BITC responds to launch of consultation on ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting
BITC responds to launch of consultation on ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting
The Government today launched a consultation into the benefits of ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting for individuals and businesses. Responding to the launch of the consultation, Sandra Kerr CBE, Race Director at Business in the Community, said:
“Following the announcement of the Equality (Race and Disability) Bill in the King’s Speech last year, I am delighted that the Government has opened its consultation on ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting. All employees should have equal opportunities for progression and fair pay, regardless of their background and this is an issue that Business in the Community has been campaigning on for many years.
“With one in five people in England and Wales coming from a Black, Asian, Mixed Race or other ethnically diverse background, making ethnicity pay gap reporting mandatory is a necessary step in ensuring fair pay and progression opportunities for everyone, so that we can identify and address disparities, close the gap and take a big step towards eliminating workplace inequalities. Employers should implement their learnings from the successes of gender pay gap reporting to ensure that they are providing fair and equal opportunities to everyone.
“Openness and transparency are vital to ensure accountability. Recent Business in the Community research, in collaboration with YouGov, found that more than half of employees working in large organisations in the UK said that their employers already capture ethnicity data at different levels across the workforce.[1] This consultation will help the Government to shape their plans and understand how they can best support employers to use this data effectively to identify trends and come up with ambitious and achievable targets to increase fairness in the workplace.”
Also responding to the launch of the consultation, Richard Iferenta, Partner and Vice-Chair at KPMG and Chair of BITC’s Race Leadership Team, said:
“While collecting employee data is vital, it is what we do with that data that can make all the difference. That’s why I’m delighted to see that the Government has launched this consultation.
“Mandatory pay gap reporting is a vital step in creating workplaces where everyone feels included, valued and like they belong at work. This consultation will be an important resource in shaping the Government’s agenda when it comes to passing the Equality (Race and Disability) Bill and creating fair and equal workplaces across the UK.”
ENDS
Notes to editor
- Business in the Community: Diverse and Inclusive Supply Chain Insights Report
For further information, please contact Polly Dacam, Press Officer, on 020 7566 6638.
About Business in the Community:
Business in the Community is the UK’s largest and most influential responsible business network dedicated to building a fairer and greener world together, supported by His Majesty the King for over 40 years. We inspire, engage and challenge purposeful leaders to take practical action to mobilise their collective strength as a force for good in society.