How a Labour government can drive business success through diversity and inclusion

Shadow Women and Equalities Minister, Ashley Dalton MP joins leading businesses and universities for Westminster roundtable.

Diversity and inclusion under a Labour government were the focus of a roundtable held in Westminster today with Ashley Dalton MP, Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities. 

The event was chaired by Nick Forbes CBE, former member of Sir Keir Starmer’s Shadow Cabinet, who was joined by a range of FTSE 100 business and university Purpose Coalition partners including the Coop Group, Centrica, Aldermore Bank, the University of Greenwich and the University of West London.  

A lack of equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace is one of the major barriers to opportunity and is the focus of Purpose Goal 14. The roundtable explored three key areas: 

• How the next Labour government could work with employers to improve diversity and inclusion in the workplace? 

• Why unlocking equality and diversity in the workplace is vital to boosting economic growth and unlocking people’s full potential. 

• Why organisations need to tackle socio-economic discrimination in the workplace as part of their diversity and inclusion strategy. 

Ashley, appointed Shadow Women and Equalities Minister last year, is working closely with Shadow Secretary of State Anneliese Dodds to develop the Labour Party’s programme for equality, diversity and inclusion in government.  

Engagement Director at the Purpose Coalition, Nick Forbes CBE, said:  

“Diversity and inclusion is key to successful, purpose-led companies. Research shows us that more diverse companies make better decisions – and are more profitable - because they have a wider perspective and avoid groupthink. There has been significant progress on opening up opportunities for women and for ethnic minorities but there is still a long way to go. Diversity is not just about gender and ethnicity. It extends to sexuality, disability and other challenges that can lead to specific groups missing out on opportunity.  

“It is crucial that every organisation considers how it can attract underrepresented groups and how they can be supported to flourish – not just to get in but to get on and be themselves. As importantly, they should be measuring outcomes to enable them to monitor their progress effectively. This roundtable has enabled us to share best practice and develop ideas on how a Labour government can work with employers to ensure that they are tapping into all the talent that exists in the areas they serve.”