Baroness McGregor-Smith begins BAME review
Baroness McGregor-Smith started her BAME review, into increasing progression in the labour market by people from minority backgrounds, with the first of a series of roundtable events on 28th April 2016. The review will consider the obstacles faced and the impacts these have on the individuals and the businesses themselves. It will also look at the evidence base and consider those interventions that have worked well and what more can be done. The first roundtable discussed the evidence of ethnic media in terms of research, campaigns, experiences, knowledge of the ethnic diaspora and initiatives that have been previously undertaken at community level. Those attending included Mike Abiola, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of African Voice; Peter Olorunnisomo of African Voice News, Onur Uz of the Turkish Londra Gazete; Lopa Patel, Founder & CEO of NewAsianPost.com and Diversity UK; Rithika Siddharta of Eastern Eye; members from the Department of Business Innovation & Skills and guests.
Business Secretary Sajid Javid, who asked Baroness McGregor-Smith to lead the review looking at the issues faced by businesses in developing black and minority ethnic (BME) talent from when they start work through to executive level, said, "I am committed to ending discrimination at work and extending opportunity to everyone regardless of their race, colour or religion. We have record employment, strong growth and rising wages but there is more to do to ensure everyone has the same chance to progress at work.
This isn’t just the ‘right’ thing to do – harnessing the potential from the widest pool of talent you can makes absolute business sense for employers right across the UK."
Baroness McGregor-Smith’s review will complement Sir John Parker’s review into diversity on boards. She said, "I am delighted to be leading this review. It has never been more important to fully capitalise on the skills and talents of every individual in the workplace, regardless of their background.
We need to remove the barriers that for so long have restricted BME talent from reaching the most senior levels in business. These actions will deliver long-term economic benefits for the UK."
The review is part of the government’s ambitious BME 2020 plan and is aimed at improving labour market outcomes for those from BME backgrounds.
Ministers from across government have been charged with:
- increasing the proportion of apprenticeships taken up by young people from BME backgrounds by 20%
- increasing the number of BME students going to university by 20%
- ensuring that 20,000 start-up loans are awarded to BME applicants by 2020
- increasing BME employment by 20% by 2020
- increasing the diversity of the armed forces
- increasing the diversity of police recruitment
