I found the negative comments in your article ‘New public service contract demands anger employers’, (Personnel Today, 22 July) from a British Chambers of Commerce spokesman concerning, to say the least.
After decades of equalities legislation, people from minority groups still suffer inequality and disadvantage in the workplace. This can often result in fewer opportunities to fully participate and contribute in the wider community, leaving them marginalised and excluded.
For years now the public sector and many large private sector organisations have not only incorporated equality reporting into business reporting frameworks, but taken action when the resulting data shows that minority groups are under-represented.
Having worked in both public and private sectors and been responsible for developing equality reporting systems in both, I fail to see what is bureaucratic in amending your employee record systems to capture a couple of additional fields about your workforce and incorporating the results into business reporting systems. Evidencing a commitment to equality – and delivering on it – is the minimum that should be expected from any employer.
Brendon Hills, head of HR and development, Shropshire County Council
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