July 2020
Price: £95 PLUS VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***
This conference will be a timely opportunity for to consider the next steps for government, employers, and other stakeholders in improving opportunity and equality at work for people from black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds (BAME) - with discussion on:
- ethnicity pay reporting and data gathering,
- embedding inclusive cultures and promoting the creation of diverse workplaces,
- representation in leadership, and
- improving recruitment practices.
Key areas for discussion:
- BAME leadership in UK businesses - with evidence of decline, how to tackle issues such as lack of opportunities and networks, discrimination, and absence of BAME role models;
- Reversing the trends - best practice, and strategies such as recruitment of diversity officers at a senior level, use of specialist recruitment agencies, and introduction of mentoring programmes;
- Recruitment practices - innovation to improve diversity, including the introduction of blind CVs and reviewing interview practices;
- Inclusive cultures and fostering diverse workplaces - including how communication and language are being used to embed more equal and diverse cultures throughout organisations; and
- Ethnicity pay reporting - latest thinking on employer best practice, the information reported, businesses affected, and the next steps including preparing for any future reporting requirements.
Developments that are relevant to the discussion:
- Heightened public and political focus on the issues, with the escalation of the Black Lives Matter campaign and the disproportionate impact on safety and wellbeing of BAME employees from the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The 2019 BAME 100 Business Leaders Index finding a decline in BAME leadership;
- The Parker Review update reporting almost 60% of companies surveyed not having met the target of having at least one director of colour on their board;
- Reports of less ethnic diversity in the FTSE 250;
- Nuffield College’s Centre for Social Investigation (CSI) finding that British citizens from ethnic minority backgrounds have to send, on average, 60% more job applications; and
- Recent Race Inequality in the Workforce report finding young people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds at a greater risk of being in unstable employment than their white peers.
The agenda:
- Measuring and reporting on the ethnicity pay gap: progress made, best practice and further steps to reduce inequality;
- Setting and measuring targets: progress since the introduction of The Race at Work Charter;
- Developing diverse workplaces - gathering ethnicity data, gaining employee trust and changing culture;
- Addressing inequality - progress since the Parker Review, Race Disparity Audit, and increasing BAME representation on boards;
- Recruitment and progression for BAME talent - the role of employee networks and mentoring programmes; and
- ‘Involve to evolve’ - priorities for shaping policy and best practice around the BAME experience.
Policy officials attending:
Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders.
This one is proving of particular interest. Places have been reserved by passholders from the House of Commons, as well as officials from DWP; the Government Equalities Office; the Home Office; MHCLG; the Ministry of Justice; the Social Mobility Commission; BEIS; the Cabinet Office; the Civil Service; DCMS; Defra; the Department for Education; the Department for International Trade; the Department for International Trade Legal Advisers; the Department for Transport; the Education & Skills Funding Agency; the Food Standards Agency; the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; the Government Digital Service; the Health and Safety Executive; HMICFRS; HMPPS; HMRC; HM Revenue & Customs; the Judicial Office; the Ministry of Defence; MOD London Disability Network; Ofcom; National Audit Office; the Office of Government Property; Ofwat; The Crown Prosecution Service East Midlands; UKRI; The Scottish Government and the Welsh Government.
This is a full-scale conference taking place online***
- full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording to refer back to
- information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
- conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
- speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
- opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
- a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
- delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
- networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!
Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference
