A UK employment charity has threatened to terminate suppliers’ contracts unless they comply with its equality and diversity policy.
The Shaw Trust, which provides employment services to people disadvantaged in the labour market due to disability, ill health, or social circumstances, is insisting that all service suppliers follow its diversity code of conduct and take action to address any under-representation.
Ian Charlesworth, chief executive of the trust, said: “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 trust hopes its actions will encourage other employers to follow its example.
“If all private sector businesses did the same, then we would have a much fairer society and workplace,” said Charlesworth.
The charity has pledged to offer advice and support to its suppliers to help them comply with its legal and ethical guidelines.
“We’re 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,” Charlesworth added.
Around 3.2 million people in the UK are unemployed due to poor health or disability, according to the Shaw Trust.
