Tackling racism in the workplace
Resources and guidance to help people professionals tackle racism and racial discrimination in the workplace
We must take shared responsibility and actions to stamp out racism in all forms
Over the past year we have all been challenged and reminded of how deep-rooted racism is in society and how it remains a lived experience for people from ethnic minorities. This is particularly evident for black people, as seen through the strength of feeling in the Black Lives Matter movement. We have far to go in building fair and truly inclusive societies, and organisations have a responsibility to take action and commit to positive change. Stamping out racism in all forms, whether covert or overt, should be at the heart of responsible business.
Our profession, the people profession, has a fundamental and primary role in leading the awareness and understanding of racism at work, and the changes in culture, behaviours, policies, practices and learning to make the difference. Despite greater focus on inclusion and diversity initiatives in recent years, progress on tackling racism has been too slow. We must challenge ourselves to understand the often less visible barriers and cultures that have allowed racism to persist.
As the CIPD, we recognise our responsibilities and the need for leadership. The issues are complex and deep-rooted, and we have to listen but also move to and encourage action. We are engaging with our members and the profession about what needs to be done to drive change. We are also working with external experts to challenge us as an organisation and as a professional community.
The CIPD is focusing on three key areas to end racism at work:
At the CIPD we want to find ways to drive positive change together with our worldwide community of members, and the wider people profession. We can only create lasting change if we work together to create fair and inclusive societies. We pledge to keep listening, to dedicate our resources to improve our support and to sustain our efforts over time.
Resources and guidance to help people professionals tackle racism and racial discrimination in the workplace
Experts, leaders and practitioners tackle the key issues and questions around how to create a safe and inclusive workspace
Answers to frequently asked questions about racial equality and anti-racism