“Helping business to build an inclusive workplace” A Proposal for Membership of UK Council for Access and Equality

Diversity and CSR  CSR is becoming an increasingly important element of Competitive Advantage  Diversity is a critical component of CSR  Diversity not yet a measured component of most CSR profiles  All current Diversity legislation incorporated in one Act (the Single Equality Act) by 2010

Key Statistics  74% think most discrimination occurs at work  46% of people believe they have faced unfair discrimination  41% said this had occurred at work  19% had faced discrimination at work  73% who had faced discrimination did not make a complaint  38% who did not complain said there was nothing to gain by doing so  49% said age was most common reason for discrimination  48% said long term health problem or a disability reason for discrimination Source: GfkNOP survey for the Equality and Rights Commission (EHRC) - Sample size: 1087 (Sep 2007)

Key Statistics  20% of the workforce (6.9 million people) have some form of impairment recognised by the DDA (1995)  Only 17% of those people with a disability were born with it Source: Labour Force Survey National Statistics Office (Jun 2005)  33% of people aged are disabled under the DDA (1995) Source: Disability Rights Commission (2004)  72.4% of men in age group are working  68.4% of women in age group are working  42% of women are part time workers  Only 11% of women are likely to reach senior management or Board Positions (18% for men) Source: Women and Equality Unity (Jun 2005)

Key Statistics  By 2020 nearly 40% of the population will be over 50  People over 50 own 80% of private wealth  People over 50 have over £175 billion of disposal income  40% of consumer demand is from people over 50 Source: National Population Projections Government Actuaries Department 2004  75% of employees expect to work beyond retirement age  1,000,000 people over retirement age currently working will rise to over 3,000,000 by 2017 Source: AON Consulting 2007 Source: AON Consulting 2007

CSR Requirements CSR Requirements  Identify and quantify current UK Business performance in diversity and inclusion  Use the information to improve performance and to better utilise resources  Broaden and deepen the resource pool  Use this information to benchmark overseas businesses  Continually improve reputation as an employer  Enhanced market share with enhanced reputation  Identify success to peer group and customers  Enhance competitive advantage

UK Council for Access and Equality UKCAE:  Is a not for profit organisation set up by business for business  Is a membership organsiation  Has a simple 2 Part structure comprising:  A Governing Body of 15 member organisations from business each with a senior (Main Board level) representative on the UKCAE Board  A Council of Reference of 15 member organisations from the Third Sector each with a position on the council  The Governing Body determines policy  The Council of Reference is first line of consultation and validation that UKCAE policy will meet the needs of everyone

UK Council for Access and Equality The Government Green Paper, A Framework for Fairness: Proposals for Single Equality Bill for Great Britain, proposes “a light touch Equality check tool for employers to use and consider introducing a voluntary equality standard scheme for business, which could be an independently assessed accredited standard or a non-accredited good practice and compliance tool”  UKCAE offers business this “light-touch Equality check tool”  The tool is delivered via a 3-Step Pathway  It is an independently assessed and recognised “equality standard scheme”  It has an integral learning and development process  The Pathway engages every individual within an organisation  The Pathway will bring real, measured change in the workplace

The UKCAE 3-Step Pathway  Step 1 is the foundation of the Pathway and provides basic awareness, understanding and removes some common misconceptions  Step 2 recognises existing good practice and requires examination of current practices to identify any discrimination  Step 3 implements changes identified in Step 2 and provides a measured and independently audited outcome that ensures inclusion is an ongoing and integral part of the workplace The entire process is on-line, audited and formally recognised

Step 1 - Detail Step 1  increases general awareness of equality legislation and the role of diversity in CSR  provides basic tips to enable an individual to feel more at ease working with a diverse group of people Step 1 requires  the organisation to produce a written policy statement committing itself to the Pathway  identification of who will manage the implementation of the Pathway within the organisation  all staff to undertake the Step-specific learning “Diversity and Inclusion: Understanding Disability” in order for real cultural change to begin to take place  identification of key members of staff, where relevant, within the organisation, who can help identify possible obstacles within their operational areas

Step 2 - Detail Step 2  builds on the knowledge and understanding gained in Step 1  requires a detailed assessment of current practice in 4 key areas: Employment ~ Communication ~ Physical Environment ~ Goods & Services  acknowledges inclusive practice already in place Step 2 Offers  additional learning and development resources to further the awareness and understanding of diversity within CSR  guidance for the organisation on developing a meaningful Inclusion Statement through the construction of an Implementation Programme that identifies and plans for the removal of any obstacles to inclusion  practical advice on how to resolve common issues  a network of Inclusion Partners who provide further advice and information  access to additional sources of specialist learning and development for key staff, where appropriate

Step 3 - Detail Step 3  implements changes identified at Step 2  ensures cultural change by embedding inclusive procedures and practices into the operational framework of the organisation. Step 3 Requires  an organisation to have completed the Implementation Programme compiled in Step 2  that appropriate monitoring, performance measures and reporting are put in place  an organisation to have embedded appropriate awareness and understanding of diversity and inclusion in the induction process for all new staff and refresher courses for other staff

UKCAE Membership  Founder Member – 15 companies each with a place on the UKCAE Board specifically chosen to ensure a balanced representation of each sector of UK business  Council of Reference – 15 third sector organisations  Affiliate Members – organisations affiliated to any of those in the first two categories  General Membership – open to all organisations no place on the board  Third Sector Membership

Benefits of UKCAE Membership  Access to the UKCAE 3-Step UKAS-recognised Pathway  1 day Pathway induction at Member’s offices  Access to the Members’ Area of the UKCAE website  Access to the UKCAE Information Resources Directory  Access to support from UKCAE staff  Link from UKCAE website to Founder Member website  Opportunity to become a UKCAE Inclusion Partner and provide services to other UKCAE members

Specific Benefits of UKCAE Membership  Low cost high value diversity model  Shows public commitment to diversity and inclusion  Provides formal recognition of existing diversity practice  UKAS-recognised simple pathway to diversity and inclusion  Audited component of Corporate Social Responsibility  Improved staff and customer relations resulting from an inclusive workplace  Improved competitive advantage  Foundation for the arrival of the Single Equality Act  Provides a single, straightforward Equality Policy