- Conference
- 2019 National LGBT+ Conference
- Date
- 25 July 2019
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
This conference welcomes the commitment of the Apprenticeship Diversity Champions Network (ADCN) to take action to widen participation in apprenticeships, champion diversity, and support greater social mobility. The ADCN champions apprenticeships and diversity amongst employers and encourages more people from underrepresented groups, including Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Plus (LGBT+) people, people with disabilities, women, and members of the black community, to consider apprenticeships.
Conference notes that research findings from the LGBT charity Stonewall on their 2018 survey titled ‘LGBT in Britain – Work Report’ found that:
? More than a third of LGBT staff (35%) have hidden that they are LGBT at work for fear of discrimination.
? One in ten black LGBT employees (10%) have been physically attacked by customers or colleagues in the last year.
? Nearly two in five bi people (38%) aren’t out to anyone at work
In their report ‘Achieving the Benefits of Apprenticeships’ published in March 2018, the ADCN highlighted some of their members’ best practice:
– Channel 4 actively monitor diversity and support LGBT+ people, and 14% of their apprentices identify as LGBT+.
– Rolls-Royce has set targets related to the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index, which provides feedback on a company’s approach to LGBT+ equality, and incorporates direct feedback from LGBT+ employees
– WorldSkills UK reports that 30% of its Senior Leadership Team are LGBT+. On the most recent OUTstanding list of leading LGBT+ executives featured in the Financial Times, the CEO, Dr Neil Bentley, was in the Top 20 Public Sector Executives.
This conference believes that it is pivotal that employers across all industries and sectors aim to increase application and recruitment to apprenticeships from underrepresented groups.
Conference calls on the National LGBT+ Committee to:
1)Publicise the work of the ADCN to the wider union to encourage and enable recruitment of underrepresented groups to apprenticeships.
2)Produce guidance on increasing application and recruitment to apprenticeships of these underrepresented groups.
3)Share examples of best practice with regards to creating LGBT+ inclusive workplaces as well as monitoring equality and diversity within apprenticeships.