Corporate Responsibility Index

1
Migrant Worker Business Support Programme
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Background

• Pilot Programme
• 5 SMEs in the Coleraine Borough Council Area
• To support the development of local business
  which employ migrant workers/new citizens by
  providing a mentoring support programme
• To examine both the mind set and policies,
  shaping the culture and practices of 5 SMEs in
  Coleraine in order to create an efficient
  workplace environment for all

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Background

• Through an in-depth Diversity Audit determining
  baseline scenario in respect to current HR
  policy/practices
• identifying areas for improvement and development
  
• Each company was provided support on key areas of
  assistance
• Best practice companies across the NW were
  utilised to support and assist

4
Programme Targets

• Recruit 5 SMEs
• Carry out 5 audits
• Develop 5 individual mentoring plans
• Demonstrate an improvement in the business
• A reduction in staff absenteeism
• A reduction in cases taken on racial
  discrimination
• An increase in staff retention
• A reduction in cases taken on the grounds of
  diversity and costs incurred with such cases.

5
Methodology

• Recruitment
• Introductory Meeting
• Diversity Audit
• Meeting to Discuss Mentoring Plan
• Delivery of Assistance
• Mentoring from Best Practice Company
• Seminars-internal and external
• Celebration Event
• Evaluation

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Recruitment

• Advertisement in local as well as regional press
• BITCNI Website and informational leaflet
• Direct contact (using the Think BIG Database
  results)
• Link up to the Chamber of Commerce and other
  business support organizations
• Use the results of the Coleraine Borough Council
  Migrant Worker Survey

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Introductory Meeting

• Defining Diversity
• The Reasons Diversity is Crucial In Business
• The Positive Impact of Diversity In Business
• How Diversity Impacts on the Bottom Line

8
Diversity Audit

• Recruitment, selection and promotion
• Discrimination and harassment in the workplace
• Reasonable accommodation of diversity
• Promoting respect for diversity
• Data collection and monitoring
• Not in place Initiating Implementing
  Integrating

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Individual Mentoring Plans

• Areas of Assistance
• Review of policies and procedures
• Recruitment of migrant workers
• Achievement Investors in People
• Employer-employee commitment
• Development of systems
• Tackling Absenteeism
• Translation of policies for migrant workers
• Understanding Employee legislation

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Individual Mentoring Plans

• Recruitment of staff
• Customer care training
• Implementing Policies and procedures
• Creating new policies
• Diversity in business training
• Interview training
• Creating mission and values for the business
• Developing personal development plans
• Handling rumours in the organisation

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Delivery of Assistance

• This included
• Help with creation and review of policies
• Assistance with employment contracts
• Generic Diversity Training for staff
• Best practice mentors
• Employment legislation seminars
• Opportunity to sign up to BITC Code of Practice
  for Migrant Workers
• Tools for development
• Translation of documentation

12
Celebration Event

• The participants were signposted to and received
  the opportunity to link with the following
  organisations
• Coleraine Borough Council
• Eures
• Equality Commission
• Labour Relations Agency
• Race Relations Agency
• Samaritans
• Ethnic Minority Support Group in Coleraine
• Causeway Institute
• Investors in People

13
Programme Evaluation Against Targets

• Recruitment of 6 SMEs, 120 of target
• 6 diversity audits carried out meeting 120 of
  target
• Development of 5 individual mentoring plans for
  participants
• An improvement in the productivity and efficiency
  
• A reduction in staff absenteeism
• A reduction in cases taken on racial
  discrimination
• An increase in staff retention
• A reduction in cases taken on the grounds of
  diversity and costs incurred with such cases.

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Primary Objectives for Taking Part in the
Programme

• To get help and support/advice regarding policies
  and procedures to staff development and equality
• Understand employment of migrant workers
• To help deal with recruitment and retention of
  migrant workers
• To be more aware of other cultures and migrant
  workers to become more involved in the
  organisation
• Understanding the needs of migrant workers
• 100 of the programme participants felt that this
  objective was achieved.

