Shaw Trust leads the way

TRAIL-BLAZING Shaw Trust hopes its insistence that suppliers foster equal opportunities in the workplace will spark off a private sector revolution.

The campaigning not for profit business has joined global giants and public sector bodies in insisting all servicing businesses actively comply with the Trustís Equality and Diversity Policy and Code of Conduct.

If all private sector businesses did the same, then we would have a much fairer society and workplace, said Ian Charlesworth, Chief Executive of Shaw Trust, which is the UKís leading provider of employment services to people disadvantaged in the labour market due to disability, ill health, or social circumstances.

The Code is a standard of behaviour, which means diversity should be valued and that discrimination should be taken seriously, challenged, reported, and dealt with.

We are asking our suppliers to monitor all diversity groups and to take action to redress under-representation, as well as to make reasonable workplace adjustments for disabled employees in particular.

The national charityís suppliers, ranging from caterers to printers and mobile networks, are being warned that business contracts will be terminated unless they demonstrate an active Equality and Diversity Policy and Code of Conduct.

All businesses will be given time, and offered advice and support, to comply with the legal and ethical guidelines laid down by the Trust, which works with over 45,000 people each year.

Weíre not taking an aggressive stance, this is just about ensuring that our suppliers offer the same equal work opportunities that we constantly tell all businesses and the government that they should be providing, said Shaw Trust Chief Executive Ian Charlesworth.

Shaw Trust employs a network of 1100 staff delivering projects across the UK. Services range from job broking and employee retention support to providing working alternatives to day care, advice on legislation, website accessibility and HR, and creating jobs through social enterprise businesses.

The Trust points out that there are 3.2 million people of working age without employment due to poor health or disability. At least 1.2 million of them want to work, and could start right now with the right opportunity and support.

The charity has also issued seven key messages as a wake up call to make the world a fairer place. These include íEveryone has the right to workí and the employer-targeted íAre you sure you interviewed everyone for that job?í

UK bosses are struggling to fill a quarter of a million job vacancies, yet thereís a vast market of skilled employees waiting for their call, and they are missed because theyíre labelled as ídisabledí or ídisadvantagedí, added Ian.

We will continue to do everything in our power to bring them together.

* EMPLOYERS can log onto www.shaw-trust.org.uk for more information about Shaw Trustís job broking, staff retention and Web services, and to request HR, legislation and adaptive technology advice.