Following the publication today (Friday) of the National Audit Office's report that showed there was still a significant gap between the employment rate for ethnic minorities and the general population, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation has again highlighted the need for more work to be done in this particular area.

The report stated that the employment rate is 60 per cent for the ethnic minority population compared to 74 per cent for the general population.

However, the REC has already highlighted the crucial role that recruiters already play within this particular area in conjunction with robust data already compiled by the REC's Industry Research Unit which fully demonstrates the role temporary work plays in getting under-represented groups into the labour market. According to the REC's 2006 360 Tracking Report, 20 per cent of agency workers come from ethnic backgrounds which is more than the national average.
Specific initiatives have already been launched such as the REC/Jobcentre Plus Diversity Pledge which further outlines the contribution that recruitment professionals make in widening the pool of potential candidates and often play a key guidance role to employers as a result.

Tom Hadley, the REC's Director of External Relations said: "This advisory role is something which was cited in Recruitment 2020, the report on the future of recruitment by Demos. This is a real opportunity for the recruitment industry to take a lead in actually delivering real change in an area that has too often been characterised by good intentions and not enough action."