"The time has come for a concerted campaign on racial and ethnic participation in business leadership. Progress has been painfully slow. We want to do for racial and ethnic diversity what the 30% Club has done so successfully for gender equality".

"The energy of the Black Lives Matter movement has given a fresh sense of urgency around racial diversity in business. Change the Race Ratio aims to grasp this moment to create real and lasting change."

"There is currently a woeful lack of racial and ethnic diversity across company boards and senior leadership positions in UK businesses. We are proud to be partnering with the CBI and other leading organisations to launch Change the Race Ratio, translating statements of commitment to Diversity and Inclusion into action and accelerating change. Greater racial and ethnic participation at all levels of business is vital if we are to ensure that we have a truly inclusive culture in the world of work."

"We are on a journey to increasing diversity across Microsoft, and in particular at our most senior levels. But when more than a third of leading organisations still don't have any ethnic minority board representation, the pace of chance is too slow. Without commitment, there is no action and that's why Change the Race Ratio is so important to transforming the makeup of the UK's most influential businesses."

"Cranfield University's global reputation attracts students from all over the world. We are committed to reflecting this racial and ethnic diversity throughout the university, creating an inclusive culture where everyone can fulfil their potential. I'm delighted that Cranfield University is a founding member of this new initiative, which is hugely important to our university, and to the wider business community."

"True board diversity is an important demonstration of an organization’s commitment to equality and inclusion. People want to see businesses going beyond statements of support and take real action."

"Businesses which sign up to the Change the Race Ratio Campaign will help to create a stronger sense of belonging for Black people and people from Ethnic Minority backgrounds. This sense of belonging is a key pillar for building a mentally healthy workplace, which provides psychological safety and supports people to flourish. It is both the right thing to do and it is good for business."

"We know that the conversations in the boardroom set the tone for the rest of the company and more diverse representation around those top tables is long overdue. The shocking events of 2020 have led to some great-sounding promises from business – serious steps like capturing ethnicity data, publishing their ethnicity pay gap and setting ethnicity targets for improvement for executive level within their organisations show that a company is thinking about more than just jam tomorrow."

"True diversity, equity and inclusion is vital in improving business performance and in order to create genuine change it’s essential that DE&I is visible at the most senior levels. Leaders must embrace it as being fundamental to organisational culture and effectiveness. For Russell Reynolds Associates, DE&I has been growing in importance for some time and signing up to Change the Race Ratio is a natural progression for us. Our global offices have been opening up the conversation as a priority in recent months and we are committed to working with our employees and clients to ensure every voice is heard."

“Diversity and inclusion is fundamentally important to EY. We are working hard to create a culture where all our people belong, but we are clear there is more to do. That’s why, EY is proud to be a founding partner of Change The Race Ratio. As a peer group of business leaders, we have an opportunity to drive real change and progress together.”