ISE Pulse Survey shows commitment of early careers professionals to EDI initiatives.
As global debates intensified this year around the role of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in the workplace, particularly following recent developments in the United States, our latest EDI pulse survey reveals that many UK graduate employers are reaffirming their commitment to inclusive recruitment practices.
We surveyed ISE employer members to assess whether global developments have influenced their EDI commitments in the UK.
Key findings
Among the 68 employers who responded to the survey, 90% indicated that they remain committed to EDI initiatives. Specifically:
- 10% are increasing their commitment,
- 60% reported no change in their commitment,
- 19% remain committed but are reviewing their current practices, and
- 9% are reassessing their approach to EDI.
Only one respondent reported a reduction in their EDI commitment.
These findings suggest a slightly stronger commitment to EDI amongst ISE member respondents compared to a recent Institute of Directors (IoD) survey of 605 members. The IoD poll found that:
- 4% of employers plan to scale up their EDI activity,
- 71% of employers do not plan to scale back their EDI activity,
- 8% intend to review their approach later this year, and
- 11% plan to reduce their EDI efforts
- 6% were unsure about their plans.
Overall, both surveys indicate employers are publicly maintaining a strong level of commitment to EDI activity.
Diverging trajectories of EDI policy
These findings reflect the diverging trajectories of EDI policy in the UK and the US. In the UK, the policy landscape continues to support and expand EDI protections. Upcoming legislative developments include the Employment Rights Bill; the Equality (Race and Disability) Bill which addresses dual discrimination and proposes mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting for larger employers; and a commitment by the government to enact the ‘Socio-economic Duty’ in Section 1 of the Equality Act.
Therefore in contrast to the rollback of EDI policies seen in the US, the UK government is moving toward strengthening the EDI framework and is currently consulting on equality law reforms to identify barriers to opportunity.
Narrative responses to our pulse survey indicate some employers wish to maintain their existing ethos but will adapt to the requirements of US federal contracts where required.
Some employers have also adjusted the language and naming conventions of EDI activity and job roles (such as a shifting emphasis from ‘diversity’ to ‘inclusion’) in order to maintain their commitment to EDI while navigating the challenges posed by different policy environments. This appears largely due to varying interpretations of ‘EDI’ terminology across jurisdictions.
In the US EDI activity can imply preferential treatment whereas in the UK it more commonly relates to equalising opportunities and mitigating adverse impact for underrepresented groups.
More to come
For employers wishing to review their EDI approach while maintaining a commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workforce, please explore the EDI resources on the ISE Knowledge Hub.
We are also excited to announce that we will be launching a new standalone ISE EDI survey later this year.
Over the coming months we will be working with our newly formed EDI working group to refine the survey questions and enhance the insights we can provide to help employers benchmark their EDI activity.
Please look out for further communications about the new survey soon.