Business in the Community (BITC) in partnership with the government is pleased to announce that ICP Nurseries Ltd has signed up to the Race at Work Charter, an initiative designed to improve outcomes for black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) employees in the UK.

Events and protests around the world are highlighting inequality in societies and calling on everyone to show support as allies wherever possible.

The charter builds on the work of the 2017 McGregor-Smith Review, ‘Race in the workplace’, a wake-up call for UK employers, which found that people from BAME backgrounds were still underemployed, underpromoted and under-represented at senior levels.

Currently, over 200 public, private and charitable organisations have signed up to the charter. The Race at Work Charter is designed to foster a public commitment to improving outcomes of BAME employees in the workplace.

The charter consists of five principles to ensure organisations support BAME employees and tackle the barriers they continue to face.

Organisations that sign up to the charter such are committing to:

• Appointing an Executive Sponsor for race
• Capturing data and publicising progress
• Ensuring zero tolerance of harassment and bullying
• Making equality in the workplace the responsibility of all leaders and managers
• Taking action that supports ethnic minority career progression.

Tracey Storey, chief executive officer of ICP Nurseries Ltd said :

‘ICP Nurseries is committed to ensuring that the principles of BITC are embedded in our working practices, but we are deeply aware that we can always do more.  ICP Nurseries has signed up to the BITC Race Charter to demonstrate our current and ongoing commitment to be an inclusive and responsible employer. We have further developed our equality and diversity agenda which will include a representative committee of staff from across the group.  This committee will allow nominated equality and diversity leads from some of our nurseries to represent their colleagues from across our organisation. Together, I believe we can genuinely make a difference.’