HEWITT URGES TOP COMPANIES TO BE MORE RACE AWARE
(8 October 2003)

Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt today wrote to 500 of Britain's top companies to urge them to join Race for Opportunity (RFO).The organisation offers specialist support and advice to British businesses, and rates how ethnic minorities are treated in their companies as employees and as customers. The RfO benchmarking system allows businesses to evaluate a number of race-related issues including:

• how well they understand the values and needs of ethnic minority customers and stakeholders;
• how well race is integrated into the business's key performance indicators
• how many ethnic minority employees reach senior positions in the organization;
• whether they have a business case for racial diversity, clearly linked to their business objectives;
• how well they monitor the take-up of their recruitment and development programmes by ethnic minorities

Ms Hewitt also said she would like to see the number of FTSE 100 companies who are members double over the next year. Speaking at the Race For Opportunity annual dinner, Ms Hewitt encouraged leading employers to adopt the benchmarking process to make sure that they are making the most of their workforce and appeal to their widest potential customer base.

Patricia Hewitt said: "We're determined to create a Britain where everyone can reach their full potential; where racism is unacceptable and is counteracted; and where racial diversity is celebrated. I can announce that I am today writing to 500 top companies, urging them to follow the examples of the best. I want to make it clear that diversity is crucial - for our economy and our society; and that embracing it can bring real improvements in corporate reputation, employee morale and the bottom line. Only 18 FTSE 100 companies went for benchmarking this year. Next year, I want to see this double, or more."

The Department of Trade and Industry received a Gold Award for its commitment to race issues in the workplace, and was ranked as 2nd best public sector employer, after the Army. Lloyds TSB was rated the best employer overall.

Allan Leighton, chair of Race for Opportunity, said, "The private sector is continually being challenged to take accountability for and play its part in creating a truly competitive multicultural UK society. An unprecedented number of organisations from both the private and public sector have risen to the challenge this year of reporting on the performance of their UK operations on race, and on what is making a real difference now.

I have always felt that businesses begin to take the issue of race seriously at the point that they wake up to the realities of the communities around them. Quite simply, communities equal customers. It is clear in today's environment that relying on the traditional perceptions of who your community or customer is will not always provide the solution to tomorrow's challenges, or enhance your ability to compete today or in the future."

Mike Fairey, Deputy Group Chief Executive, Lloyds TSB Group plc said, "RfO has been an invaluable partner in helping us to design and implement our Race Equality Strategy. They have a unique focus on the business case for taking action, and have developed pragmatic tools that have helped us to make significant progress in this crucial area."

Race for Opportunity announced the 100 best organisations participating in the benchmarking process on 2nd July 2003. Further information can be found at the Race for Opportunity website.