National Equality Standard

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National Equality Standard
Founded22 May 2013
HeadquartersLondon, England
Area served
UK
Key people
Arun Batra (CEO & founder)
Websitewww.ey.com

The National Equality Standard (NES) is an initiative created by Ernst & Young. It was developed for business, by business and sets clear Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) criteria against which companies are assessed.[1]

Background[]

The NES has been developed and sponsored by Ernst & Young, supported by the Equality & Human Rights Commission (EHRC), the Home Office and the Confederation of British Industry and developed in partnership with the following UK and global companies:[2]

The NES was launched in May 2013 at the British Museum and since then many businesses have signed up[4] and the Standard has received significant media attention and news coverage.[5]

People[]

Arun Batra is the CEO and founder of the NES. Prior to his position at Ernst & Young he ran the Mayor's 'Diversity Works' programme in London[6] and has recently been recognised as one of Britain's most influential Asians for leading the establishment of the NES.[7]

Arun is supported by Harry Gaskell, the managing partner of Ernst Young's UK & Ireland advisory Practice and Head of D&I, and the Chair of the Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion (enei).[8]Sir David Bell has been appointed as the Non-executive Chair of the steering committee that drives the development of the NES.[7]

The National Equality Standard Assessment[]

Through the NES, companies are subjected to a robust EDI assessment which has been devised by the NES Board and EY.[9] The NES Assessment provides companies with a comprehensive quality review of their EDI policies and practices, identifies areas for improvement and provides implementation recommendations.[10] Each company that undertakes the NES undergoes a robust assessment against a defined set of criteria across 7 standards. Trained NES Assessors review documentation, ensure legal compliance, conduct comprehensive interviews and sample staff through in-depth surveys. The outcome is detailed in a comprehensive report.[11]

The Objectives[]

The objectives of the NES are to provide an assessment tool which:

  • Aims to significantly impact the way diversity and inclusion is integrated into everyday business activity across the country
  • Provides a single reference point incorporating all elements of the Equality Act 2010
  • Enables businesses to undertake a comprehensive assessment specifically focused on EDI
  • Consists of best practice standards that can be applied to any business sector or size
  • Provides a pragmatic solution to EDI which rewards ambition
  • Supports the private sector by providing one recognisable holistic framework for industry good practice
  • Enables companies to showcase their businesses as leaders in this field
  • Bridges the gap between legal requirements and best practice[12]

Feedback[]

The feedback from those undertaking assessments has been positive; Tina Southall, Director, Diversity and Inclusion at Vodafone Group Services described the assessment process in an interview:

“The assessment process was excellent. It really captured both the macro status but also important details. It consisted of an in-depth review of materials and a very professional and well structured audit. It provided thought provoking insights combined with pragmatic and actionable recommendations. The Standard has potential to drive a real change in Equality Standards.”[13]

References[]

  1. ^ "The National Equality Standard official website".
  2. ^ "The HR Director magazine". Archived from the original on 2013-10-20. Retrieved 2013-10-15.
  3. ^ "The National Equality Standard official website".
  4. ^ "The Financial Times".
  5. ^ "Media coverage from the NES website".
  6. ^ "Operate Black Vote".
  7. ^ a b "Top Consultant Magazine".
  8. ^ "The Recruiter Magazine".
  9. ^ "The Financial Times".
  10. ^ "The National Equality Standard official website".
  11. ^ "The HR Director".
  12. ^ "EDF Energy Website".
  13. ^ "Testimonials from the National Equality Standard Website".
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