In order to challenge and support companies to create more inclusive workplaces, Business in the Community Ireland officially launched Elevate: The Inclusive Workplace Pledge in 2021. This initiative's ultimate goal is to create a workforce that is inclusive of all segments of Irish society.
Veolia actively participates in the Leaders Sub Group on Social Inclusion, the group that developed and launched the Elevate Pledge with Sinéad Patton, Chief Financial and Commercial Officer, serving as co-chair since 2018. Veolia’s own Diversity and Inclusion Strategy is closely aligned with the ambitions of the Pledge, which we are a signatory of alongside over 60 other businesses.
The second Annual Report, which was published by BITC Ireland on 27 April 2023, presents key findings on data collected from 60 companies spanning 11 sectors and with a collective workforce of over 150,000 people. The report shows that when employers create data driven actions they see real progress on the diversity profile of their workforce.
Since the inaugural report, businesses have been tracking and disclosing information about the inclusivity and diversity of their workforce, including data related to gender, age, ethnicity and sexual orientation.
Key findings:
- Female representation at senior and executive levels in Elevate signatory companies is at 40%, higher than the national average of 29.7%
- Overall female representation in the Elevate workforce is at 41%, compared to a national average of 47%
- The number of Elevate signatories providing data on Disability and Ethnicity doubled compared to last year’s report
- One third of signatories have reported linking Executive performance measurement to DE&I KPIs with more than 15% linking performance measurement to DE&I KPIs for all colleagues
- Over half of the Elevate Pledge signatories have partnered with employment support organisations resulting in over 100 people being hired collectively during 2022.
Sinéad Patton, Subgroup Co-chair and Chief Financial and Commercial Officer and Northern Ireland Regional Director at Veolia commented: “We have seen commendable increases in data capture and improvements in transparency across almost all indicators.”
She also acknowledged that collecting information from employees could be difficult for businesses, not least because some employees worry that disclosing a disability, information about their sexual orientation, or other personal details might put them at risk of discrimination. However, she said that businesses needed to be clear that they were working to increase levels of inclusivity and that the information being sought was a key tool in doing so.
The report also emphasised numerous changes in the Irish labour force, including growing ethnic diversity.
Tomás Sercovich, CEO, Business in the Community Ireland commented on the report results: “We continue to see a major gap between skills and people shortages in business and jobseekers that are left behind in our society. We simply cannot afford to lose talent. Business must embrace inclusion strategically, not as the right thing to do, but as a fundamental agenda of change. Inclusion is an imperative for all in society and business has the tools and the mindset to make this happen.”
To download the full report visit www.bitc.ie
