The Equal Group
The Equal Group is a Birmingham-based EDI consultancy founded in 2018 that delivers equality, diversity and inclusion strategy, audits, training and leadership programmes to UK public sector bodies, regulated industries (notably energy and utilities), private companies and third-sector organisations, complemented by the in-pilot EQIA digital tool.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersBirmingham, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Equal Group does
The Equal Group is a Birmingham-based EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) consultancy founded in 2018 by Mac Alonge, serving UK public sector bodies, regulated industries (notably energy and utilities), private companies and third-sector organisations. Its service portfolio spans EDI infrastructure development, data audits, leadership programmes (including a CMI Level 7 Strategic EDI qualification), policy reviews and bespoke training, delivered through professional-services engagements priced on scope and acquired via direct consultation. Cumulative disclosed metrics include 89 companies supported, 173 projects delivered and 2,500+ people trained.
The company's core technology asset is the EQIA Tool, a digital Equality Impact Assessment platform currently in a curated public-sector pilot, designed to automate the production of equity risk assessments and mitigation strategies. Surrounding the platform is a substantial content and tooling footprint: a bi-weekly newsletter to 3,000+ EDI leaders, two podcasts (Leadership Unfiltered co-hosted with Harper Fox Partners, and Representation Matters), a webinar series, an EDI Business Case Calculator, and a downloadable resource library anchored by the proprietary Wicked EDI Framework. Distribution is sales-led, supplemented by channel partnerships with industry bodies such as Energy & Utility Skills and the Greater London Authority.
The Equal Group describes itself as a small, bootstrapped business. Headcount peaked at 17 permanent employees in late 2022 on the back of over 70% revenue growth that year; redundancies were made in 2023 in response to market pressures, and the business underwent significant restructuring in 2024-2025 with a refocus on core fundamentals. Long-tenured anchor partnerships (Energy & Utility Skills for four-plus years, GLA for three-plus years) and project wins such as Inclusion Programme of the Year 2021 at the Engineering Talent Awards remain the principal credibility assets.
The Equal Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Equal Group
- Legal name
- THE EQUAL GROUP
- Website
- https://theequalgroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Equal Group is a Birmingham-based EDI consultancy founded in 2018 that delivers equality, diversity and inclusion strategy, audits, training and leadership programmes to UK public sector bodies, regulated industries (notably energy and utilities), private companies and third-sector organisations, complemented by the in-pilot EQIA digital tool.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Equal Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Diversity and Inclusion Consulting
- NAICS
- Human Rights Organizations (813311)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- DEI, Equity & Inclusion Advisory (BPACAJAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Safeguarding, Accountability & Compliance (ESG, Gender/GBV, Do No Harm) (BPADAEAM)
Keywords
Where The Equal Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Birmingham
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Equal Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- EDI Consultancy Services: The Equal Group generates revenue primarily through professional services engagements including EDI consulting, training programmes, EDI audits, policy reviews, and strategic advisory services. These are delivered to public sector organisations, private companies, and third-sector clients on a project-by-project basis.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
The Equal Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Equal Group is an EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) consultancy that delivers equality data audits, EDI infrastructure design, leadership development programmes, and strategic advisory to organisations in the public sector, private sector, energy and utilities, and the third sector. Its flagship proprietary product is the EQIA (Equality Impact Assessment) Tool, a digital platform built to support public sector organisations in meeting their statutory Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) obligations.
Product overview
The Equal Group is an EDI consultancy offering a portfolio of services and digital tools. Its core digital product is the EQIA Tool (Equality Impact Assessment Tool), a platform that automates equality impact assessments for public sector organisations. Supporting this are downloadable resources and toolkits (Wicked EDI Framework, EDI Calendar, Strategy Development Guide), educational content (Leadership Unfiltered and Representation Matters podcasts, webinars), and an EDI Business Case Calculator. The company also provides professional consultancy services including EDI audits, infrastructure development, leadership programmes, and strategic advisory. The offerings work together to provide a comprehensive approach to EDI transformation, from assessment tools to implementation support and ongoing education.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- EDI Consultancy Services
- EQIA (Equality Impact Assessment) Tool
- Leadership Development Programme
- EDI Data Audit
- EDI Infrastructure
- Strategic EDI - CMI Level 7
Quantifiable outcome
- 96% survey response rate achieved across engagements
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use The Equal Group
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Equal Group technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
The Equal Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Energy & Utility SkillscoreThe Equal Group has worked collaboratively with Energy & Utility Skills (EU Skills) for four or more years, facilitating the Inclusion Measurement Framework (IMF) across 31 organisations in Water, Waste, Power, Gas and Supply Chain sub-sectors. The companies also co-developed the Inclusion Commitment programme, which 50 employers have signed. The partnership won Inclusion Programme of the Year 2021 at the Engineering Talent Awards.
