A new initiative has been launched to improve religious literacy across the public sector.
The ReLIT standard, developed by the Religion and Belief Literacy Partnership, aims to help public sector organisations better understand, respect, and engage with faiths and beliefs when shaping policy and delivering services.
The project builds on recommendations from the Bloom review, an independent assessment of faith engagement that called for the government to recognise faith groups as a force for good.
Mark Hammond, project lead and former head of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, told Premier Christian News that establishing “a standard to aspire to” would significantly enhance the public sector's religious literacy, ultimately allowing it to serve local communities more effectively.
“There have been too many instances in the past, and in recent times, where in the public sector, the way policies are developed and implemented doesn't seem to have properly taken on board the identities and the importance of faiths and beliefs that individuals and communities have,” he said.
Recent years have seen increasing tensions between Christian beliefs and public policies. Healthcare professionals have found themselves in conflict over policies on abortion and assisted dying, while churches have faced legal challenges for refusing to host same-sex marriage ceremonies. Additionally, Christians expressing their beliefs in public forums have sometimes faced backlash.
While religion or belief is a protected characteristic under equality legislation, Hammond explained that public sector organisations often struggle to navigate and implement these protections in practice.
Hammond pointed to examples such as the lack of religious sensitivity during the UK lockdowns and delays in implementing Sharia-compliant student loans, emphasising that the government can “respond better” and “be more attuned” to the diverse needs of different faiths and belief systems in the UK.
The initiative seeks to help companies understand legal protections and how they align with their values to ensure fair treatment of staff, customers, and communities.
A consultation event held this week has received strong support from government departments and public sector organisations.
“Everybody [at the event] can absolutely see how this could be a benefit and really work in practice,” Hammond told Premier Christian News.
