Press Release
Retailers Already Embrace Diversity
26 June 2008
The retail sector has a more diverse workforce than many other business sectors and retailers have a variety of recruitment policies to ensure their workforces reflect local communities.
Retailers are leaders and innovators and their example should be recognised across industry said the British Retail Consortium (BRC), reacting to the Government’s Equalities Bill. Despite being announced in Labour’s 2005 manifesto, the Bill’s key components were only announced today (Thursday) and the bill itself has yet to be published.
BRC Chief Stephen Robertson said: “I am proud of the retail industry’s record on reflecting all parts of the population in its workforce and on developing individuals and nurturing talent. There are nearly three million jobs in UK retailing. The competitive battle to attract the best people means retailers strive to offer attractive deals to the widest possible pool of talent.”
He said that measures to simplify the law on equality and prohibiting discrimination are welcome. The absence from the Bill of a legal requirement for full equal pay audits is also very sensible and will allow each employer to continue to decide how to manage fairness in the way most appropriate for their business. But allowing employment tribunal Chairs to interfere in companies’ human resources practices is a mistake.
On not requiring grade-by-grade equal pay audits and confining more general pay data publication to the public sector, BRC Director General Stephen Robertson said: “The rejection of trade union calls for a legal obligation on all employers to carry out full equal pay audits is very sensible.
“Of course retailers support the principle of equal pay between the sexes and retail is a sector where gaps are not typically found. Many of our members audit already but requiring businesses to undertake the Government’s version rather than one suitable for their specific business would be a major headache.
On empowering employment tribunal chairs to make recommendations on companies’ human resources practices, British Retail Consortium Director General Stephen Robertson said: “Our large members have teams of expert staff. It’s very short sighted to think a tribunal chair is qualified, or could understand the business sufficiently well, to advise on employment practice in that business.
“Referring tribunal recommendations on to the Equality and Human Rights Commission is unnecessary. An employment tribunal is a legal entity with powers to make awards and to impose punishments. Where an employer has fallen foul of the law they will be penalised. Surely this is enough? - it is in every other legal forum. A separate investigation would be a pointless extra cost burden.”
The BRC said companies should be encouraged to devise recruitment and retention policies which embrace diversity and nurture talent. The retail sector has an excellent track record, and continues to place great emphasis on supporting all staff and providing excellent opportunities to all communities.
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