The annual FTSE 100 Business Leaders Index has been released today by executive recruitment and diversity consultancy Green Park.
It shows that despite some progress on diversity, in the upper echelons of Britain’s top companies ethnic minorities and females are still being shunted into functions which are far less likely routes into the top tier of leadership than those travelled by their white, male counterparts.
According to Green Park, most research of corporate CEO backgrounds shows a preference for executives with experience in finance, sales and operations. The Index reveals that Britain’s female and ethnic minority business leaders remain largely concentrated to functions such as HR, Diversity and Marketing & Communications, which are less likely to lead to C-Suite roles.
Lord Karan Bilimoria, Chair & Founder, Change the Race Ratio and President, CBI said:
“We must transform words and promises into action and results. We as business leaders must do more to improve the diversity of our boards and leadership teams. What I hear from my conversations with Chairs and CEOs is a clear desire to make progress and an openness to embracing new thinking that’s needed to deliver change. I welcome the recommendations set out in this report and I encourage business leaders to adopt them.”
“We must all do better in listening to colleagues from underrepresented groups and challenge behaviours that create barriers for talent to progress.”
The full report, which includes practical recommendations to move the dial on diversity and inclusion, can be downloaded here.
At Make A Difference Media, we firmly believe that a diversity, equality, inclusion and belonging lens should be at the forefront of workplace mental health and wellbeing initiatives year-round. This will be a key theme which threads itself right through the agenda of the 4th annual MADWorld Summit and is brought out with clear calls to action for attendees at the end of every session.
Green Park will also be running a workshop at the Summit focused on “Race in the workplace” and how considerations around this can be woven seamlessly into workplace mental health and wellbeing.
Early bird rates are available until 31st August. You can view the updated agenda and register here.
