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News Release from: Cranfield School of Management | Subject: Learning and Skills Council
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 08 February 2006
Training programme helps ethnic
minorities
A training programme to increase opportunities for women from black and minority ethnic backgrounds to reach board level, is being run by Cranfield School of Management.
A training programme to increase opportunities for women from black and minority ethnic backgrounds to reach board level, is being run by Cranfield School of Management on behalf of the Learning and Skills Council ( LSC) London Central The LSC is funding this ground breaking programme in which 12 women from black and ethnic minority (BME) backgrounds will participate
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 7 May 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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The women will each receive a tailored training needs analysis, development plan sessions with a personal coach and at least one day to act as an observer at a board meeting.
The programme will be launched on February 1, 2006 and aims to develop the participants' understanding of the skills needed to reach senior and board room level positions.
Statistics show that there are around 834 national public bodies in the UK offering more than 22,000 public appointments: women hold 34% of positions and less than 2% are held by women for minority ethnic communities.
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The concept of the programme was conceived by Yvonne Thompson, Chair of LSC London Central and President of The European Federation of Black Women Business Owners (EFBWBO) in response to the significant under-representation of women from BME backgrounds on public service boards.
Thompson said, "The more public bodies truly reflect the demographics of our diverse society, the better their decision-making about services and how they impact on individuals and communities will be.
I believe that a board that encompasses a diverse range of skills and experience will make it a more effective body.
I am delighted to have been able to initiate this programme and that the LSC have fully supported and funded it." Dr Hilary Harris, Programme Director from Cranfield's Centre for Customised Executive Development, said: "We are delighted to be working on this programme with the LSC.
The programme draws together Cranfield's extensive experience in the field of board-level development and - through the work of Professor Susan Vinnicombe OBE and her team - our thought-leadership in issues relating to diversity at the most senior levels.
We look forward to this opportunity to make a real difference for the women involved and the Boards they will work on." Cranfield School of Management also produces the annual Female FTSE Index which is a barometer of Board room diversity.
Its last report was published in December 2005.
From an initial response of over 90 women expressing an interest in taking part in the programme, 12 women were successful in gaining places following a rigorous recruitment and selection process.
They come from all walks of life including the Department for International Development, the Health Service, private sector organisations and small business.
The response from public sector organisations to offer observation opportunities on their boards has been overwhelming and includes HM Revenue and Customs, Prison and Fire Services, Health Trusts, London colleges, Local Authorities as well as the LSC.
The Cabinet Office is very interested in supporting this programme having recently launched a 10-point plan to increase diversity in the Civil Service.
The response to the programme indicates it has the potential to help diversify public service Boards.
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