Follow up to previous meeting - Stonewall Diversity Champions

Report: 05
Date: 19 May 2005
By: the Chief Executive and Clerk

Summary

This report addresses membership issues of the Stonewall Diversity Champions scheme.

A. Recommendations

1. Members agree that the MPA should apply to become a Stonewall Diversity Champion.

B. Supporting information

1. At the last meeting of the Board a decision on whether the MPA should apply to become a Stonewall Diversity Champion was deferred to enable more information to be provided.

2. Stonewall, a registered charity, was founded in 1989 by women and men who had been active in the campaign for the repeal of Section 28 of the Local Government Act. Their aim was to create a professional lobbying group that would prevent such attacks on lesbians, gay men and bisexuals ever occurring again and to put the case for equality on the mainstream political agenda by winning support within all the political parties.

3. Its lobbying work remains important today but its activities have expanded considerably. It promotes new research (for example on discrimination in the work place, homophobic violence & sex education) and have taken test legal cases that graphically challenge inequality (e.g. on the age of consent and lesbians & gays in the armed forces). More recently its work has also involved partnerships with organisations outside Parliament to ensure that the rights and needs of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals are addressed in the wider community. It has, for example, advised public bodies such as the police and local councils on good practice. Its Diversity Champions scheme now engages employers of almost two million people. These include IBM, Barclays, Sainsbury’s, Metropolitan Police Service and HM Customs and Excise.

4. Diversity Champions brings together employers who are at the cutting edge of delivering diversity in business and public service and focuses on the new challenges and opportunities for employers addressing issues of diversity in the workplace. Diversity Champions members enjoy 10 key benefits:

• Networking opportunities with senior staff in public and private sector organisations, plus Government and policy makers
• Good practice seminars * and events delivering key information on topical issues, plus discounted registration for Stonewall conferences
• Dedicated Programme Manager
• Access to the latest thinking and knowledge
• Advice on specific organisational initiatives
• Influence over policy development in the public and private sectors
• Regular e-bulletins from Stonewall's chief executive
• Opportunity to host seminars and have top employers come to you
• Research opportunities
• Sponsorship opportunities

*Currently planned seminars include:

• LGB Employee Networks
• Inter-organisational employee forums
• Civil partnerships

5. One of the Diversity Champions, IBM, has this to say about the scheme:

'' I greatly value IBM's participation in the Diversity Champions Programme. At IBM we employ the best people irrespective of religion, gender, sexual orientation, race, age or disability. Working with Stonewall enables us to share and learn best practice from others and to ensure IBM is an inclusive and positive company in our dealings with employees and customers alike. ''

Larry Hirst, Country General Manager - IBM (UK) and Ireland

5. The cost of membership of Diversity Champions is £1500 per annum and membership would:

• assist the MPA to disseminate its good practice while gaining knowledge of the good practice of others;
• reinforce our commitment to apply the general duties of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act to all the diversity strands and, particularly, sexual orientation;
• improve our working relationships with the lesbian, gay and bisexual communities in London.

C. Race and equality impact

It is essential that the MPA works to ensure equality and freedom from discrimination for all and policing that respects and assists all of London’s diverse communities. In becoming one of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions, the MPA can show that it is carrying out this task in relation to the lesbian, gay and bisexual communities. This will lead to a more contented staff and lesbian, gay and bisexual communities in London that have trust and confidence in the MPA and in the policing that they receive.

D. Financial implications

All costs, including the annual fee of £1500, will be met within the existing MPA equality budget.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Doug Lewins, Race & Diversity Unit, MPA.

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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