The Jospeh Rowntree Foundation (JRF) is a left-of-center private foundation that focuses on housing and poverty in the United Kingdom. It affirms the existence of structural racism in housing  ¹ and systemic racism in the workplace, ² and supports strengthening Universal Credit, which is a form of public assistance in the United Kingdom. ³

History

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation was founded in York, United Kingdom in 1904, by Quaker entrepreneur Joesph Rowntree. Rowntree made his money from the Rowntree Company, a grocery store chain started in 1822, that was eventually bought by Nestle in 1988 for over $3 billion. The foundation was founded in addition to three trusts that operate independently from the foundation. ^{4 5}

Focuses

Structural Racism in Housing

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation affirms that alleged “Inequalities” that “Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities face in accessing affordable and secure homes are rooted in structural injustices.” ¹ The group believes said inequalities come from labor markets, social security systems, and hostile immigration policies. The United Kingdom offers social housing, which is housing owned by the government which can be rented cheaply. The foundation alleges that the increased immigration to Britain after World War II caused housing problems because the British government would deny BAME people housing based on race. ¹

Systemic Racism in the Workplace

The foundation claims that labor inequalities in the UK come from racism. The group claims one solution to the problem is to force employers to “work on reporting and acting on experiences of racism in the workplace” in order to become anti-racist. ²

Universal Credit

The JRF and the Trussell Trust, a U.K. food bank foundation, called on the government to create an essential guarantee so that people using Universal Credit (a U.K. government public assistance program) never go without food or energy. JRF wants to add a social safety net which would be maintained by local businesses and people in the community and backed by local governments to “build community wealth and power.” ³

Generation Investment Management Partnership

According to the foundation’s 2021 tax return, it paid Generation Investment Management Limited nearly $5 million to help invest the organization’s more than $600 million in total assets. ⁶ Generation Investment Management Limited was started in 2004 by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and Goldman Sachs former head of asset management David Blood. Gore is currently chairman, and Blood is senior partner. ⁷ The group manages over $36 billion in assets and is currently investing in “social and environmental goals.” ⁸

1. Rogaly, Khem, Joseph Elliot, and Darren Baxter. “What’s Causing Structural Racism in Housing?” JRF, September 14, 2021. https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/whats-causing-structural-racism-housing.
2. Evans, Jack. “Glasgow Communities of Colour Failed by Employability Services and Workplace Racism.” JRF, August 7, 2023. https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/glasgow-communities-colour-failed-employability-services-and-workplace-racism.
3. Schmuecker, Katie, and Graeme Cooke. “Design out Deep Poverty – Strengthen the Social Safety Net.” JRF, May 10, 2023. https://www.jrf.org.uk/blog/design-out-deep-poverty-strengthen-social-safety-net.
4. “Our Heritage.” JRF, July 5, 2022. https://www.jrf.org.uk/about-us/our-heritage.
5. Board of Trustees. “Statement on Rowntree Colonial Histories.” The Rowntree Society, April 15, 2021. https://www.rowntreesociety.org.uk/news/statement-on-rowntree-colonial-histories/.
6. Jospeh Rowntree Foundation, Form 990-PF, 2021, Part VII.
7. “Our Leadership.” Generation Investment Management. Accessed October 12, 2023. https://www.generationim.com/our-firm/our-leadership/.
8. Weber, Harri. “Al Gore’s Generation Launches $1.7B Growth Fund.” TechCrunch, May 18, 2022. https://techcrunch.com/2022/05/18/al-gores-generation-launches-largest-growth-fund/.