BRE joins over 900 organisations by signing the Race at Work Charter

BRE has joined over 900 employers in signing up to the Race at Work Charter, an initiative designed by Business in the Community (BITC) for businesses to collectively commit to improving equal opportunities for Black, Asian, Mixed Race and ethnically diverse employees in the UK.

By signing the Race at Work Charter, BRE has committed to:
• Appoint an Executive Sponsor for race
• Capture data and publicise progress
• Ensure zero tolerance of harassment and bullying
• Make equality in the workplace the responsibility of all leaders and managers
• Take action that supports ethnic minority career progression
• Support race inclusion allies in the workplace
• Include Black, Asian, Mixed Race and other ethnically diverse-led enterprise owners in supply chains

The Race at Work Charter is also supported by the results from BITC’s 2021 Race at Work Survey, which found that while 76% of employers said that race recruitment and progression was a priority, only 46% had set targets to improve the racial diversity of their boards.

The survey also found that whilst 99 percent of employers have a zero-tolerance policy on racial harassment and bullying, Black, Asian, Mixed Race and ethnically diverse employees are twice as likely than White employees to have experienced or witnessed racist harassment from managers, customers, clients, and colleagues.

Jane Goddard, Director of Corporate Affairs at BRE said “At BRE, we’re proud to unite with other leading UK businesses and commit to improving equal opportunities for people from Black, Asian, Mixed Race and ethnically diverse backgrounds.

“Signing the Race at Work Charter also gives us a robust framework to help us make sure that our workplace is diverse and inclusive. We’re looking forward to driving actions such as setting targets for ethnically diverse representation and supporting mentorship and sponsorship for our colleagues at BRE.”

Sandra Kerr CBE, Race Director at Business in the Community, said: “We would like to thank BRE for publicly committing to be an inclusive and responsible employer.

“By signing up to the charter, they are joining over 900 businesses who are working together so that the UK can have one of the most inclusive workplaces in the world.

“By taking collective action, we can break down workplace barriers, raise the aspirations and achievements of talented individuals regardless of their ethnicity and deliver an enormous boost to the long-term economic position of the UK.”

Launched in 2018, the Race at Work Charter builds on the work of the 2017 McGregor-Smith Review, which found that people from Black, Asian, Mixed Race and ethnically diverse backgrounds are still underemployed, underpromoted and under-represented at senior levels.