Commenting on the Equal Opportunity Commissionís (EOC) íMoving on Upí report on ethnic minority women in the workplace published today (Thursday), the CBIís Deputy Director-General, John Cridland said:
The EOCís report sets out the complex social and cultural challenges that need to be addressed to bring more ethnic minority women into the workplace. It shows how equality and diversity issues need to be addressed in the round rather than dealt with in a piecemeal way.
Employers will welcome the examples of good practice highlighted by the EOCís investigation, on which others can draw. As the report says, employers are keen to employ more women from ethnic minorities but better guidance is needed to support them. The EOCís call for better careers advice is also to be welcomed ñ this is something the CBI has repeatedly pressed Government on.
The report itself highlights that different groups of women face different challenges. Many older black and Asian women - and particularly those born outside the UK - lack the skills, qualifications, experience and confidence that younger generation ethnic minority women, and others in the job market, tend to possess. Indeed, older ethnic minority women are sometimes entering the labour market for the first time so these women will need more assistance and support if they are to succeed.
John Cridland concluded:
It is important to remember that obliging employers to collect more data about employees will not in itself achieve a more diverse workforce. Indeed, it would only take the focus away from those actions that help encourage more ethnic minority women in the workplace.
Considering procurement of public services as a tool for achieving equality is legitimate, but we must guard against unnecessary bureaucracy which could undermine the Governmentís own strategy to deliver better value for money. A one-size-fits-all approach would certainly be a burden on suppliers, especially SMEs, and would add costs.
EOC right to highlight complex employment challenges for ethnic women - CBI
But enforcing more data collection not the solution
