Co-operative Diversity Action launched

Co-operativesUK has launched Co-operative Diversity Action, a new initiative and website - www.diversityaction.coop - to help engage people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities in co-operative enterprise.

Dorothy Francis, Chair of Co-operative Diversity Action (pictured above), said: “This is a great chance to build on existing good practice. Co-operative Diversity Action will work with all types of co-operatives to develop shared strategies and resources, so that we have the skills, knowledge and expertise to attract participation from people from ethnic minority communities across the whole co-operative movement.”

Co-operative Diversity Action stems from the work of the Ethnic Diversity Steering Group, which was established by Co-operativesUK in early 2009. The steering group has renamed itself Co-operative Diversity Action and established the website to reflect its outward facing role in actively supporting co-operatives in increasing the participation of people from BAME communities.

Co-operative Diversity Action’s members come from different parts of the UK and represent a range of different sectors from the movement, including retail societies, co-operative development bodies, worker co-operatives and housing co-operatives. It will be working with all co-operatives, large and small.

The website provides a space for co-operative enterprises, business development specialists, co-operative support organisations and BAME support organisations to access and share resources.

It already features case studies, sample equality and diversity policies, fact sheets and guides, reports, action plans and diversity strategies from the retail societies such as the Co-operative Group and Midcounties Co-operative Society. Co operative Diversity Action is inviting contributions from co-operatives and support bodies to ensure all the information on the website is as up to date as possible.

For more information visit www.diversityaction.coop, email info@diversityaction.coop or phone Giles Simon on 0161 246 2941.