Our organisation
The Fairness Foundation works to change the debate around fairness in order to build a fairer society.
We are a registered charity (number 1044174) and are non-party-political. Our geographic focus is on England, although on some issues we look across the United Kingdom.
We are funded by the Persula Foundation. We do not generally give grants to other organisations.
We are a UK-only organisation and are unaffiliated with similarly named organisations in Germany and the USA.
Our objectives and approach
Our vision is a Britain where everyone has the ‘fair necessities’ (see below), made possible by building a consensus about what a fair society and economy looks like.
Our mission is to work towards that consensus, by:
- Building a vision for a fairer society and showing that this has broad support across a range of issues
- Inspiring partner organisations to use fairness to reach and influence key audiences
- Persuading decision-makers and influencers of the need to achieve fairness by reducing inequality
We focus on ten issues that span the full range of areas of society and the economy: democracy, education, the environment, health, housing, justice, social security, taxation, wealth and work.
What is fairness?
To build a fairer society, we need a definition of fairness that most people can get behind, and that brings together different ideas of what constitutes fairness. The Fair Necessities sets out our vision, based on five principles that attract majority support from Britons.
Everyone should have their basic needs met so that no one lives in poverty, and everyone can play a constructive role in society
Everyone should have a decent chance to succeed in life, so we should remove the key barriers to equal opportunities
Everyone’s hard work should be rewarded on the basis of their contribution to our society and economy
Everyone should contribute to society by paying the taxes they owe, and in return be supported by society when they need it
Everyone should be treated according to need, enjoying equal respect and equal influence on decisions made in their name
How fair is the UK?
Fair essentials?
People are unable to afford the basics (food, energy, housing, childcare)
Fair opportunities?
Success in life owes more to luck (such as whether you’re born into a wealthy family) than to effort
Fair rewards?
Hard work no longer guarantees a decent standard of living, as many jobs are poorly paid or insecure
Fair exchange?
Public services are crumbling while the wealthy aren’t paying their fair share of tax
Fair treatment?
Some people play by a completely different set of rules, due in part to the influence of money on politics
What are the causes and consequences of unfairness?
Why is fairness important?
The moral argument
A wide range of philosophical traditions emphasise the intrinsic importance of fairness, whether they focus on equal opportunities, equal outcomes, equal treatment or other concepts.
The political argument
The vast majority of people are concerned about unfairness and want a fairer society; fairness is overwhelmingly popular with voters of all political complexions and across all demographic groups.
The policy argument
Fairness underpins a strong and sustainable economy, as well as a healthy society. Societies with high levels of unfair inequality are less productive, efficient and cohesive. A lack of fairness is a threat to democracy.
What are we doing to help build a fairer society?
Building and popularising a vision for a fairer society in Britain that can attract broad support
Making the political case for fairness by researching public attitudes to a range of issues
Making the policy case for fairness and highlighting the most effective interventions
Our people
Team
Editorial board
Trustees
Our partners
Expert contributors
We work in partnership with a group of expert contributors, who we collaborate with on specific projects on an individual, ad hoc basis.
Membership of this group does not automatically imply broader endorsement of the views or activities of the Fairness Foundation, or vice versa.
Coalitions and networks
We are proud to be members of the following coalitions and networks:
People and organisations consulted
We consulted with a wide range of people and organisations during the scoping and design phase of setting up the Fairness Foundation (in addition to the people listed above on our board and editorial board, and in our expert contributors network).
During the scoping phase we found strong and wide-ranging support for the creation of an organisation focusing on changing the terms of the debate around fairness.
Many thanks to the people and organisations below who generously gave their time and expertise to help us. We are keen to hear from other organisations with whom we have not yet had the opportunity to discuss our plans and opportunities for collaboration.
The inclusion of people on the list below does not necessarily mean that they or their organisation endorse our strategy, views or activities.