A paper identified myths and misconceptions surrounding equality and diversity in the workplace. Common misconceptions included the belief that a disabled person could not be dismissed, while someone who had been on sick leave for a certain length of time could be dismissed automatically. Employers lacked detailed knowledge of their responsibilities towards pregnant women, and there was growing anecdotal evidence of employers being unwilling to recruit women of childbearing age. Employers found it particularly difficult to confront race discrimination. The most common misconception about age regulations was that they applied only to older workers.
Source: Sarah Podro, Back to Basics: Acas experience of equality and diversity in the workplace, Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (020 7210 3613)
Links: Paper | Personnel Today report
Date: 2006-Dec
A new book examined the policy and regulatory measures relating to the promotion of media diversity in three jurisdictions: the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia.
Source: Lesley Hitchens, Broadcasting Pluralism and Diversity: A comparative study of policy and regulation, Hart Publishing (01865 517530)
Links: Summary
Date: 2006-Nov
A think-tank report said that officially protected 'victim' groups (women, ethnic minorities, disabled people, and those defined by sexual orientation, age, and religion or belief) added up to 73 per cent of the population. Victimhood was sought after because of the advantages it brought, including preferential treatment in the workplace, the possibility of using police power to silence unwelcome critics, and financial compensation.
Source: David Green, We're (Nearly) All Victims Now! How political correctness is undermining our liberal culture, Civitas (020 7401 5470)
Links: Civitas press release
Date: 2006-Oct
A report evaluated the Northern Ireland equality scheme, which provided a structured approach to how the Northern Ireland Office promoted equality of opportunity in the development of policy and legislation. Senior management commitment and engagement in the statutory duty requirement needed to be more visible.
Source: Equality Scheme: Five Year Review Report, Northern Ireland Office (028 9052 8429)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Oct
The social care inspectorate launched a strategy document on equality and diversity. It said that people should have equal access to care services whatever their gender, age, sexual orientation, race, belief, or disability.
Source: Equalities and Diversity Strategy, Commission for Social Care Inspection (0845 015 0120)
Links: Strategy | Summary | CSCI press release
Date: 2006-Aug
The Department for Communities and Local Government published plans for the formation of a new governing board, to include a 'Director General, Equalities' responsible for leading the department's work on race, faith, gender, and sexual orientation.
Source: Building the Department for Communities and Local Government: Next Steps, Department for Communities and Local Government (0870 1226 236)
Links: Report | DCLG press release
Date: 2006-Jul
A report said that legislation was the main driver for diversity, with over two-thirds of employers ranking legal pressures among the top five drivers.
Source: Diversity in Business: How much progress have employers made? - First findings, Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (020 8971 9000)
Links: Report | CIPD press release | Personnel Today report
Date: 2006-Jul
A survey found that 88 per cent of all local authorities in England and Scotland were unaware that most of their suppliers had failed to put equality practices in place.
Source: Local Authorities Equality & Diversity Survey: Interim Report, Committed 2 Equality (01785 851888)
Links: Report | Community Care report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Jun
A report examined the public's awareness in Northern Ireland of anti-discrimination laws, attitudes to a range of equality issues, and personal experience of discrimination. There was widespread support for equality laws. 17 per cent of people surveyed said they had experienced unfair treatment or harassment in the previous 3 years because they belonged to a particular equality group.
Source: Awareness of Equality Issues amongst the General Public in Northern Ireland, Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (028 9050 0600)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Jun
The government announced the creation of a new Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), replacing the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. It included a remit to promote community cohesion (previously under the Home Office) and equality (previously split between various departments), as well as responsibility for housing, urban regeneration, planning, and local government. The Women and Equality Unit moved to the DCLG, which also became the sponsor department for the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights. The Prime Minister wrote to the newly appointed Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (following a Cabinet reshuffle), setting out policy priorities for her Department.
Source: Press release 5 May 2006, 10 Downing Street (020 7270 1234) | Letter from Tony Blair MP (Prime Minister) to Ruth Kelly MP (Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government), 9 May 2006
Links: Downing St press release | PM letter
Date: 2006-May
A think-tank report examined the economic importance of diversity. It said that public bodies should become 'regional exemplars' in taking measures to promote diversity within their own organizations.
Source: Tony Pilch, Diversity and the Economy, Smith Institute (020 7592 3618)
Date: 2006-May
The government published a strategy designed to increase the diversity of the judiciary, following a research report which examined the reasons for the under-representation of women and members of black and minority ethnic communities.
Source: Judicial Diversity Strategy, Department for Constitutional Affairs (020 7210 8500) | Opinion Leader Research, Judicial Diversity: Findings of a consultation with barristers, solicitors and judges, Department for Constitutional Affairs
Links: Strategy | Report | DCA press release | Hansard
Date: 2006-May
A report said that there was a "huge, untapped well" of entrepreneurial potential, particularly among women, ethnic minorities, and the regions outside London and the south east.
Source: Boosting Enterprise Across the Population, Confederation of British Industry (020 7395 8247)
Links: Report | CBI press release
Date: 2006-Apr
An article examined the second devolved elections in Scotland and Wales (in 2003) from the perspective of women's political representation; and whether the increase in descriptive representation had led to improved substantive representation of women by better reflecting their diverse interests and concerns.
Source: Fiona Mackay, 'Women's representation in Wales and Scotland', Contemporary Wales, Volume 17 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Apr
An article examined whether employment in English local government was equitable with respect to gender, ethnicity, and disability. The performance of councils varied markedly, depending on the dimension of diversity and the criterion of performance applied.