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Participants

• Spanboard
• Studio Rogers
• Nevin Electrics
• Trolans Supervalu
• Hutchinson Engineering

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Mentors

• 5 best practice companies across the NW offered
  their support and assistance.
• 15-20 hours of pro-bono advice dedicated by
  mentors
• Foyle Food Group
• Translink
• AVX
• Limavady Borough Council
• Singularity

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Added Value

• Nevin Electrics - successfully employed 4 migrant
  workers - Were introduced to Eures by Foyle Food
  Group. They believe the programme came at a
  crucial time for them.
• Studio Rogers - so impressed with the Employee
  Legislation Seminar that they are reviewing all
  their practices to ensure that they comply with
  legislation - planning to train management - have
  approached Eures to help recruit architects from
  Europe.
• Spanboard - received practical assistance with
  translation with a translator contact made
  through BITC.

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Added Value

• Studio Rogers - noted that their awareness of
  equality has increased and the programme has
  refueled their desire to pursue in employment
  practices.
• Nevin Electrics - now have more confidence in
  decisions they make and have improved working
  practices in terms of permit and contracts etc.
• Nevin feel that the employment legislation
  seminar has had a large impact on dealing with
  staff.

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Added Value

• Moy Park has agreed to translate contract and
  policies into other languages for both Nevin
  Electrics and Hutchinson Engineering.
• Hutchinson Engineering - created and implemented
  an equality policy along with several other
  policies as a result of the programme - have set
  themselves a goal to set a better structure for
  staff.

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Case study Trolans Supervalu

• Area of Assistance
• Improving the internal workings of the
  organisation
• Target
• Achieving Investors In People
• Objectives
• Acknowledging and Promoting Diversity in the
  Workplace
• Creating structures, policies and procedures
• Improving the way we work

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Case study Trolans Supervalu

• Development Plan
• Run the Diversity in Business Programme in 15
  members of staff to attend event.
• Inform migrant workers of Migrant Worker
  Awareness Event on 5th Feb in Coleraine.
• Attend the Employee Legislation seminar hosted by
  Studio Rogers
• Consider Flexible Working
• Create a more formal approach in recording
  details of all meeting with staff
• BITC to provide Trolans a generic Job description
• Consider a cultural diversity day

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Case study Trolans Supervalu

• Development Plan
• Create Employment Contracts for all
• Review job advertisement placed in Job Centre to
  ensure it complies with equal opportunities
  policy
• Creation of Equal Opportunities Policy
• Mentor meetings with Limavady Borough Council to
  gain advice on achieving Investors in People
• Improve communications internally through better
  use of notice boards and team meetings etc
• Creation of a harassment and bullying policy and
  procedure as well as improving the complaints
  procedure
• Introduce a team building culture

23
Case study Trolans Supervalu

• Development Plan
• Assistance in setting up an appraisal system
• Train supervisors in how to identify prejudice
  and cases of indirect discrimination
• Provide leaflets and display posters for
  Samaritans and Relate etc.
• Create a complaints log book and assign someone
  to monitor the complaints and how they are being
  dealt with
• Instigate frequent production meetings to help
  improve communications
• Create a Diversity Policy and nominate a
  Diversity Officer

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Case study Trolans Supervalu

• Impacts
• Positively effected absenteeism, retention,
  discrimination cases
• Trolans - believe that general activities are
  easier to handle as a result of the mentoring
  support - have implemented a new communications
  system, updating staff via notice boards, wage
  slips etc.
• Trolans - now have an employment contract in
  place - issued to all members of staff.
• Trolans Supervalu feel that the staff are closer
  as a result of the Diversity In Business training
  and are more aware of other cultures.

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Moving Forward

• Participants are working through their Mentoring
  Plans
• Participants are aware that they can contact
  Coleraine Borough Council and BITC with any
  further inquiries
• Now have contact and links with other support
  organisations
• Participants state that language is still a
  barrier
• Causeway Institute are contacting participants re
  ESOL
• Ethnic Minority Support Group are now in contact
  with Programme participants
• Potential for more SMEs to benefit from the
  Programme

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SMEs Who Were Promised Feedback on The Programme
Lamont Fireplaces
Armstrong Medical
Smyth Steel
Hutchinson Engineering
Comfort Hotel
WD Meats
Lynas Frozen Foods
Dairy Produce Packers

Scot and Stinson Engineering Charles Mullan
Joinery Farlow Engineering Mc Kendry
Fabrication Ballyrashane Co-op Bradley and Co
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Questions
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Thank you