Zahid Mubarek Trust

What Zahid Mubarek Trust does

The Zahid Mubarek Trust is a UK-registered non-profit charity founded in 2009 and headquartered in London, named after Zahid Mubarek who died in HMP Belmarsh in 2000. Its mission is to promote race equality within the prison system, with activity focused on policy research, advocacy, direct engagement with prisoners and their families, and public-facing campaigns on racial disparities in the criminal justice system. Operationally, the Trust runs peer-led scrutiny pilots inside prisons (e.g., HMP Wayland), hosts convening events including the Race in Prisons National Conference (230+ attendees in 2025), and convenes the Movement for Race Equality in Prisons coalition of 550+ advocates under a formalized Steering Group established in January 2026.

The Trust operates with a small team of approximately seven employees and is funded through donations and charitable grants. Its product surface comprises policy reports, peer-led scrutiny panel pilots, recurring conferences, a named award (the David Ramsbotham Award, launched October 2024 at the House of Lords), and targeted campaigns such as the June 2020 'A Record of Our Own' campaign responding to the disproportionate Covid-19 impact on racially minoritized prisoners. There are no disclosed technology platforms, digital product offerings, or recurring training/certification programs; the Trust's primary 'products' are convening, scrutiny, and advocacy outputs.

The Trust's business model is that of a small UK charity: it generates no product or service revenue, depends on donations, grants, and likely some institutional commissioning, and reinvests all activity into mission delivery. Its customers in the conventional sense are policymakers and the Ministry of Justice (as influence targets) and prisoners and families (as beneficiaries); its funders are grant-making bodies and individual donors. The organization's growth signals in 2024-2026 — new senior hire, formalized coalition governance, scaled conference, new award — indicate an institutionalization phase rather than a scaling or commercialization phase.

Name

Zahid Mubarek Trust

Legal name

Zahid Mubarek Trust

Website

https://thezmt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Zahid Mubarek Trust is a London-based UK charity founded in 2009 that promotes race equality in the prison system through policy advocacy, peer-led scrutiny pilots, conferences, and the Movement for Race Equality coalition serving prisoners, families, and policymakers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Funding: The charity relies on donations from supporters, charitable giving, and potentially grant funding. They describe themselves as a small independent charity dependent on generous support from others to deliver their work.
2. Volunteer Support: Non-financial support through volunteer contributions, with a maximum of fifteen volunteers at any one time.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Zahid Mubarek Trust is an independent national charity that delivers advocacy, peer-led training, and external scrutiny programs focused exclusively on race equality in prisons in England and Wales. It trains minority ethnic prisoners as Equality Advocates through a 14-week course, independently monitors implementation of race equality policies and discrimination complaints processes across more than 60 prison establishments, and coordinates the Movement for Race Equality in Prisons coalition. The trust also publishes research, briefings, and reports, and convenes annual national conferences on race in prisons.

Product overview

The Zahid Mubarek Trust operates as a single integrated advocacy and support service focused on race equality in the prison system. Its core offerings include the External Scrutiny and Support Project which provides independent monitoring of prisons' race equality practices, the Advocacy and Support for Prisoners and Prison Leavers program offering self-advocacy tools through separate prison and post-release models, and the Equalities Advocates Course which trains prisoners as peer advocates over 14 weeks. These programs are complemented by the Movement for Race Equality in Prisons (a collective coordinated by ZMT with a Steering Group), ongoing Keith Report implementation monitoring, research publications and reports, and annual national conferences. The organization does not offer a SaaS platform or modular software product but rather delivers charitable programs through direct presence in prisons and advocacy work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• External Scrutiny and Support Project Provides independent external scrutiny of prisons' race equality policies and discrimination complaints systems. Maintains regular presence in prisons while retaining independence and influence, neither seeking nor accepting funding from prisons or government for this work. Operating across more than 60 prison establishments in England and Wales.
• Equalities Advocates Course A 14-week peer-led training course that empowers minority ethnic prisoners to become respected voices for their community as Equality Advocates. Develops skills for active citizenship while improving staff-prisoner relationships and supporting discrimination complaints processes. Delivered in prisons across England and Wales.
• Advocacy and Support for Prisoners and Prison Leavers Self-advocacy tools and support for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic individuals in custody and in the community. Operates two delivery models - in prison and post-release - providing tailored training and support packages for 6-12 months.
• Movement for Race Equality in Prisons A collective of individuals and organisations committed to turning principles of the Manifesto for Race Equality into practice. Coordinated by ZMT with a Steering Group that sets strategic priorities and scrutinises national progress on race equality in prisons.
• Keith Report Implementation Monitoring Ongoing advocacy for full implementation of the 88 recommendations from the 2006 Zahid Mubarek Public Inquiry (Keith Report), monitoring progress and holding authorities accountable for reform of the prison system.
• Research Publications and Reports Produces reports, briefings, and position papers on race equality in prisons, including analysis of national equality data, IMB reporting on equalities, and prisoner experiences.
• Race in Prisons National Conference National conference bringing together practitioners, prisoners, families, and community advocates to discuss race equality in prisons. Features workshops, keynote speakers, and strategic planning sessions. Held annually.

