CEMESME shows the benefits of employing ethnic minority staff

A NEW project, which challenges racial discrimination and promotes equality at work, has received praise from top names within the worlds of politics and business.

CEMESME – Contribution of ethnic minority employees to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) – aims to make the corporate culture of UK firms more aware of diversity and to encourage good relations between people of different race in the workplace.

It plans to show employers how ethnic minorities can make an important contribution to British SMEs – especially on their performance internationally. The project will do this by illustrating how ethnic minorities’ values and beliefs with other management attributes could positively affect business performance.

Supported by the European Social Fund and led by PRIAE* (Policy Research Institute on Ageing and Ethnicity), CEMESME has formed links with UK and European partners – including organisations in France, Germany, Spain, Slovakia and Lithuania – to share best practice.

Outputs of CEMESME will include:

• Publications and academic articles based on research of 5,000 SMEs in Europe
• Training seminars (in October 2005) on export training, access to employment and diversity management;
• A distance-learning CD-ROM on international business and diversity issues;
• Higher education course modules on ethnic diversity and its impact on UK business performance;
• A joint international research publication.

Commenting on the CEMESME project, the Rt Hon Peter Mandelson PC, member of the European Commission and EU Trade Commissioner, said: “Every effort to promote racial equality and challenge discrimination deserves full and wholehearted support. I am particularly impressed by the CEMESME project and fully support the approach of focusing on the ‘demand’ side of the problem by demonstrating to employers the important contribution which ethnic minorities bring to the workplace. This work is very important and rightly deserves the fullest possible support. I wish CEMESME every possible success.”

Founder and chief executive of the famous Cobra Beer, Karan Bililmoria CBE, DL, who is also chairman of the National Employment Panel for the SMEs Board and a member of CEMESME’s advisory board, said: “In today’s deeply diverse and ethnically rich workforce, CEMESME’s core values are crucial in promoting equal opportunities and making the corporate culture of British firms more aware of diversity and internationalisation issues in the workplace. I am thrilled to be associated with this important initiative from PRIAE.”

CEMESME project director, Dr Gonzalo Shoobridge, added: “This project builds on good progress made in employment and ethnicity by many and takes a new dimension which promotes employment of ethnic minorities. Emphasis in the past has been on training potential staff to make them more appealing to employers. At CEMESME we concentrate on the demand side of the problem by demonstrating to firms exactly how important the contribution from ethnic minorities is.”

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

*PRIAE is the leading body working in the field of ageing and ethnicity in the UK and Europe. It is a self-governing international charitable institute specialising in income, pensions, employment, health social care, housing, citizenship and quality of life concerning black and ethnic minority (BME) communities. PRIAE delivers this work through policy, research, information, development and training. PRIAE works with policymakers, research bodies, statutory healthcare providers and the voluntary sector to bring about improvements in the UK and European policies and services for minority ethnic communities. PRIAE’s approach of engaging with a range of stakeholders, including BME communities and SMEs, allows it to work on multiple levels in an applied and practical way, rather than pure research.