Source: Rhys Andrews, George Boyne and Richard Walker, 'Workforce diversity in the public sector: an evaluation of the performance of English local authorities', Policy & Politics, Volume 34 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Apr
The interim report of an official review set out findings on the extent of chronic and persistent inequalities; offered some conclusions on how to address those inequalities; and proposed a framework for determination of priorities for action. It said that persistent inequality could seriously damage the economy and cost society billions each year in lost income. (The review was established primarily to consider equality by sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, religion and belief, and age.)
Source: Equalities Review, The Equalities Review: Interim Report for Consultation, Cabinet Office (020 7276 1200)
Links: Report | Summary | EOC press release | DRC press release
Date: 2006-Mar
A discussion paper said that a 'capability' approach - focusing on differences in the substantive freedom enjoyed by individuals - provided the foundation for measures of inequality which met a number of desirable criteria. (The paper was prepared for an official review of equality by sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, religion and belief, and age.)
Source: Tania Burchardt, Foundations for Measuring Equality, Cabinet Office (020 7276 1200)
Links: Paper
Date: 2006-Mar
An article examined developments in United Kingdom law and policy which required, permitted, or were more accommodating towards, the use of affirmative action. It considered the various justifications used in support of affirmative action and their philosophical and political strengths and weaknesses. It advocated a strategic approach to the justification and use of affirmative action, taking account of relevant political, contextual, pragmatic, and practical considerations.
Source: Aileen McHarg and Donald Nicolson, 'Justifying affirmative action: perception and reality', Journal of Law and Society, Volume 33 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Mar
A paper compared the employment prospects of disadvantaged social groups over a period of 30 years, using data from the General Household Survey. Women, ethnic minorities, disabled people, and older people were all at a disadvantage in the labour market in terms of their likelihood of having a job: but almost all forms of disadvantage had been in decline over the most recent 10 years. (The paper was prepared for an official review of equality by sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, religion and belief, and age.)
Source: Richard Berthoud and Morten Blekesaune, Persistent Employment Disadvantage, 1974 to 2003, Working Paper 2006-9, Institute for Social and Economic Research/University of Essex (01206 873087)
Links: Working paper | ISER press release
Date: 2006-Mar
A report said that it made good business sense for employers to align their reward and diversity strategies. Equal pay audits could help organizations achieve their targets, if they used the data to find the underlying causes for unexplained pay gaps.
Source: Reward and Diversity: Making fair pay add up to business advantage, Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (020 8971 9000)
Links: CIPD press release
Date: 2006-Feb
A report examined the impact of a project designed to develop new ways of delivering employment policies to reduce inequality in the labour market.
Source: GHK Consulting and the Gilfillan Partnership, Update to the Mid-term Evaluation of the UK-GB EQUAL Community Initiative 2000/06, Research Report 311, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Date: 2006-Feb
The Equality Act 2006 was given Royal assent. The Act provided for the creation of a Commission for Equality and Human Rights, combining existing watchdog bodies, in 2007. The Commission for Racial Equality would join in 2009.
Source: Equality Act 2006, Department of Trade and Industry, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Act | DTI press release | CRE press release
Date: 2006-Feb
A think-tank report said that freedom of intellectual and political life was being subjected to a subtle form of 'censorship' in the guise of political correctness, for example surrounding gender and race.
Source: Anthony Browne, The Retreat of Reason, Civitas (020 7401 5470)
Links: Civitas press release
Date: 2006-Jan
A study examined the issue of diversity on boards of directors in the private and public sectors. There were notable gaps in the evidence base on board diversity, including in relation to: under-represented groups other than women (reflecting ethnicity, disability, and sexual orientation); public sector boards; and the effectiveness of initiatives to improve diversity.
Source: Ruth Sealy, Elena Doldor and Susan Vinnicombe, Increasing Diversity on Public and Private Sector Boards: Part 1 – How Diverse Are Boards and Why?, Government Equalities Office (020 7944 0601)
Links: Report | Guardian report | BBC report
Date: 2006-Jan
A report for the equal rights watchdog examined how a range of organizations had established equality policies encouraging employees from diverse backgrounds – lesbian, gay, bisexual, and older employees, and those with differing religions or beliefs – to participate fully in the workplace.
Source: Sue Bond, Emma Hollywood and Fiona Colgan, Integration in the Workplace: Emerging employment practice on age, sexual orientation and religion or belief, Research Report 36, Equality and Human Rights Commission (web publication only)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Jan
An article examined how greater political recognition of cultural and gendered identities had affected the interior culture in an English police force.
Source: Bethan Loftus, 'Dominant culture interrupted: recognition, resentment and the politics of change in an English police force', British Journal of Criminology, Volume 48 Number 6
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Jan
The government published a summary of the responses to a discussion paper on ways to enable people to bring claims of multiple discrimination.
Source: Equality Bill: Assessing the Impact of a Multiple Discrimination Provision – Summary of Responses, Government Equalities Office (020 7944 0601)
Links: Responses | Discussion document
Date: 2006-Jan
The Equality Bill was given a third reading. The Bill was designed to establish a Commission for Equality and Human Rights to promote all the strands of equality and to promote and protect human rights.
Source: Equality Bill [HL], Department of Trade and Industry, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 16 January 2006, columns 566-669, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | Hansard
Date: 2006-Jan