Race - Business in the Community

Race

ABOUT BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY’S
CAMPAIGN FOR RACE EQUALITY IN THE WORKPLACE

Race equality and fairness

Diverse and Inclusive Supply Chains Report cover

The Diverse and Inclusive Supply Chains Insights Report

This report presents valuable insights from the Leadership, Employees and Procurement survey. It aims to help large employers understand the needs of small businesses within their supply chains, highlight the importance of improving government data collection on the diversity and ownership of small businesses by ethnicity and other protected characteristics, and enable employers to better grasp the scope and expertise of the procurement sector.

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Action by employers could boost the UK economy and lead to increased productivity and returns in the workplace1, 2. However, these potential gains are stifled by the barriers faced by ethnically diverse talent in the workplace.

Business in the Community (BITC) is committed to empowering employers to tap into this economic potential by accelerating change for ethnically diverse employees. We work with our network of private and public sector partners to offer tailored practical advice and share new insights to drive long-term change. We are also calling on the government to mandate ethnicity pay gap reporting.

Key facts

  • Race equality in the UK will potentially bring a £24 billion per year boost to the UK economy – 1.3 %
    GDP. That is £481 million a week3.
  • 39% better financial returns for organisations with gender and ethnicity diversity in senior teams4.
  • Only 1 in 16 people at senior levels in the private and public sector are from an ethnic minority background5.

BITC’s Race at Work 2021 Scorecard Report, produced in partnership with YouGov found that

  • the number of organisations voluntarily capturing their ethnicity pay gap data has increased from 11% in 2018 to 19% in 2021
  • the number of senior leaders as executive sponsors at the top table promoting equality, equity, fairness and inclusion has increased from 32% in 2015 and 33% in 2018 to 44% in 2021
  • access to mentorship and sponsorship has reduced for Black, Asian, Mixed Race and other ethnically diverse people since 2018. We are calling on leaders and employers to engage in two-way mentoring models and active sponsorship.

make race equality a priority

About the Race at Work Charter

The Race At Work Charter asks businesses to make a public commitment to improving equality of opportunity in the workplace.  In 2017 The government-sponsored Race in the workplace: The McGregor-Smith Review found that Black, Asian, Mixed Race and other ethnically diverse people staff still encounter significant disparities in employment and progression and that greater progress and positive outcomes are needed to ensure all organisations benefit from the wealth of diverse talent on offer. BITC’s Race at Work 2018: The Scorecard Report was published one year after the McGregor-Smith Review to look at how UK employers performed against the recommendations outlined in the review.

The findings led BITC to create the Race at Work Charter, with five calls to action to improve race equality, inclusion and diversity in the workplace.  In 2021 the Charter was expanded to include allyship and inclusive supply chain commitments, meaning signatory organisations are now asked to make seven commitments.

Our Meeting the Race at Work Charter: an employer’s guide 2022, in partnership with CIPD provides detailed, research-backed recommendations on how to meet each of the commitments in the charter, and signposts to further resources which support race inclusion.

VIEW THE LIST OF RACE AT WORK CHARTER SIGNATORIES

Seven key actions with resources to amplify your commitment to improving the quality of opportunity in the workplace.

1. Appoint an Executive Sponsor for race equality

Executive Sponsors for race provide visible leadership on race and ethnicity in their organisations. They drive actions such as setting targets for ethnically diverse representation, briefing recruitment agencies and supporting mentorship and sponsorship.

Resources to take action.

2. Capture ethnicity data and publicise progress.

Capturing ethnicity data is important for establishing a baseline to measure progress. It is a crucial step towards an organisation reporting on ethnicity pay gaps and tracking performance against targets.

The BITC Race at Work 2018 Scorecard Report, in collaboration with YouGov, found that employees said only 11% of employers were currently capturing ethnicity and pay data. Without this important indicator, businesses will not be able to diagnose and take action to deal with their ethnicity pay gaps.

Resources to take action.

3. Commit at board level to zero tolerance of harassment and bullying.

Employers should commit to actions that foster inclusion. 25% of ethnically diverse employees reported having witnessed or experienced racial harassment or bullying from managers7. 31% of ethnically diverse employees said they had witnessed or experienced racial harassment or bullying from customers, clients, service users and contractors8. Leaders at the top commit to tackling racial harassment and bullying with internal and external stakeholders.

Resources to take action.

4. Make equity, diversity and inclusion the responsibility of all leaders and managers.

Actions should include setting performance objectives for leaders and managers with a responsibility to promote conscious inclusion and fair access to opportunity for all staff. Take action to build inclusion and belonging and include the voices of Black, Asian, Mixed Race and other ethnically diverse employees in the workplace and around key decision-making tables.

Resources to take action.

5. Take action that supports Black, Asian, Mixed Race and other ethnically diverse employee career progression.

Actions should include embedding two-way mentoring and sponsorship. Find out about our Cross-organisational Mentoring Circles.

Resources to take action.

6. Support race inclusion allies in the workplace.

Provide support for inclusion to allies to promote race equality in teams, at work and within their communities. 26% of White employees say they would like more support from their employers9.

Resources to take action.

7. Include Black, Asian, Mixed Race and other ethnically diverse-led enterprise owners in supply chains.

Employers should ensure Black, Asian, Mixed Race and other ethnically diverse-owned businesses and enterprises are part of their supply chains, monitoring timely payment and contract value. These actions will contribute to creating role models for young people and the wider community, as well as economic inclusion.

Resources to take action.

Key resources for workplace race equality

Race reports

Uk employment and socio-economic factors

discover more

TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER

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GLOBAL GOALS
TOGETHER WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD

References
  1. Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, (2017) Race in the workplace: The McGregor-Smith Review
  2. McKinsey & Company, (2020) Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters (2020)
  3. Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, (2017) Race in the workplace: The McGregor-Smith Review
  4. McKinsey & Company, (2023) Diversity matters even more: The case for holistic impact
  5. Business in the Community, (2015) Race at Work 2015 Report
  6. Business in the Community, (2021) Race at Work 2021 Scorecard Report
  7. Business in the Community, (2018) Race at Work 2018: The Scorecard Report
  8. Business in the Community, (2018) Race at Work 2018: The Scorecard Report
  9. Business in the Community, (2021) Race at Work 2021 Scorecard Report