Minority managers
Full representation of black and minority ethnic (BME) individuals across the labour market would be worth £24 billion a year to the UK economy, a new report finds.
However, Delivering diversity, a joint report by the Chartered Management Institute and British Academy of Management, said that while one in eight (12.5%) of the UK population is BME, only one in 17 (6%) of top management positions are held by BME individuals.
The study found that just one in five (21%) of the FTSE 100 companies surveyed report publicly on their BME workers, compared to almost three-quarter (71%) on gender diversity. Two in five (42%) even said that the prioritisation of gender has become a barrier to progress on BME.
Pavita Cooper, chair of the Delivering Diversity Research Advisory Board said: “Business leaders need to set the tone and work with managers throughout the line to reshape business cultures.”