Equity Charter to launch its 10 principles at Rewired 2025

Digital Health and the Equity Charter are joining forces to tackle racism through a partnership at Rewired 2025.

Founders of the Equity Charter, which aims to combat discrimination in the sector, will formally launch its 10 principles at the event taking place at the NEC in Birmingham on 18-19 March 2025.

The Equity Charter was launched at the Rewired 2024 event in March by Ayesha Rahim, a ‘portfolio physiatrist’ in the NHS, Victoria Betton, director at Peopledotcom and Hassan Chaudhury, commercial director at DATA-CAN.

In a joint statement, the founders said: “As people working in the digital health sector, we were appalled by the racist and misogynistic comments reported in The Guardian, by the owner of TPP, a large digital health company back in March 2024.

“We launched our open letter at the Rewired Digital Health conference 2024 and called for individuals and organisations to become signatories.

“With over 1,000 individual and over 60 organisational signatures, we organised a summit on 23 July where 30 equality, diversity and digital health experts came together to develop the charter.”

The founders are now sharing 10 Equity Charter principles with their signatories and supporters for feedback:

Principle 1: Each of us commits to standing up for equity

Principle 2: Leaders, teams and organisations champion equity

Principle 3: Equity embedded into policy and practice

Principle 4: Equity at the centre of digital strategy and transformation

Principle 5: Digital teams represent the wider workforce and communities they serve

Principle 6: Equity embedded in research and innovation

Principle 7: Digital products and services are designed equitably

Principle 8: Ethical procurement and contracting promotes equity

Principle 9: Equity in the design and use of algorithms

Principle 10: Equitable health and wellbeing outcomes for underserved communities

Each of the principles will have a series of actions underpinning it, to help organisations and individuals to put them into practice.

Commenting on the launch of the 10 principles, Rahim said: “I’m delighted that we have seen a galvanisation of the digital health and wider community to come together to say no to bigotry.

“Even more importantly we are collectively doing something positive and proactive to embed equity in all our digital transformation work.

“Therefore I hope that we see as many people as possible feedback on our draft principles, and commit to the actions of the charter when we formally launch it next year.”

Jon Hoeksma, chief executive of Digital Health, said: “The Equity Charter is a timely reminder that we cannot take for granted the values we hold dear. They require commitment and effort.

“Ethics, how we treat one another, respecting and valuing all members of society, and behaving as we would want others to treat us, matter in all parts of society; but they matter particularly in healthcare, where our shared values and collective endeavour underpin our health services”.

To become a signatory of the Equity Charter and provide feedback on the 10 principles, sign up here.

Rewired 2025 is free for those in the NHS and public sector. Private sector tickets are available from £495 +VAT.

You can register now and book your accommodation early to secure the best rates. Register here.