There’s Still So Much Work to Be Done: The Black British Voices Project
Introduction
As we celebrate Black History Month, we can recognise progress while acknowledging persistent challenges.
The statistics and insights from the latest research by the Black, British, and Visible Minority Ethnic People (BBVP) Survey are eye-opening and shed light on the ongoing racial disparities that affect Black individuals in the UK.
For marketers, these findings present a compelling call to action, highlighting the need for continued efforts to address systemic racism and promote inclusivity in every aspect of society.
In this blog post, we’ll explore key statistics from the BBVP Survey and discuss why marketers play a crucial role in driving positive change.
The Power of A Diverse Workforce
Racial discrimination in the workplace remains a significant challenge, with 88% of BBVP participants reporting experiencing it and 98% of respondents indicating they ‘Always’ (46%), ‘Often’ (38%), or ‘Sometimes’ (14%) ‘to compromise who they are and how they express themselves to fit in at work’.
In fact, ‘Fitting in’ is considered the primary source of discrimination in the workplace and was ranked higher by BBVP survey respondents than unequal pay as the primary workplace obstacle.
It’s important to note that black Britons also often face delayed and non-linear career progression, encountering obstacles to promotion and being accused of benefiting from tokenism when they advance.
So, for marketers, this highlights the importance of promoting inclusive work environments where diversity is celebrated, not just tolerated.
This is especially important if you want to reach diverse communities, as a diverse marketing department has many benefits.
Zee Goba (Outreach Lead at the Metropolitan Police) discussed some benefits at our Everyone Doing It Together 2 event.
“Diversity is very important because when you are in a group of people that is diverse, you have different thoughts, different ways of looking at things, and then can ask how can we make things better?”
Encouraging Future Generations
The next generation faces discouraging statistics, with 90% of young people expecting to experience racial prejudice as adults. This insecurity is exacerbated by the perception that the government and employers aren’t doing enough to support them.
As marketers, we can advocate for policies and initiatives internally through our workplaces and in external communications that provide better opportunities and support for young Black individuals.
Conclusion
The statistics from the BBVP Survey provide a stark reminder that there is still much work to be done to combat systemic racism and promote inclusivity in the workplace. As marketers, we can use our platforms and influence to advocate for positive change, pushing for greater inclusivity.
Let us take these insights as a call to action and work hard to create a more inclusive and equitable society for everyone, regardless of race or ethnicity.
You can learn more about diversity and inclusion through our informative video series. Or you can chat with one of our multicultural marketing specialists by clicking here.Together, we can drive the change we want to see