The RACE Code stands for Reporting, Action, Composition and Education and is based on current laws, reports, charters and pledges. To be awarded the mark, an in-depth assessment was required, looking at how inclusive CIH is currently, as well as the work being undertaken to further improve and support its diverse workforce.

Gavin Smart, chief executive of CIH, said: “We are delighted to have achieved the RACE accreditation. At the heart of being a housing professional is serving people, meeting their needs. And to do that we as housing professionals and members of CIH need to understand the people and communities we serve.

“I’m proud of the work we have achieved to date and I would especially like to thank our governance, ethics, renumeration and nomination (GERN) committee alongside our staff and members EDI groups. They have been instrumental in CIH achieving the accreditation, the launching of our EDI framework, developing an EDI census and ultimately ensuring CIH shows the leadership on EDI that the sector deserves.

“I am committed to CIH playing its part to ensure that EDI is a core aspect of housing practice for all housing organisations and I look forward to working with our members to make this a reality.”

• Podcast: Racial diversity in the housing profession with Lara Oyedele, Callum Chomczuk and Fash Fasoro

Lara Oyedele, current president of the CIH, said: “It’s my motivation to inspire change and champion equality, diversity and inclusion, especially anti-racism, throughout the whole housing industry. This is why I’m incredibly pleased to see that CIH has been awarded the RACE Equality Code Quality Mark.

“However, even with this recognition, we know there is still so much work to be done in this space. I will continue to work with CIH, our members and the wider sector to highlight why it’s important to create a fair and inclusive environment where the breadth of talent that exists among our tenants and communities is reflected in board rooms, executive teams and in the decision making across the whole sector.”