The project
More than 80% of the world’s population lives in communities with significant restrictions on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). While many assume we live in an ever-more-tolerant world, the truth could hardly be starker. Every year, more people worldwide suffer persecution and political oppression because of their expressions of religion or belief. “Freedom of Religion or Belief: Free for All” (hereafter, Free for All) is being founded to bring about change.
Free For All is a charity and collective impact initiative building on the success of the UK FoRB Forum (UKFF) and Faith at Work coalition (FAW). Good Faith is providing secretariat services to the charity during its initial three-year set up phase. The board and team comprise leading FoRB experts and practitioners. Our stakeholders combine senior leaders and institutions from more than 100 organisations across public policy, industry, faith and civil society. These diverse actors are determined to make a collective impact, calling on organisations from every sector to understand and promote the importance of religious freedom around the world. At a challenging time, Free For All will become a critical player and a force multiplier for the global FoRB agenda. Together, we can build communities that are free for all.
Good Faith is proud to be supporting this new initiative as it develops and grows as a new charity and collective impact initiative.
Impact
- Bringing together the key FoRB initiatives in the UK under a single umbrella to multiply their impact
- Through the work of the UK FoRB Forum, in 2022 we hosted the Faith and Civil Society track of the International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief – the second largest international inter-governmental conference convening government ministers, faith leaders and civil society executives
- Engaging internationally-renowned practitioners as track leaders for the three priority issues
- Helping to increase awareness of good practice for faith inclusion/freedom of religion or belief in the workplace across a range of FTSE100 companies in the UK; including supporting two years of Religious EDI (REDI) Index Awards to companies demonstrating excellence
- Convening C-suite leaders in business for a breakfast meeting with the Secretary of State for Business, following up on an earlier event at Downing Street in 2023
- Playing a key role in working with David Lammy and the Leader of the Opposition to ensure that a Labour Government would continue to prioritise FoRB and followed up with successful efforts to recruit the role of UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief following the 2024 General Election
- Brokering a monthly space for the UK Special Envoy to engage directly with global FoRB practitioners and advocates on a range of topics
- Convening 42 meetings of the UK FoRB Forum over a five-year period, engaging almost 100 stakeholders and raising over 150 distinct issues with the Special Envoy and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
“By creating a workplace that actively welcomes and supports employees in their faith and beliefs, we are recruiting and retaining top talent, cultivating a distinct and diverse culture, delivering more value for our clients and building a better business for everyone.”