Chris Askew is our Chief Executive – read his statement in response to the #StopHateForProfit campaign.
“At Diabetes UK we are committed to tackling the inequalities that we know persist not only in diabetes, but across our society as a whole – inequalities that the COVID-19 pandemic has pulled, rightly, into sharp focus. We are determined to fight discrimination where we find it, and we are steadfastly anti-racist as an organisation. That’s why we support the aims and intentions of the #StopHateForProfit campaign.
We are equally steadfast in our mission to ending the harm caused by diabetes. But to do this, and to continue reaching and supporting everyone affected by diabetes, we need to do two things:
- We need to raise funds to continue our work – work that has been disrupted significantly by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- We need to go to people where we know they are, and where our efforts and investment will have the greatest positive impact.
During a period of ongoing financial uncertainty, we cannot reconcile taking action that will reduce vitally-needed income when we know our work has never been more needed. This challenges us to make difficult choices – choices that take us closer to achieving our mission, but that may open us to criticism. That’s why, after much consideration and consultation with groups across Diabetes UK, we’ve decided that we will not be signing up to the #StopHateForProfit campaign.
In reaching this decision, we have drawn on the views of those living with and alongside diabetes and of those working at Diabetes UK. We are aware that if we are to fight discrimination as a charity, and tackle the inequalities which blight diabetes care and services in this country, we need to do more to bring the experiences and voices of those who face discrimination into our work. That remains our challenge and one we are deeply committed to making progress on.’’
