Walk into almost any boardroom across the UK and you will still find that the faces around the table rarely reflect the full richness of modern Britain. Decisions affecting millions are often shaped without the voices and perspectives of the communities most touched by those decisions. But change is happening — slowly, unevenly, but undeniably — and more organisations are realising that leadership must look and feel different.
For many of us, the idea of becoming a Non-Executive Director (NED) can feel distant, like something reserved for people with the “right” connections, the “right” background, or the “right” accent. But that belief has held far too many talented Black professionals back from opportunities where their insight, lived experience, and leadership could truly make a difference.
This editorial is a gentle but firm reminder: the boardroom needs you.
What Being a Non-Executive Director Really Means
A NED isn’t in the office every day. They’re not managing teams or running operations. Their power lies in something much more valuable: perspective.
Non-Executive Directors sit slightly apart from the organisation so they can see it clearly. They offer independent advice and strategic guidance, ask the questions that others may overlook, and help shape the direction of charities, public bodies, businesses, arts organisations, schools, housing associations, and more. They are there to make sure the organisation remains honest, ambitious, and accountable — to its staff, its stakeholders, and the wider public.
Think of a NED as the steady hand on the shoulder: close enough to care, but distant enough to see clearly.
Why Representation in These Roles Matters
When a board lacks diversity, the organisation suffers in very real ways. Without a wide range of lived experiences around the table, blind spots grow, decisions become narrow, and missteps go unchallenged. For the Black community, being part of these conversations is not just about visibility; it is about impact.
Black voices bring insight rooted in real communities. We recognise inequities others might not see. We ask different questions and are often willing to speak up where others stay silent. We help organisations evolve into places where everyone feels seen and valued. And when a Black professional joins a board, it sends a message far beyond that one room — to younger generations, to colleagues, and to the wider community. It quietly but powerfully says, you belong in these spaces too.
Representation on boards helps shift the assumption that leadership has to look a certain way. It shows that what truly matters is not where you started, but what you bring.
Why You Are More Ready Than You Think
Many Black professionals underestimate themselves when it comes to governance roles. Yet the skills that boardrooms value often come from experiences our communities know very well. Navigating complex environments, adapting to change, leading people without always having formal authority, delivering results under pressure, supporting and advocating for others, understanding cultural nuance, and spotting risks because you’ve lived through them — these are governance strengths.
You do not need to be a chief executive or have a string of impressive job titles to sit on a board. If you’ve managed budgets, run projects, started a business, led a community initiative, mentored others, steered a school or faith group, or helped shape local policy, you already carry much of what a Non-Executive Director needs. Many boards are actively looking for first-time NEDs who bring something fresh and authentic. They know that lived experience, community connection and a strong moral compass are just as important as technical skills.
The biggest barrier is often not your CV; it is whether you allow yourself to see the boardroom as a place where you have every right to be.
How You Begin the Journey
The first step is to think about the areas of life you care deeply about. It might be education, the NHS, housing, youth work, arts and culture, sport, tech, business, local government or social justice. Boards exist in all of these spaces, across the public, private and voluntary sectors — and they need people who genuinely care.
From there, it helps to shape a “board-ready” CV. Unlike a standard CV, this is less about listing every job and more about highlighting impact: where you have provided leadership, where you have helped make decisions, where you have solved difficult problems, influenced change or taken responsibility for people, money or strategy. You are painting a picture of someone who can sit around a table, understand the bigger picture, and contribute thoughtfully.
Crucially, you do not need to tick every single requirement in an advert before you apply. If you aim for perfection, you may never apply for anything. Boards know that first-time NEDs will still be learning. Many provide training, mentoring and induction for exactly that reason.
There are also practical routes into these roles. Charity trusteeships, school governor roles, advisory boards and shadow board programmes can all be powerful ways to start. Over time, they build your confidence and credibility and show you how governance really works in practice.
And when you’re ready to explore live roles, platforms like Diversity Dashboard make it easier to find opportunities where organisations are actively seeking diverse talent.
The Difference We Make When We Take Our Seat
When Black professionals step into governance roles, organisations change. Cultures begin to shift. Policies are questioned and improved. Blind spots become harder to ignore. Innovation grows because a wider range of ideas is being heard. And whole communities feel represented in ways that shape trust and progress.
This is about more than professional advancement or prestige. It is about civic leadership. Boardrooms influence who gets hired, how people are treated at work, what services look like, which communities are listened to, and how public and private money is spent. In those spaces, our voices don’t just matter; they are essential.
Our presence can challenge tokenism, push for meaningful change and ensure that diversity and inclusion are not just words on a website but principles reflected in real decisions.
A Warm Invitation
If no one has ever looked you in the eye and said, “You should be in the boardroom,” let this be the moment.
You deserve to be there. You have something to offer. Your journey, your insight and your resilience are not accidental; they are exactly the kind of experience that makes for wise, grounded leadership.
Stepping into a Non-Executive Director role is not just a career move — it is a contribution to shaping a fairer, wiser, more inclusive Britain. The boardroom doors are opening wider. It’s time for us to walk through them with confidence, purpose and pride.
And if you’re ready to take a first step, you can start exploring live Non-Executive Director jobs with organisations across the public, private and charity sectors that are committed to diversity and inclusion on Diversity Dashboard. It might be the place where your next chapter of leadership begins.