Nearly nine out of 10 recent graduates have experienced some form of discrimination at work, according to a recent poll, prompting the Ethnic Minority Foundation (EMF) charity to call for business leaders to promote diversity.
The figures, published by recruitment site Milkround, revealed a massive 86% of respondents had suffered some form of discrimination. Two in five people were victims of racial prejudice, whilst a person’s age and gender were often made to be an issue, affecting 14% and 12% respectively.
Krishna Sarda, Chief Executive of EMF, commented: “It is a sad and depressing fact that in 21st Century Britain, discrimination on ethnicity is rife and ruining the chances of so many young people.”
Sarda laid blame at the door of business managers, adding: “We are in need of leaders that focus their diversity programmes on outcomes and are prepared to be held accountable for their failures.”
Recently £230,000 in funding was spent by the Learning and Skills Council on a research project spanning two years, investigating how a new diversity association could be established. Although 80% of a total of 1,500 equality experts backed a new body, the Council has yet to announce whether this will be implemented.
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