The way things are going, it is clear that Housing Chiefs are going to be held accountable for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).
It is also clear that construction companies are now at a severe commercial disadvantage if they cannot evidence good EDI practices.
We are seeing real momentum in the way that staff in Government departments are following through on their legal duty to “Advance equality of opportunity” across all their departments So construction and housing bosses need to get their affairs in order now.
Solat Chaudhry, Chief Executive of the National Centre for Diversity’s, says “Whenever I speak to Housing Chiefs, I ask one simple question – If your staff team does not reflect the diversity of your communities and your staff are not proficient in the core disciplines of equality, diversity and inclusion, how can they possibly be effective in delivering a fair, equitable service which is inclusive of all people, whatever their backgrounds?”.
The good news is that the National Centre for Diversity is keen to share our knowledge and expertise and that is why we have partnered with London Build 2016, the UK’s leading Construction event.
In 2015, the Chartered Institute of Housing set the sector 10 challenges to improve its record on leadership and diversity by 2020.
The promotion of equality, diversity and inclusion is not only morally and culturally the ‘right’ thing to do, but there is an impressive business case for making improvements in this area of your organisation.
Here are our top three reasons for Housing organisations to put Equality, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives into practice:
- Housing providers need to meet the needs of a diverse range of communities and individuals… having greater diversity within your organisation will ensure that you can provide the right services and meet the right needs and aspirations of a broader customer base.
- The Housing sector needs to adapt to the changes to come, a diverse workforce encourages creativity and is a more innovative workforce.
- Attract and retain an increasingly diverse talent pool… embedding diversity throughout your organisation means you can nurture the talent within your workforce and attract new and more diverse talent, thus gaining an advantage over your competitors.
We all know that the moral and ethical case for improving diversity in your organisation is very strong, but the three reasons above are just the start for an equally strong business case.
Join the member’s area of our website to access our free online resources, and be the change you want to see in your organisation at www.nationalcentrefordiversity.com/free-resources.
For more information on how we can support your organisation’s work around Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, give us a call on 0800 288 4717 or email admin@iiduk.org.
