Quite a controversial question I'm sure you'll agree, but one prompted by the suggestion that 42% of companies who responded to a survey launched today seem to think it is.
For sure, organisations we speak to tend to have prioritised their diversity activity to focus on gender initially. However, increasingly conversations are turning to how better to engage, retain and progress BAME members of staff.
Perhaps, as recommendations from the organisations behind the survey suggest, companies should take the bull by the horns and publish a breakdown of BAME employees as a starting point...
Currently, 21% of companies surveyed by the CMI and BAM report publicly on BAME, yet 71% report on gender diversity. Forty-two percent suggested that the recent focus on gender pay reporting had become a barrier to progress on BAME representation.
