after the programme, so these are measured shifts rather than impressions.

4.96/5average rating from recent leader cohorts
100%of leaders very likely to recommend Race Ahead

Organisational change

What changed at OVO Energy

OVO ran Race Ahead across its senior leadership. These are the changes their team reported in the months that followed.

  • Recruitment of colleagues from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds increased from 9% to 38%.
  • Post-course confidence to discuss race rose sharply, with most leaders moving from a 4 to 6 baseline up to 8 to 10 out of 10.
  • Leaders are using shared anti-racist language and opening up space for reflection within their own teams.
  • Anti-racism is being embedded into recruitment, coaching of underrepresented talent and performance conversations.
  • OVO was subsequently named a Top 30 Employer for Investing in Ethnicity.

Read the OVO case study →

A small change that counts

What happened at Winston's Wish

Following the programme, one of our recent recruitment campaigns resulted in us appointing someone from a currently underrepresented group. I feel much more reassured that our recruitment processes are moving in the right direction. For now, I'm taking this as a win and a step in the right direction.

Winston's Wish, after a Race Ahead action-planning session on recruitment

Action planning is the part of Race Ahead where leaders choose one thing to change. This is what that looks like a few months later.

Read the Winston's Wish case study →