Commitment to tackling race inequality in the workplace

Greater Manchester Combined Authority and NHS Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester’s public-sector employers will work together to tackle race inequality in the workplace, after leaders signed a collective commitment.

Signatories include NHS organisations, local authorities, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and Greater Manchester Police.

For decades, research has shown that staff from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) backgrounds experience discrimination, harassment, and exclusion in the workplace in the UK.

Discrimination is not only harmful to the individual, but also to the wider public sector.

Evidence shows that having a more representative workforce, and diversity at senior leadership levels results in better outcomes for the public. It creates a more inclusive, engaged and efficient workforce.

Public sector organisations currently have their own ways of approaching race inequality in the workplace, but this historic commitment means that for the first time the NHS, local authorities, police and fire service will be working together to take action.

Together, Greater Manchester’s public services will build on existing work to improve diversity from the boardroom to the frontline, to tackle bullying and harassment experienced by BME staff and ultimately improve the services our public services provide.

With this commitment in place, a draft action plan will be developed in partnership with staff, trade unions and BME staff groups before being launched in the autumn. As well as bringing together data to provide a clearer picture of the experiences of BME staff within different public-sector organisations, the plan will also map out positive action to be taken to address race inequality.

The commitment

As public sector employers we commit to working collectively to address race inequality in the workplace in Greater Manchester.

Full list of signatories include: 

• Bolton CCG
• Bolton Council
• Bolton NHS Foundation Trust
• Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
• Bury CCG
• Bury Council
• Greater Manchester Combined Authority
• Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service
• Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership
• Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
• Greater Manchester Police
• Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale CCG
• Manchester City Council
• Manchester Health & Care Commissioning
• Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
• Northern Care Alliance NHS Group
• North West Ambulance Service
• North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
• Oldham Cares
• Oldham CCG
• Oldham Council
• Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
• Rochdale Borough Council
• Salford CCG
• Salford City Council
• Stockport CCG
• Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
• Stockport Council
• Tameside Council
• Tameside and Glossop CCG
• Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
• The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
• Trafford CCG
• Trafford Council
• Wigan Borough CCG
• Wigan Council
• Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust