Ethnic Diversity in

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Ethnic Diversity in Co-operative
Enterprises Dorothy Francis Co-operative and
Social Enterprise Development Agency (CaSE-da)
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What is diversity?
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Diversity is a broader concept that builds upon
the progress made through equal
opportunities. Diversity recognises that everyone
is different. Diversity is about recognising,
respecting and valuing the differences that
people individually bring to work or their
involvement in organisations.
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• Diversity relates to a wide range of areas
• Gender
• Sexuality
• Ethnicity (not race)
• Class or socio-economic background
• Educational background
• Disability
• Nationality, and more

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Diverse organisations encourage and harness
differences to make their services relevant and
approachable. A diverse organisation draws upon
the widest possible range of views and
experiences, so it can listen to, and meet, the
changing needs of its users, staff, members,
volunteers, partners and supporters. Diversity
recognises that people with different
backgrounds, skills, attitudes and experiences
bring fresh ideas and perceptions to
organisations.
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The focus of todays presentation is on
attracting people from ethnic minority
backgrounds to co-operatives and will reference a
report published in late 2008 by Co-operativesUK
The report stems from work that Co-operatives UK
is doing in partnership with the Office of the
Third Sector (OTS) and the outcomes of diversity
workshops held in Leicester, Manchester and Tower
Hamlets in 2008
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There are more than 750 million co-operative
members in over 100 countries 20 of Kenyans are
member of cooperatives 23 of the Indian
population belong to a co-operative Credit Union
movement brought to the UK by Jamaican
immigrants 2,200 registered co-operatives in Ghana
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Why, given that co-operatives are committed to
open membership, inclusion and participation, do
there appear to be relatively few people from
ethnic minority communities involved in the UK
co-operative movement? What stops the strong
and active membership evident in worldwide
communities from being transferred to the UK?
And what can be done to rectify this?
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It is important to address these issues not only
because the co-operative movement must engage
with ethnic minority communities if it is to live
up to its values and principles, but also because
there is a strong business case for encouraging
greater numbers of people from ethnic minority
communities to be involved in co-operative
enterprises.
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Discussion topics Have societies got a diverse
membership? What problems are societies
experiencing? What strategies can societies use
to get a more diverse membership?
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Case Study Mags Bradbury Co-operative Group
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• Background
• Elections in 2001
• Diversity Working Group Formed
• 22 Key Actions developed
• Diversity Officer in Membership
• Diversity Team in Human Resources

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• Training
• Area Committee Members
• The Group Board
• Embedding diversity training in the system
• Induction training
• Other membership training
• Staff Training
• Respect Works
• Religion and Faith (Co-operative Funerals)
• Image
• Publications
• Goods and Services

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Four Diversity Networks

• Black Asian and Ethnic Minority Members Network
  (based in the South East region)
• Adding business benefit working with Food retail,
  Pharmacy and Co-operative Funerals
• To be developed nationally
• Womens Network (based in the South West Region)
• Local events aimed at women
• Twinning with a womens network in South Africa
• Being developed for women in the democratic
  structure

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Diversity Networks

• Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender Members
  Network
• Online
• Launched looking at stereotypes
• Working in partnership organisations
• Youth Network
• Disbanded as failed to attract an audience
• Membership priorities working with young people
  through out reach work

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Monitoring and Events

• Anonymous Survey including questions on a broad
  range of issues from caring responsibility to
  sexual orientation
• Broad range of activities focused at a diverse
  audience
• Pride and Mardi Gras
• Melas
• Bollywood Evenings
• Local events to support Carers
• Working in partnership with a broad range of
  groups

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How the co-operative movement can take steps to
effect positive change
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Provide training to outreach workers, members
relations and advisers to ensure that they
understand the needs of a diverse
community Address the co-operative movements
lack of engagement with ethnic minority
communities by recruiting staff or board members
of co-operative support organisations from a
diverse pool, using a fair recruitment system
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Address racism through diversity training and
awareness raising for those involved in providing
business support and advice Provide mentoring
from people who understand cultural and diverse
needs and can supply advice or signpost towards
appropriate advice
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Use more positive imagery of people from ethnic
minority communities Raise the profile and
promote innovative co-operatives led by people
from ethnic minority communities Produce and
widely distribute case studies, examples and
promotional materials featuring people from
ethnic minority communities
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Deliver high profile marketing campaigns to raise
awareness of the co-operative model Provide
training to business advisers, in all fields, to
ensure that they understand co-operatives and are
able to explain the benefits to their clients,
especially clients from ethnic minority
communities
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Local, community-based support and advice is
necessary. There is a need to work with and
through community organisations and gatekeepers,
via networks, to engage minority communities on
the ground.
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• 10 Point Plan for diversity action
• Encourage your members or staff to takediversity
  on board
• Conduct a survey or audit
• Consult your stakeholders
• Set up a diversity working group
• Improve on-going communication within your
  organisation

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10 Point Plan for diversity action- contd6.
Devise a diversity statement or policy 7.
Review your work in the light of your
commitment to diversity 8. Increase the
diversity of your management board /
committee / trustees 9. Increase the diversity
of your staff team 10.Periodically review
to continue your success
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• Co-operatives UK has taken a leadership role by
• Establishing a three year diversity action plan
• Establishing a steering group made up of
  people from ethnic minority communities to
  oversee the development and implementation of
  the action plan
• Ensuring that a member of Co-operatives UK
  senior management is on the steering group
• Ensuring that resources are available for the
  period of the diversity action plan and beyond

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• Co-operatives UK has taken a leadership role by
• Monitoring and assessing implementation
• Embedding the points from the action plan and
  the commitment to engaging ethnic minorities
  more effectively in the work and strategy of
  Co-operatives UK
• Facilitating the establishment of a grassroots
  network of ethnic minority co-operators
• Working to promote the issue across all elements
  of the co-operative movement

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• Co-operatives UK will also
• Put systems in place to collect data on
  diversity of staff, members and users of
  co-operative businesses in the UK
• Map informal types of co-operation,particularly
  those taking place in ethnic minority
  communities
• Adapt Co-operatives UKs understanding of the
  co- operative model to incorporate informal
  types of co-operation more prevalent amongst
  ethnic minority communities

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