Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Equality, diversity and inclusionLatest News

Bank’s diversity drive could alter supplier culture

by Georgina Fuller 21 Feb 2006
by Georgina Fuller 21 Feb 2006

A move by one of the UK’s largest companies to request diversity information from its suppliers could set a trend for employers across the country, experts predict.

Global banking giant Barclays is planning to call on its legal advisers to provide diversity statistics on their gender and ethnic make-up, as part of its corporate social responsibility policy in the UK.

The bank will require law firms, including Allen & Overy and Clifford Chance, to supply details of their workforce demographics to ensure diversity levels are “an acceptable standard”.

Barclays is thought to be one of the first private sector companies in the UK to request diversity statistics, although it is increasingly common in the public sector.

Amanda Jones, head of diversity at the Co-operative Group, which operates its own ethical trading policy, said the move would have a knock-on effect for other private sector organisations.

“It’s a positive step, but each firm will have to follow suit in its own way,” she said.

Jeffrey Jupp, a barrister in the commercial and employment group at law firm Seven Bedford Row, said Barclays’ initiative could have a major impact on diversity across the legal profession.

“If such pressures are applied by enough substantial organisations, it could potentially change the culture of law firms,” he said.

But Jupp warned that if the statistics were not put in the context of job position, they would be irrelevant.

“It depends how detailed the diversity information required is and where the women and ethnic minorities are within the organisation’s hierarchy,” he said.

Dianah Worman, diversity adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, described the initiative as a “bold move”, but said the statistics should not be used in isolation or be over-simplified. “There are a number of ways in which we need to move forward to diversity and this is just one of them,” she said.

Details of the Barclays initiative were revealed by Mark Harding, general counsel at the bank, at a legal conference in New York.

How do you assess diversity in law firms?

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Robin Schneider, managing director of Schneider-Ross consultancy, said childcare issues were a major factor. “Many City law firms struggle with putting women in partner roles. The hours City lawyers work are usually outrageous and very few firms have taken the decision of having part-time partners.”

Jeffrey Jupp, a barrister in the commercial and employment group of Seven Bedford Row, agreed. “The long-hours culture in law firms favours people who don’t have childcare responsibilities,” he said.

To see what Ford has done to improve diversity, click here.

Georgina Fuller

previous post
Almost half of all staff want to work fewer hours
next post
Career pressures force women to delay having children

You may also like

Number of Neet women rises but figures fall...

23 May 2025

Flexible working for teachers initiative extended

23 May 2025

Unions ponder strike action after public sector pay...

23 May 2025

Sighing in frustration at colleague was discriminatory, judge...

23 May 2025

Fire and rehire: the relocation question

22 May 2025

Public sector workers gain pay rises of up...

22 May 2025

Six ways to kickstart conversations about team stress...

22 May 2025

UK net migration slashed by half in one...

22 May 2025

How neuroscience can unlock employee recognition

22 May 2025

UK universities fret over fall in international students

22 May 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+