- Greater London Authority (GLA)coreThe Equal Group has partnered with the GLA for multiple years (third year running in 2023) to support better outcomes for all Londoners. Deliverables have included the Workforce Integration Network's Inclusive Employer Toolkits across hospitality, healthcare, creative industries, green economy and digital/technology sectors, and the GLA Anchor Support Programme to support more Londoners into quality jobs.
- CAFOD (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development)coreThe Equal Group worked with CAFOD for a second year (in 2023) to build a strategic and internationally relevant EDI approach, including a communications plan, anti-racism training, and programmes on microaggressions, intersectionality and privilege. CAFOD was described as on track to become a trailblazer in the international development sector.
- Harper Fox PartnerscoreThe Leadership Unfiltered podcast is co-hosted by Mac Alonge (The Equal Group CEO) and Scarlett Allen-Horton (Harper Fox Partners CEO). It is described as 'a raw and honest conversation between two CEOs exploring what it really means to lead.' This cross-company content partnership positions both leaders as thought leaders in the EDI and leadership space.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Equal Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Unmistakables: UK-based DEI consultancy providing strategy, content, and advisory services to brands and organisations. Comparable in target market (corporate EDI) and service delivery model (consultancy-led).
- EW Group: UK-based EDI consultancy offering strategy, training, and inclusion advisory to public and private sector clients. Most direct competitor in the UK DEI advisory space with comparable service portfolio and similar customer segments.
- Inclusive Employers: UK membership organisation providing EDI training, consultancy, and benchmarking to employers. Overlaps with The Equal Group on training, audits, and advisory services across public and private sectors.
- Pearn Kandola: UK diversity and inclusion consultancy specialising in behavioural science-based approaches to bias, inclusion, and leadership. Directly comparable in offering EDI audits, training, and advisory services to UK organisations.
Broad incumbents
- Business in the Community (BITC): Prince's Responsible Business Network operating EDI programmes including race, age, and gender inclusion in the UK. Larger, more established incumbent in the same EDI advisory space with corporate and government relationships.
- Deloitte DEI Advisory: Big 4 advisory firm with a dedicated Inclusion and Diversity practice offering strategy, analytics, and transformation services. Competes for the same enterprise EDI mandates as The Equal Group but as part of a broader portfolio.
- KPMG DEI Advisory: Big 4 advisory firm offering diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting as part of its broader People & Change practice. Targets similar enterprise and public sector clients with EDI mandates.
Emerging players
- Diversifying Group: UK-based DEI consultancy offering diversity recruitment, training, and advisory services. Comparable in size and EDI focus, operating in similar UK market segments though with a recruitment-adjacent model.
- DIAN (Diversity & Inclusion Advice Network): UK-based DEI consultancy offering training, strategy, and policy support to organisations. Comparable boutique-scale EDI advisory with overlapping service offerings and target market.
Regional players
- Green Park Interims: UK executive search and diversity advisory firm focused on diverse leadership hiring. Adjacent in the EDI space but specialising in executive placement rather than organisational transformation.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Equal Group social profiles
Digital presenceThe Equal Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Equal Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
The Equal Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Equal Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Equal Group
What does The Equal Group do?
The Equal Group is an EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) consultancy that delivers equality data audits, EDI infrastructure design, leadership development programmes, and strategic advisory to organisations in the public sector, private sector, energy and utilities, and the third sector. Its flagship proprietary product is the EQIA (Equality Impact Assessment) Tool, a digital platform built to support public sector organisations in meeting their statutory Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) obligations.
Is The Equal Group a public or private company?
The Equal Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Equal Group founded?
The Equal Group was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Equal Group based?
The Equal Group is headquartered in Birmingham, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Equal Group make money?
One revenue line is on record: EDI Consultancy Services.
Who are The Equal Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Unmistakables, EW Group, Inclusive Employers and Pearn Kandola. Broad incumbents are Business in the Community (BITC), Deloitte DEI Advisory and KPMG DEI Advisory. Emerging players are Diversifying Group and DIAN (Diversity & Inclusion Advice Network). Green Park Interims is listed as a regional player.
Does The Equal Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Equal Group.
What industry is The Equal Group in?
The Equal Group's product category is Diversity and Inclusion Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAJAJ, DEI, Equity & Inclusion Advisory, with a secondary code of BPADAEAM, Safeguarding, Accountability & Compliance (ESG, Gender/GBV, Do No Harm). Its NAICS code is 813311 and its SIC code is 7370.