This snapshot, taken on 08/09/2005, shows web content selected for preservation by The National Archives. External links, forms and search boxes may not work in archived websites.

Army Top Again in the Race for Opportunity

   
The Army has topped the list of public sector employers in 2004 for the fourth consecutive year, according to the Race for Opportunity’s annual benchmarking research published today. It ranked fourth overall across the public and private sectors, an improvement of one place from 2003. This result is particularly impressive in light of the increased competition for this year’s awards, and the very detailed scrutiny of the Army’s race policies and practices which were required by this year’s assessors.
 Race for Opportunity, a Business in the Community campaign, is a national business network of over 180 private and public sector organisations across the UK, working on race and diversity as a business agenda. Chaired by Allan Leighton, it is unique in its business-focused approach to race.

 In the public sector category, the Army outperformed both sector and network averages in all business areas from leadership, sharing ownership, resourcing and development, policy and planning to communication, marketing, working with ethnic minority businesses, community involvement, overall performance and results/impact.

 Three key achievements that have been put in place during the last year have had an impact on the Army’s race policies. First, the Chief of the General Staff’s (CGS’s) Equality and Diversity Directive for the Army describes Army policy in those areas and directly engages the Chain of Command in equality and diversity issues. Secondly, the new Equality and Diversity training programme which is designed to be delivered to different levels in an incremental manner from training recruits to Junior Commanders (Officers and NCOs) through to senior staff. And lastly, the new Case for Diversity. Produced for the first time last year and extensively revised this year, this puts the Army’s case for diversity in terms of civilian business practices.

 Colonel David Brown, Colonel (Employment) Army, said, “The Army is very proud of these results. We have maintained first place in the public sector and moved up one place – from number five to number four overall – from last year.

 “The Army values its relationship with RfO. Completing the benchmarking assessment and attending regular employment seminars has helped us with the development of our diversity policies and RfO assists with keeping us up to date with the latest trends and information on race in the UK and globally.

 “The Army has top down commitment to the issue of diversity. CGS’s personal endorsement of the Equality and Diversity Directive, the Adjutant General’s annual report to ECAB (the Executive Committee of the Army Board) on Equality and Diversity (published this year in May) and ECAB’s endorsement of the action plan demonstrates top level buy in.

     “Also, the integration of Equality and Diversity into mainstream, day to day management by making commanders responsible for implementing equality and diversity policy, plans and practices is a significant step forward in the Army’s approach to diversity.

 “We make strenuous efforts to improve our links and relationships with EM communities and organisations. From the highest level, with our regular dialogue with the CRE, down to the regional schemes to engage the local EM communities, we are totally committed to strengthening links to the EM communities. We are constantly striving to ensure that relevant and effective policies are in place.”

 Allan Leighton, RfO Chairman, warns that business leaders who fail to recognise the business case for racial diversity are likely to suffer both commercially and in terms of brand reputation. He said: “Those organisations that do not embed diversity into their business strategies will lose their competitive edge. Companies need to recognise the communities in which they are operating from board level down. By failing to do so they are limiting both the talent pool from which they recruit and promote, and the customers they target through their marketing.

 “Progress on race is underway but there is no room for complacency. Our report clearly shows that diversity is good for business but organisations must stay focused and continue to measure and evaluate the strategies they are implementing.”