Quantifiable outcome

• Operating across more than 60 prison establishments
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of BristolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 December 2020Partnership in organising webinar on 'Monitoring Places of Detention during Pandemic: Lessons Learnt and Opportunities for the Future' in December 2020. University developed Resource Table for monitoring practices during pandemic.
• Royal Holloway University of LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 December 2020Partnership in organising webinar on monitoring places of detention during the pandemic, bringing academic expertise to the discussion on detention oversight.
• Irish Penal Reform TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 April 2020Co-organisation of online international seminar on 'Human Rights and Detention in the time of Covid-19: UK and Ireland' on 30th April 2020. Also partnered for international seminar on civil society and National Preventive Mechanisms in June 2020.
• The Traveller MovementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in the 'A Record of Our Own' campaign launched June 2020 to examine the impact of Covid-19 on prisoners from Black, Asian, minority ethnic backgrounds including Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.
• Partners of Prisoners (POPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in the 'A Record of Our Own' campaign to shed light on how minority ethnic groups experience additional disadvantage in the prison system during Covid-19.
• Prison Reform TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint report production including 'Tackling discrimination in prison: still not a fair response' (2017) analysing 610 discrimination complaints across eight prisons. Ongoing collaboration on policy advocacy.
• HMP WaylandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPilot of peer-led scrutiny panel where trained prisoner equality advocates review discrimination complaints submitted by prisoners, building confidence in the complaints process.
• HMP BedfordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivery of Equalities Advocates Course where prisoners are trained as equality advocates. Graduation ceremonies held for prisoners completing the 14-week course.
• HMP NorwichminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivery of Equalities Advocates Course incorporating conflict resolution training as part of the rehabilitative program.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• User Voice: UK charity that brings lived experience of prison into policy and scrutiny. Highly comparable peer in peer-led methodology, though not race-specific; both organizations champion prisoner voice in oversight.

Direct peers

• NACRO: Long-established UK charity focused on crime reduction, resettlement, and race equality in the criminal justice system. ZMT Steering Group members include former NACRO senior leaders, and the organizations share overlapping remits on race and resettlement.
• Howard League for Penal Reform: One of the UK's oldest penal reform charities, operating across England and Wales. Comparable in advocacy-led approach to prison conditions, accountability, and reform, complementing ZMT's race-equality focus.
• The Traveller Movement: UK charity advocating for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. Co-led the 'A Record of Our Own' campaign with ZMT, with overlapping interest in race equality in the criminal justice system.
• Criminal Justice Alliance: Coalition of 80+ UK organisations working on criminal justice reform. Awarded ZMT its Outstanding Organisation Award in 2018 and shares the same sector network and policy reform agenda.
• Prison Reform Trust: UK independent charity working on prison reform and reducing reoffending. ZMT has an ongoing joint report and policy advocacy partnership with PRT, and their missions directly overlap on race equality and prisoner welfare.
• Partners of Prisoners (POPS): UK charity providing support to families of prisoners. POPS is a named campaign partner with ZMT on the 'A Record of Our Own' initiative, sharing a beneficiary base of minority ethnic families affected by imprisonment.

Broad incumbents

• Liberty: Major UK civil liberties and human rights NGO covering policing, protest, and detention. Broader remit than ZMT but overlapping on rights-based advocacy for minority and detained populations.

Regional players

• Irish Penal Reform Trust: Ireland's leading penal reform charity. Co-hosted international seminars with ZMT during Covid-19 and operates in an adjacent jurisdiction with comparable human rights and detention oversight work.

Others

• Clinks: UK infrastructure body supporting the voluntary sector working in criminal justice. Functions as a sector enabler rather than direct competitor, but its membership includes ZMT and many peer charities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zahid-mubarek-trust

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Zahid Mubarek Trust