The National Framework Committee established under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness to promote equality at the level of the enterprise today hosted a seminar on practices to enhance workplace equality. The Minister for Justice Equality and Law Reform, Michael Mc Dowell, launched the new publication of the Committee ‘Equality and Diversity Training at the Level of Enterprise’ at the seminar.
Jackie Harrison,Director of Social Policy at the Irish Business and Employers Confederation, (IBEC), highlighted “the importance of leadership in promoting workplace equality and the value of partnership as a means of providing practical assistance to effective equality strategies in the workplace”. She stated that the Committee “provided IBEC and Congress with the opportunity to promote the value of adopting a proactive approach to equality and diversity in the workplace in areas such as training”.
The Framework Committee has supported a wide range of projects which have focused on
- The recruitment and retention of older workers
- The management of diversity
- The inclusion of Black and minority ethnic employees.
- The provision of equality and diversity training
- Supporting women in achieving leadership positions in the workplace
- The preparation and implementation of employment equality policies
Niall Crowley, Chief Executive Officer of the Equality Authority identified that “the three basic building blocks for equality in the workplace are equality and diversity training, employment equality policies, and equality reviews and action plans”. He emphasised the importance of “equality and diversity training in building a workplace capacity to ensure discrimination did not take place and to achieve equality outcomes across the nine ground equality agenda. For this, training needs to go beyond awareness raising and to emphasise skills development”.
The Committee was launching it’s new publication on ‘Equality Diversity Training in the Workplace’. This :-
- Sets out the case for equality training
- Identifies how to provide such training
- Provides detail on a wide ranging menu of modules to be provided as part of such training
Joan Carmichael, Assistant General Secretary of Congress, emphasised “the importance of employment equality policies in establishing an overt workplace commitment to equality and in setting out the actions to give expression to this commitment”. She highlighted that “there are real challenges in ensuring such policies adequately and appropriately address all nine grounds covered under the equality legislation and in turning such policies into effective practice so that they are a stimulus to practical steps for equality in the workplace.
The Committee has also produced a publication on ‘Guidelines for Employment Equality Policies in Enterprises’. This identifies the necessary commitments within an employment equality policy in
- organising for equality within the enterprise
- equal opportunities in recruitment and advertising
- equal opportunities in the interview process.
- equal opportunities in job orientation and job induction
- equal opportunities in career promotion and progression .
Greg Heylin, Head of Development in the Equality Authority, set out “the value of equality reviews as a means of assessing workplace policies, practices, procedures and perceptions for their contribution to equality. This allows employers and employees to take stock of progress made and to develop a proactive approach to workplace equality”. He stated that “such an approach has been seen to be good for business, good for employees and good for equality”.
The Equality Authority has recently launched a scheme to support enterprises to conduct equality reviews and to prepare equality action plans.
The Framework Committee organising the event includes:
- Irish Congress of Trade Union
- Irish Business and Employer Confederation
- Department of Justice Equality and law Reform
- Department of Finance
- Local Government Management Services Board
- Health Service Employers Agency
- Equal Opportunities Network
It is convened by the Equality Authority.
ENDS