The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT) is recruiting a head of reparations as part of its response to previous revelations that its founder’s company profited from colonial-era trade and the work of enslaved people.
JRCT, established in 1904 by the eponymous confectionary firm boss, pledged in 2021 to “critically examine” its own history after “histories of race-based hierarchies and racial exploitation within the Rowntree story” were revealed.
Since 2021, JRCT and Rowntree’s three other charities have worked to explore their histories further, along with historians and archivists, and considered how their work might change.
JRCT, which has assets of around £300m, said at the time it was looking to develop a restorative justice plan, which could include reparations.
On Monday this week, JRCT began advertising for a head of reparations to design and lead a reparations programme that builds relationships with community partners and “reflects our mission and Quaker values, within charity law”.
According to its website, it has already confronted its “complex” wealth origins by recruiting new trustees to include people beyond the Quaker community and including policy themes addressing systemic racism across our grant programmes.
The charity has also recruited more expert advisers and decided to ensure most funding decisions are now made by specialist committees made up of trustees, staff and specialist advisers.
Role to ‘address past injustices’
The head of reparations will receive a salary of £92,000, oversee budgets and reporting and work in partnership with JRCT’s leadership team “to co-create a transparent and inclusive approach alongside our other strategic commitments”.
Recently appointed JRCT chief executive Nicola Purdy said in the job advert: “This is a rare opportunity to help shape an important and evolving area of work.
“The successful candidate will combine strategic insight, project management, sensitivity, leadership and collaborative approach with a commitment to ethical practice and JRCT’s values.
“You will bring a balanced and pragmatic approach – comfortable working where ideal solutions may need adapting to real-world constraints – and be flexible and able to travel in the UK and internationally.”
A spokesperson for JRCT said the scope, structure or funding allocation of the programme had not been finalised.
“We’re glad to continue Joseph Rowntree’s legacy of working towards a fairer and more peaceful world,” they said.
“This role will seek to address past injustices in a way that advances our charitable purposes for the public benefit. As a Quaker organisation committed to peace and justice, we believe this is the right next step.”
