News Release issued by
the COI News Distribution Service on 14 September 2011
Tesco, BT and law
firm Eversheds are among the leading UK companies to sign up to
the government’s new framework for voluntary equality reporting,
the Home Secretary announced today.
The 'Think, Act, Report' initiative is aimed at
improving transparency on gender equality issues in the private
and voluntary sector, and today marks a major breakthrough for the
government in encouraging more transparency on gender equality
issues in the workplace.
Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities Theresa May said:
"I am delighted that some of the UK’s most recognised
and successful firms have volunteered to publish data on gender
equality. Business should be congratulated for making this
positive step towards greater transparency, which will help close
the gender pay gap.
"Equality of opportunity is vital to building a strong,
modern economy that can draw on the talents of everyone.
"Over recent years, women have made great strides in the
workplace, but there is still a long way to go."
The Home Office has been working with businesses and human
resources professionals to develop this voluntary approach, so
that change is lasting because businesses themselves fully realise
the benefits of greater equality.
Chairman of Eversheds John Heaps said:
"We fully support the government’s plans to encourage
workplace equality. We are committed to promoting diversity and
inclusion in our firm and we are delighted to be recognised by the
Home Secretary for the work we do."
BT Chief Executive Ian Livingstone said:
“We welcome the new framework for voluntary equality reporting
and look forward to working with the government on the initiative.
BT has been publicly reporting its own gender and diversity
employment figures for more than a decade, believing that our
workforce should reflect the diversity of our customers and UK
society as a whole. Access to equality figures has helped BT shape
its workforce, develop new working practices and attract and
retain some of the UK’s most talented people at every level within
our organisation.”
The reporting framework has been developed by the Government
Equalities Office and the guidance for employers by ACAS. It gives
a step-by-step approach for employers to identify the barriers
facing their female employees, take action to address the issues
identified, and report publicly on their progress; in short:
think, act and report.
The framework is flexible, and although focused on large and
medium sized businesses, it is open to all. Greater transparency
presents a real opportunity for employers who are committed to
diversity to shine a light on the excellent practices they are
undertaking, further consolidating their position as trailblazers
in this field.
Businesses are driving the government’s equalities agenda forward
and the past month has seen sign up from Unilever, Enterprise
Rent-A-Car, National Grid, Genesis Housing and law firm DWF.
Tesco’s UK Personnel Director Tesco Judith Nelson said:
"More than half of our 300,000 staff are women and we
are passionate about giving every one of them the opportunity and
the support to fulfil their potential. There is always more to do.
But I'm proud that two out of every three of our retail
apprentices are female and we've increased the number of
our female directors by almost 70% in the last four years."
Research suggest that companies with more women on their boards
out-perform their rivals, with a 42 per cent higher return in
sales, 66 per cent higher return on invested capital and 53 per
cent higher return on equity.
Gender equality reporting is just one of a series of actions the
government is taking to promote equality in the workplace, along
with introducing flexible parental leave, and extending the right
to request flexible working. The government is also working to
implement the recommendations from the Lord Davies report into
women on boards. Business engagement is building, with a number of
FTSE 100 companies now having published their own aspirational
targets for female representation on their boards.
Notes to Editors
1. For more information on how to implement 'Think, Act,
Report' in your organisation and to download the
promotional toolkit go to: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/vger
2. Over the next year, the Home Office will conduct a survey
of employers with 150 or more employees to monitor the number of
employers who are engaging in gender equality reporting, and
report back in September 2012.
3. To run a confidential check on gender equality in your
workplace go to:
http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/layer?topicId=1080834416
4. For employers who would like to know more about how to
take action, ACAS have produced Quick Start Guidance, available
from their website: http://www.acas.org.uk/vger
5. More information on Lord Davies report can be found at:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/business-law/docs/w/11-745-women-on-boards.pdf
6. The Voluntary Gender Equality Reporting: Baseline Report
2011, is available here: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/vger
7. The government is also publishing today new research
conducted by the Institute for Employment Studies, on gender
equality reporting in organisations with 150 to 249 employees. For
more information on IES visit www.employment-studies.co.uk.
Contacts:
Home Office Press Office
Phone: 020 7035 3535
NDS.HO@coi.gsi.gov.uk