December 21, 2012, 8:44 am -- /EPR NETWORK/ -- MITIE Group PLC, the facilities management services, is delighted to announce it has been named as one of the top ten private sector organisations for ethnicity in the workplace by Race for Opportunity and Opportunity Now, the race and gender campaigns from Business in the Community (BITC).
MITIE was commended by BITC for several current initiatives including some around recruitment and career progression, workplace policies and practices, plus its work in the community.
In particular, MITIE’s network of diversity ‘champions’ was recognised as an excellent example of making a difference on gender and race, both in an internal and external capacity.
MITIE’s programme to encourage women to return to work and develop their careers after taking maternity leave, as well as chief executive officer Ruby McGregor Smith’s involvement in a mentoring circle for black, Asian and minority ethnic women were also highlighted as key initiatives.
The unranked lists are the culmination of the UK’s most comprehensive Benchmarking Survey into how organisations are performing on race and gender equality, diversity& inclusion in the workplace.
Sandra Kerr OBE, director of Race for Opportunity, said: “For organisations committed to diversity, equality and inclusion in the workplace, the Benchmark is a clear signal of which organisations are delivering best practice.”
The Benchmark also recognised MITIE’s public commitment to the campaign through involvement in Opportunity Now, Race for Opportunity and also the Women’s Business Council, which is chaired by Ruby McGregor-Smith, the first Asian woman to head a FTSE 250 company.
Ruby McGregor-Smith CBE, Chief Executive of MITIE, said, “Having a talented and diverse workforce is critical to our business and we are passionate about diversity in its broadest sense. We are thrilled to have been recognised by Race for Opportunity and Opportunity Now for our continued commitment to diversity.”
-ENDS-
For further information, contact:
Bell Pottinger
Juliet Chaplin
D: +44 20 7861 2521
E: jchaplin@bell-pottinger.co.uk
Notes for editors
The Benchmarking Process
The Benchmark Survey is formed of two parts: the Diversity Impacts Survey is a
submission of workforce metrics covering women, men and BAME employers, and the
Diversity Inputs Survey is a submission of supporting documentary evidence and
statements. The Top 10s have been determined from those organisations that complete
both the Impacts and Inputs surveys for a given protected characteristic.
Organisations that benchmark simultaneously across both protected characteristics were eligible for inclusion in all relevant Top 10s. The process is led by Benchmarking Manager, Tom Legge, and all Benchmarking submissions were double reviewed by Business in the Community’s team of diversity experts.
About Business in the Community
Business in the Community stands for responsible business. With a membership of over
850 companies, engagement in 10,700 organisations internationally and an employee
reach of 14.7 million, Business in the Community is raising the benchmark for
responsible business practice. We offer our members practical support to help them
transform their businesses and integrate responsible practices into their
operations.
And we ask our members to work in partnership with us to help transform communities and tackle serious social issues where business can make a real difference. Business in the Community is one of the Prince’s Charities, a group of not-for-profit organisations of which The Prince of Wales is President. www.bitc.org.uk
Opportunity Now is the gender campaign from Business in the Community and Race for Opportunity is the race campaign from Business in the Community. For more information about Business in the Community’s work on diversity and inclusion please visit:
Contact Details: 6th Floor, Holborn Gate, 330 High Holborn
London WC1V 7QD
Juliet Chaplin
D: +44 20 7861 2521
E: jchaplin@bell-pottinger.co.uk