New Equality Bill to allow discrimination against men

Harriet Harman's new Equality Bill will encourage companies to positively discriminate in favour of women and ethnic minority job candidates, particularly in leadership roles.

The move is designed to thrust more women and ethnic minorities into senior posts.

The Bill was hit by an immediate backlash from business leaders last night who say they are fiercely opposed to positive discrimination.
 

NKD Insight

Positive discrimination is already alive and kicking!

The subject of positive discrimination has been bubbling within PLC HR departments for the last 10 years. The more E& D conscious organisations have been setting targets for both women and ethnic minorities in management roles for some time.

In 2007 the London Business School published a study of 61 PLC’s from across 12 countries. The report ‘Inspiring Women: Corporate Best Practice - in Europe’ found that of the organisations studied 27% set targets for the numbers of women in senior executive roles, and 22% had targets for appointments to the Executive Board. Organisations are also setting similar ethnicity targets.

These targets are not just idle talk.  In July 2007 BBC Executives missed out on their collectivel bonuses worth £350,000, after the broadcaster failed to meet its diversity targets.

The setting of targets is relatively simple. The practicality of meeting them is a minefield for which line managers are both practically and emotionally ill prepared. This is no more clearly evidenced than the issues of equality that face the Metropolitan Police. Back in May 2007 HR Director Martin Tiplady backed calls for positive discrimination in the police force, although admitted that ‘it would be a nightmare for HR to manage’. Recent headlines, less than a year later, seem to support his view.

Whether you agree with the ethics of positive discrimination is irrelevant, with EU legislation, PLC's setting targets and now the UK Equality Bill the challenge has been set and all leaders are accountable.

HR departments in particular across the UK should be waking up now to the reality that they need to be developing their leaders to understand both what they are required to do and, equally importantly, how they are meant to do it when it comes to promoting positive discrimination.   If they don’t they will face some major challenges as the legislation starts to take force.

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