REMI FAQs

The Race Equity Maturity Index (REMI) is a comprehensive tool that assesses several key areas that contribute to race equity in an organisation, including: leadership, recruitment, policy, decision-making and community engagement. The REMI gives organisations a realistic understanding of their capacity to operate in a racially equitable way and provides a strong foundation for effective action planning.

It also provides an overarching framework that tools such as the WRES, SCWRES and PCREF, can seamlessly integrate into, and it supports organisations to achieve the targets of mandatory assessments such as Core20PLUS5. The REMI therefore complements race equity work that organisations are currently engaged in and enhances the ongoing delivery of this work.

The REMI can be used by organisations of any size. Particularly small organisations may find it easier and more impactful to to work in partnership with one or more organisations. A collaborative working approach can strengthen the process by encouraging peer accountability, shared learning and quality checking.  

For example, two small organisations within the same sector might choose to work together to develop a race equity strategy that can be adopted by both, or establish a race equity working group. They may also decide to pool resources for staff training.  

However, each organisation must still complete its own progress sheet and develop its own individual, specific action points at the end of each assessment.

Yes, the REMI can be implemented within a single department, provided there is a designated person within the department who can oversee and coordinate the process. Some elements of the REMI, such as a race equality strategy or organisation-wide policies, are typically produced at senior or organisational level. Departments may therefore need to request these documents from leadership,  or, if they are not available, develop or adapt them in collaboration with appropriate external stakeholders as required by the REMI. 

It is advantageous to have a clear understanding of values before starting REMI, however the REMI includes preliminary open discussions within Stage One: Being aware. At this stage, leadership and employees should develop an understanding of the realities of racism, the dynamics of race equity, and the key concepts and issues involved. Building this shared awareness early helps ensure that the organisation approaches the REMI with clarity, alignment, and a commitment to meaningful change.

This version of the REMI has been specifically developed for the health and care sector, so it is not currently suitable for use in other sectors. However, it is possible that the scope of the REMI may be expanded in the future to support a wider range of organisations.

No. The REMI is a self-assessment framework, which means  organisations are responsible for implementing it independently. The framework provides detailed guidance to support this process. The Race Equality Foundation also offers support sessions, and organisations can contact the Foundation directly for assistance.   

Yes. Organisations are encouraged to work in partnership and provide mutual support throughout the REMI implementation process. Collaborative approaches may include peer review of the evidence submitted at each stage, as well as the joint development of antiracism statements or race equity strategies. Working together can strengthen accountability, improve the quality of evidence, and enhance learning across organisations.

Yes. The London Anti-Racism Collaboration for Health (LARCH) has developed a comprehensive anti-racism statement for use within the health and care sector.  It can be accessed here.

The REMI is a self-assessment tool and not overseen by any external regulatory body. This means that responsibility for reviewing and monitoring evidence sits with  the organisation. Organisations may allocate this responsibility to: 

• an internal individual or team, such as race equity lead, EDI team, or a designated working group. 
• an external partner organisation, which may provide an independent peer review of the evidence submitted at each stage. 

The REMI is designed to give organisations the flexibility and autonomy to establish their own processes for evidence review, data collection, and verification,  ensuring all criteria are met at each stage.

The REMI is a self-assessment tool, and each organisation can choose how and when to use it in a way that best aligns with its schedule, operational  cycles, and anti-racist work. Organisations have full control over the frequency and timing of implementation.  For example, the REMI may be completed: 

• on a six-monthly or annual cycle
• alongside mandatory assessments
• at any point that aligns with organisational review processes or strategic planning

Yes. One of the strengths of the REMI is its ability to complement other equality, diversity and inclusion tools that organisations already use. Evidence and data gathered through other frameworks can contribute to meeting REMI criteria. For example: 

• Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) data can help evidence workforce-related indicators . 
• REMI implementation can also support the delivery  of Core20PLUS5 priorities.
• Other existing EDI audits, staff surveys, or action plans may also feed into REMI evidence requirements.

All organisations should begin at Stage One, regardless of how far advanced it believes it is in its race equity practices. Each stage should be completed  systematically to ensure  that all  indicators are fully met. It is possible for an organisation to have achieved elements of later stages, such as stage three, without having fulfilled the requirements of earlier stages. Working through the REMI in sequence helps ensure a robust, comprehensive assessment.

Before starting the REMI, organisations should ensure that: 

• a designated lead is assigned to oversee implementation and follow-up activity. This person should have solid knowledge of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). Examples include an EDI lead, the head of an anti-racism programme, or an individual with relevant operational responsibilities. 
• senior leadership buy-in is secured, as organisational support from leaders is essential to maintaining momentum and embedding actions emerging from the REMI. 

These foundations help establish the conditions needed for successful and sustainable implementation.

The Race Equality Foundation offers:

• on-boarding sessions for organisations new to the REMI
• peer support sessions for organisations that have decided to use the REMI or have begun implementation.

For more information about these sessions, please contact the Race Equality Foundation here.

Yes. The REMI includes three accompanying documents designed to support organisations through the assessment process: 

• The REMI Record Sheet, used to track which indicators have been met. 
• The Organisational Progress Sheet, used to record strengths, challenges, race equity stage, and actions points. 
• The Organisational Questionnaire, used to evidence indicators in Stage One.  

These documents are available to organisations once they have downloaded the REMI through the REMI download page.