Review of Race for Opportunity’s achievements during 2011

Membership

RfO now has 25 Champion employers, 122 members, 14 new members and 3 new champions, representing more than 4% of the UK’s workforce

Research

RfO published six pieces of in-depth research, with findings received by more than 1,000 delegates at speaking platforms:

• RfO Race to Progress: Breaking Down Barriers(June 2011)
  
• RfO Race into Higher Education -  Race into Work (June 2011) update
  
• RfO 5 Points for Progress
  
• RfO Awards 2011 Showcase including the case study booklet and multi media presentations from some of the winners 
• RfO Recruitment Toolkit - Launch of Recruitment Industry Engagement Initiative  ( RIEI)  investigation into recruitment agencies (Oct 2011) 
   

RfO is working with the London Mayor, Diversity Works for London (DWfL) and Transport for London (TfL) on an initiative to support businesses and strengthen their ability to become more diverse in recruitment.

Best practice & impact

• RfO Mentoring Circles, led by RfO Champions, have impacted on and influenced 350 individuals.
  Read more: RfO Mentoring for Success
  
• 73 per cent of RfO BAME mentoring circles have become self sustaining, with 112 BAME women participating
  
• The 5-Points for Progress diversity framework (developed in collaboration with EMAG) that promotes employee engagement and aids compliance with the 2010 Equality Act, was adopted across Whitehall : 
  Read more: RfO 5 Points for Progress

Collaboration

•  RfO collaborated with the Institute of Education (IoE), University of London on Leadership Identity to support our focus on Diversity on Boards and Inclusive Leadership
• Three focus groups were held across London, Birmingham and Manchester involving 32 structured one-to-one interviews - including participation from RfO Board members  
• Sandra Kerr  OBE, Race for Opportunity National campaign director, has been actively collaborating and influencing policy through steering group membership of the Equality & Human Rights