Inclusive leadership must move from intention to action

BME National Chair Barrington Billings reflects on a Social Housing Summit fringe session that challenged housing leaders to turn insight and good intentions into visible, accountable action.

Barrington Billings, Chair of BME National and Director of Operations at Tuntum Housing, has called on housing leaders to make inclusion visible through the everyday decisions that shape workplaces, careers and resident outcomes.

His comments follow the Inclusive Leadership fringe session at the recent Social Housing Summit in Liverpool, which he chaired. The discussion examined how courageous leadership and meaningful allyship can drive lasting progress on equality, diversity and inclusion across the housing sector.

“Inclusive cultures do not happen by accident. They are created or constrained by leadership.”

Reflecting on the session, Barrington Billings said: “The discussion made clear that inclusive leadership is not simply about having the right policies or making well-intentioned statements. It is about having the courage to ask difficult questions, listen to uncomfortable answers and act on what we hear.

“The real test is found in everyday leadership choices: whose voice is heard, who is given the opportunity to progress, and whether our decisions lead to better and fairer outcomes for residents. The energy and insight in the room were encouraging; the challenge now is to convert that momentum into sustained action.”

A shared focus on practical action

The panel brought together senior voices from across the housing sector:

·   Maggie Galliers, Chair of the National Housing Federation, outlined the NHF’s commitment to inclusive board leadership through its newly launched Inclusive Leadership Toolkit and Inclusive Leadership Challenge.

·   Jenny Brown, Associate Director at Altair, shared inclusive leadership good practice and explored how organisations can translate the Inclusive Leadership Challenge into meaningful action.

·   Chloe Tilford, Head of Training and Consultancy at HDN, highlighted leadership pathways and practical support for developing inclusive leaders and strengthening diverse leadership pipelines.

The session concluded with a practical challenge to delegates: choose one commitment to deliver within the next 30 days, make it visible and invite others to hold them accountable.

Barrington Billings added: “That is how inclusive leadership moves from intention to impact.

Progress depends on leaders making clear commitments, following through and being willing to be held accountable for the difference those actions make.”