Helping businesses create more racially representative and inclusive workplaces
A report by Management School Professor Lilian Otaye-Ebede is helping businesses address race representation within their organisations - a perfect example of consultancy work in action.
Commissioned by the North West Business Leadership Team (NWBLT) and launched at the She Leads For Legacy Conference, the report – Promoting Race Representation and Culture Change – serves as a practical equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) resource for businesses across the region.
While progress has been made, the findings reveal there is still much more to do to improve race representation and equity, particularly within leadership roles. Nationally, just 4.6% of UK leadership positions are held by people from Black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds, according to ONS data.
Drawing on research by Professor Lilian Otaye-Ebede and Dr Samah Shaffakat, the report showcases best practice examples from organisations such as PwC, Lloyds, and IBM. It highlights effective initiatives across five key areas:
- Staffing and governance
- Recruitment and selection
- Training and education
- Progression and promotion
- Race-inclusive culture and climate
Together, these insights aim to guide, inspire, and inform businesses in developing holistic long-term strategies to increase racial representation and drive race-related EDI.
The project was supported by NWBLT’s Diversity Drivers Co-Chair Sharon Amesu, who noted: “It is evident from the findings that some progress has been made and that this is ongoing. The outstanding work has unveiled the challenges faced in achieving racial diversity while showcasing the immense potential for growth and success through inclusive practices.”
To further support businesses in their drive towards more racially inclusive workplaces, Professor Lilian has recently launched a Race Equity and Culture Transformation Toolkit (REaCT), which has received commendation by prominent individuals from both public and private sector organisations such as quoted by Professor Michael West CBE: “REaCT stands out as a rare and impactful resource among organisational interventions… It offers a meaningful and actionable pathway to real, lasting change.”
The toolkit is currently being piloted by organisations within the UK, including Trusts in NHS England. This collaboration across businesses demonstrates how our consultancy work supports organisations to create inclusive, sustainable growth – shaping fairer futures for all.
Recent figures show that very little progress has been made in changing the racial representation of the UK workforce across all levels, but predominantly within senior leadership. More worrying is the heartbreaking experiences of racial discrimination reported by individuals and how these have negatively impacted their progression, retention, and wellbeing.
Professor Otaye-Ebede, Professor in Human Resource Management and Organisational behaviour