Four years on from the founding of its Black Asian and Multiple Ethnic Network Westminster City Council has committed to serious action to make its organisation more diverse and inclusive.
At the Black, Asian and Multiple ethnic staff network’s Annual General Meeting at City Hall, The Council has made three key commitments:
- To be an anti-racist organisation
- To continue sustained action to remove pay gaps within the organisation by 2025
- To adopt the term ‘Global Majority’ instead of BAME and to change the staff network name to reflect that.
Over the last five years, The Council has made progress to improve diversity and inclusion in its organisation. It has increased ethnic representation in its leadership roles from 4% to 26%.
The newly named Global Majority staff network now has 400 members made up of employees from all races, genders, levels and departments in the organisation.
Since The Council’s change in administration in May, there is now greater diversity than ever before amongst its Cabinet Members and through its first ever Lord Mayor from a Global Majority background, Cllr Hamza Taouzzale.
However, The Council recognises that there is still much more to be done and its recent commitments aim to provide improved outcomes in diversity and inclusion for its staff and the communities in Westminster that it serves. The council’s commitment to anti-racism will see it:
- Publish an anti-racism commitment statement and charter
- Produce a Racial Equity strategy and action plan in collaboration with our communities and partners, ensuring organisational accountability.
- Provide anti-racism training with an intersectional focus including how to report and manage incidents.
- Ensure our partners understand our ethos and are aligned with our values.
- Conduct a review of our policies, procedures and services to ensure they are inclusive, equitable and anti-racist.
- Set up a Tackling Inequalities taskforce with partners to have an intersectional focus to create equity within and outside our organisation with our Communities.
- Continue to ensure safe learning spaces for all to discuss racism; clear management policies and support for staff who have experienced/observed incidents.
Stuart Love, Chief Executive at Westminster City Council said:
Our Global Majority Network has challenged, driven and held us to account to be a more diverse and inclusive organisation. We have a relentless focus to become an anti-racist organization and we want to be a Council and a city where everyone from any background has the same opportunity to thrive and grow.
Cllr Adam Hug, Leader of Westminster City Council said:
We are an incredibly diverse city and is important that we are the same in our own organisation, tackling inequalities and providing equal opportunities for everyone. I have a commitment to drive change forward for both our staff and residents and will be working with all our partners across the city to do the same.
Published: 15 November 2022