Business in the Community Ireland has published a set of guidelines aimed at employers to promote social inclusion, reduce inequality and combat poverty.

‘The Inclusive Employer’ blueprint was created by senior management brought together by BITCI and is intended to help implement change in business at leadership and operational level to tackle social exclusion.

BITCI says it’s a “practical guide to create inclusive workplaces and reduce social inequality in Ireland”, and designed as a “best practice tool for employers”, targeted at securing, developing and nurturing talent.

Chief executive Tomás Sercovich said: ““Employment offers the single biggest opportunity for vulnerable individuals to move out of a cycle of poverty and become active participants in society.

“In a report published by the ESRI in 2018 five groups were identified as facing the greatest barriers to employment and as most vulnerable to social exclusion. These groups include: jobless households, lone parents, homeless or affected by housing exclusion, those with disabilities and ethnic minorities.

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“This blueprint spells out what practical steps employers can take to reach into these families and communities and help transform their lives. This is a clarion call for some employers who up to now have not fully realised the benefits of inclusive recruitment, but it also provides step by step guides to business and industry who understand the long term value of being inclusive employers but who have never had the tools to implement real change.”

Some of the ideas for action set out in the blueprint include:

• Set hiring targets for those vulnerable to social exclusion and be ambitious
• Rewrite job descriptions to be more inclusive
• Train all staff on unconscious bias
• Ask your supply chain about their diversity and inclusion, and reward suppliers who demonstrate a commitment
• Engage with outreach programmes targeted at education and employment, such as BITCI’s range of initiatives in this area.

Marks and Spencer is one firm that works with BITCI to help people who face barriers getting into work to gain skills and experience through work placements.

Country manager Ken Scully said: “Since introducing our Marks & Start programme in Ireland over 15 years ago, we have supported over 250 single parents, people with disabilities or health conditions, those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, and disadvantaged young people. It has helped change many of their lives and given them the confidence to get back into work, while enabling us to unlock the potential of our own people by developing their team building and interpersonal skills.”

• The Inclusive Employer guide can be downloaded here.

Photo:  Sinead Patton of Veolia (left) and Isabelle Popovici, who participated in programmes run by BITCI. (Pic: Jason Clarke)