MP Lynne Featherstone addresses enei parliamentary reception on promoting equality in the workplace

Lynne Featherstone MP explored the challenges that employers face in promoting equality in the workplace at the recent enei parliamentary reception.

"The End of All Silos" event hosted by Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion set out the policy perspective.

"Different organisations face different challenges in promoting equality and need to find the best solution for their business. We are not proposing a one-size-fits-all solution or resorting to bureaucratic regulations to make this happen. We want to support business to take the steps that are right for them," Lynne Featherstone MP, minister for Equalities, told the attendees at the Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion (enei) House of Lords Reception yesterday (Thursday 21 June 2012).

"This year has already seen the biggest ever jump in the number of women on boards, and some of the UK's leading companies are now reporting on gender diversity, which will help more woman rise to the top."

The event, entitled 'The End of all Silos', highlighted the equality and inclusion barriers that still exist in organisations across the UK. Featherstone's comments were echoed by keynote speaker Harry Gaskell, E&Y Managing Partner and Leader of Diversity and Inclusion for the E&Y UK business, who talked about how diversity and inclusion makes an organisation more profitable and effective, and how these benefits can only be unlocked with an inclusive leader who is able to create diverse teams.

Denise Keating, CEO, enei, commented: "Since our launch last October, enei has been incredibly busy supporting employers across all of the protected characteristics within the Equality Act 2010. We are now clearly focussed on ending a silos approach to diversity which is underpinned by our six strategic themes of: agile working, unconscious bias, workforce representation, the global marketplace, inclusive leadership and access to opportunities. This reception brings together our members, friends and other leading thinkers to thank them for their continued support of enei. We are looking forward to a fantastic and exciting future."

Hosted by Lord Dennis Stevenson and sponsored by Ernst and Young, the Reception brought together over 120 representatives from major employers in the UK.

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For further information please contact:

Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion
Denise Keating T: 07850 002524 E: denise.keating@enei.org.uk

Lansons Communications
Chantal Heckford T: 0207 294 3630 E: chantalh@lansons.com

Notes to editors :

About the Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion
Incorporating the Employers Forum on Age (EFA) and the Employers Forum on Belief (EFB), Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion (enei) is the UK's leading employer network covering all aspects of equality and inclusion issues in the workplace. It is the only not for profit organisation in the UK supporting employers on all of the protected characteristics within the Equality Act 2010. www.enei.org.uk