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CEMESME leads pioneering European network
A UK project which aims to make the corporate culture of British firms more aware of diversity and encourage good relations between people of different ethnic background at work will head the Third European Network to Promote Ethnic Diversity in Employment (ENPEDE) meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania, from 28th September to 1st October.
CEMESME (Contribution of Ethnic Minority Employees to Small and Medium Sized Enterprises) is the lead partner in the European Social Fund (EQUAL) network, which also includes organisations representing Lithuania, France, Spain, Germany, and Slovakia – all of which have expertise in the area of diversity management. The partnership aims to share best practice and provide a combined European effort to demonstrate the business advantages of employing a diverse workforce.
CEMESME, which comes under the auspices of PRIAE (Policy Research Institute on Ageing and Ethnicity) in the UK, aims to prove that ethnic minorities can make an essential contribution to British small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs)– especially in their performance internationally - and is targeting companies in Britain and Europe with a questionnaire to gather vital data for this initiative.
Other outputs of the CEMESME project include training seminars on exports, access to employment and diversity management, and publications and academic articles based on research of SMEs in Europe.
The initiative, which has received praise from top name within the worlds of politics and business, including the Rt Hon Peter Mandelson PC, member of the European Commission and EU Trade Commissioner, and Karan Bililmoria CBE, DL, founder and chief executive of the famous Cobra Beer, takes a different approach from other schemes that have promoted employment of ethnic minorities.
Project director Dr Gonzalo Shoobridge explained: “Emphasis in the past has been on training potential staff to make them more appealing to employers, but at CEMESME we concentrate on the demand side of the problem by demonstrating to firms the positive impact of ethnic minority employees on the overall business performance of British companies.
“We believe diversity will help local companies gain a competitive edge in the global business arena. The rich cultural background of ethnic minority employees impacts positively on business performance by adding innovation and creativity.
“This research will have a great impact on policy making if it can show that a multicultural and diverse workforce has a positive effect on international business performance. Such a finding would have greatly enhance employment opportunities for ethnic minorities.”
Ends
For more information on the CEMESME project please contact Melnisha Davids Mel.Davids@priae.org
Tel: +44 (0) 113 285990
Or (for press enquiries) Simon Walsh or Phillipa Jose
Tel: +44 (0) 207 88440
Fax: +44(0) 207 886 8460
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