UK employers have become more conscious about diversity issues in the past
two or three years, but they still have a lot of work to do, according to the
chief executive of employment and benefits agency Jobcentre Plus.
Speaking to Personnel Today last week, David Anderson said businesses have
come to realise that having a diverse workplace makes good commercial sense.
"There is a growing realisation that the commercial pressure to embrace
diversity means there is a good business case for it," he said. "It
is not just about corporate social responsibility any more."
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Jobcentre Plus, which will hit the halfway point of its £2.2bn national
roll-out at the end of June, with the opening of a 500th office, has taken on a
team of specialist diversity advisers to cater for the increasing demand across
the network.
"We see our role increasing in this area," said Anderson. "In
particular, we can still do more to help employers appoint more ethnic
minorities and disabled people," he added.
