Firms are to be forced to publish their ethnic pay gap, Theresa May has announced. The PM is launching a major consultation on mandatory reporting of wage differences between white workers and those from different ethnicities.
The dramatic move is part of a series of measures to be unveiled today aimed at tackling barriers facing ethnic minorities in work.
It comes after a previous voluntary call for all firms to publish ethnic pay gap details sparked only low levels of responses.
Leaders of the NHS , Army, schools and the police will also today set out plans to boost the proportion of public sector leaders from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Mrs May’s Race at Work Charter will commit businesses to a new set of principles and actions designed to drive forward a change in the recruitment and progression of ethnic minority employees.
The Government’s Race Disparity Audit data suggests significant disparities in the pay and progression of ethnic minority employees compared to their white counterparts.
Mrs May said: Every employee deserves the opportunity to progress and fulfil their potential in their chosen field, regardless of which background they are from, but too often ethnic minority employees feel they’re hitting a brick wall when it comes to career progression.
That’s why I’m delighted to launch the Race at Work Charter, which gives businesses a clear set of actions to work towards in helping to create greater opportunities for ethnic minority employees at work.
The PM added: Our focus is now on making sure the UK’s organisations, boardrooms and senior management teams are truly reflective of the workplaces they manage, and the measures we are taking today will help employers identify the actions needed to create a fairer and more diverse workforce.