Walsall-based charitable training provider and recruitment specialists, Steps To Work, have been named second in the country for championing diversity in the workplace by the National Centre for Diversity, marking the second consecutive year that the organisation has received this accolade.
Covering the UK’s public, private and third sectors, the National Centre for Diversity’s Top 100 Index acknowledges those who are committed to making a difference within modern workplace environments and promote the international accreditation body’s values of fairness, respect, equality, diversity, inclusion and engagement.
Bhanu Dhir, Managing Director at Steps To Work, commented: “As an organisation, we are proud to position diversity and inclusivity at the heart of everything we do, whether that be in relation to internal processes or when engaging with business clients, project participants and prospective candidates. Therefore, we are delighted at having been ranked No. 2 in the National Centre for Diversity’s Top 100 index for the second year running.
“In recent years, diversity has become a topical issue amongst businesses across all industry sectors, particularly with regards to demographic characteristics, including gender, ethnicity and disability inclusion, yet there is still much more to be done when it comes to breaking down existing barriers. As recent research indicates, approximately 1 in 4 people who belong to the LGBTQ+ community have experienced negative or mixed reactions from those with whom they work, whilst unemployment rates remain highest amongst those from BAME communities. Therefore, if organisations are to maintain their competitiveness in a socio-economic landscape characterised by unprecedented levels of diversity, it is imperative that they have the people processes in place that enable them to harness the power of diverse thought in order to optimise innovation and realise their ambitions for growth.”
Steps To Work is a non-profit organisation that specialises in the delivery of employer and community value. They provide holistic support to those who are positioned furthest away from the world of work, empowering individuals who often face the largest barriers to employment to source opportunities in businesses across the West Midlands. Throughout the last 20 years, they have enabled more than 34,000 people to secure work and access training across a range of sectors. For more information, please visit stepstowork.co.uk.
