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New guidance will support organisations to combat inequalities and improve inclusion at work

The CIPD has partnered with Business in the Community (BITC) to issue new practical guidance for signatories of the Race at Work Charter. 

BITC’s charter, set up in 2018 in collaboration with the UK Government, aims to tackle ethnic disparities in the workplace and signals an organisation’s intent to foster race inclusion. 

The Meeting the BITC Race at Work Charter: an employer’s guide 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.  

The five commitments in the charter are: 

• Appoint an executive sponsor for race 
• Capture ethnicity data and publicise progress 
• Commit at board level to zero tolerance of harassment and bullying 
• Make clear that supporting equality in the workplace is the responsibility of all leaders and managers 
• Take action that supports ethnic minority career progression. 

The guide also includes an appendix for small- and medium-sized organisations, which may have fewer resources or lack dedicated HR and I&D support. 

This latest resource is just one of many that the CIPD has produced in the last year as part of its efforts to tackle racism and racial inequality at work. It has also been calling on the Government to make ethnicity pay reporting mandatory, arguing that any starting point for action needs to be informed by data.  

Peter Cheese, Chief Executive of the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, said: 

“The CIPD was one of the first organisations to sign up to BITC’s Race at Work Charter and we recognise its value in making workplaces more inclusive and diverse at every level. We hope this new guide will be a useful supplement for signatories and help them to drive through change with confidence and at pace.   

“We would also urge employers who have not yet signed up to the charter to do so. The pandemic and economic downturn has further highlighted the inequalities faced by ethnic minorities, and employers should play a key role in levelling the playing field.”    

Sandra Kerr CBE, Race Director at Business in the Community, said:  

“This guidance shows how signatories can stamp out racial inequality in the workplace by prioritising leadership, advocacy, allyship, transparency and accountability. The 630 signatories to the Race at Work Charter - covering over 5.5 million employees - are proof that more employers are getting serious about equality at work. I hope that this guidance helps them make that ambition a reality and that the CIPD's support inspires even more employers to take action and sign up to the Charter.”