As demand rises for companies to demonstrate their diversity and inclusivity, the annual Inclusive Companies Top 50 (IT50) survey offers an unprecedented opportunity for businesses to benchmark how well they’re doing. Importantly, all those who complete the survey receive a the option to undertake a 30-minute feedback meeting with a leading D&I consultant to help them identify areas of improvement and progression.
The survey looks at all levels within an organisation including Executive Board, Senior Management, Middle Management and Whole Workforce. This makes it a thorough and true reflection of how an organisation is performing in respect of its diversity and inclusion. Businesses need to provide evidence of inclusivity practices across a range of areas, including recruitment and training.
The completed surveys are reviewed and analysed by an independent advisory panel of D & I experts who look at all areas of diversity, including culture, ethnicity, age, gender, disability, LGBTQ+ and religion. All the findings are then compiled into the annual Inclusive Top 50 UK Employers List and (known as the IT50 List).
Be included this year: deadline August 18, 2023!
Now in its eighth year, the IT50 List is the definitive cross-industry index which harnesses both best practice and innovation. The deadline for completing the 2023 survey is fast approaching on Friday August 18, 2023.
Businesses can register to complete the survey here:
https://www.inclusivecompanies.co.uk/inclusivetop50/about/
The IT50 survey is accessible to all Inclusive Companies members: employers who are not yet signed up simply need to register to enjoy a comprehensive suite of services and resources including tool kits, webinars, access to successful case studies and join a growing community of like-minded businesses.
Learning curve
While placing in the Top 50 is important to businesses, the true value of taking part lies in the opportunity it brings to learn, develop and progress, encouraged by the best practice of other companies with a thriving, diverse and flexible workforce. The most successful companies complete the survey year-after-year to track their progress and improve their ranking.
“The key purpose of the IT50 List is as a learning experience which is why we feedback to each and every organisation who completes the survey,” says Paul Sesay, CEO of Inclusive Companies. “Year-on-year we see companies return having taken on board previous feedback to improve their practice, introduce new ideas and progress further. In addition, there is always something for businesses to learn from our growing community of inclusive companies who generously share their approaches with other organisations, recognising the benefit of supporting others.”
West Midlands Fire Service who, after regularly climbing the list, achieved first place in 2022 said: “The IT50 List is an incredibly valuable external measure of our progress across all areas of diversity and challenges us to innovate constantly in our drive to move inclusion forward. It’s had a huge impact on our organisation seen very clearly in the pride of our staff. We also have clear evidence that our participation and placing on the IT50 List have had an impact in attracting the diverse talent we need to thrive as a modern organisation.’
Impact of inclusion
Being inclusive makes business sense. More diverse organisations, with a strong inclusive ethos, perform better and are seen as desirable places to work. Colleagues are valued, encouraged to contribute and are happy. These places are now, rightly, in the public attention as the IT50 List shows the top performers in the UK, highlighting those with the best practice and innovation across all protected characteristic groups. These top organisations value diversity in their workplace and reap the rewards for investing in this ethos.
The Yorkshire Charity Touchstone, which ranked second in the 2022 IT50 List, said: “We work with diverse communities and prioritise that our workforce is inclusive, supportive and fully represents our communities. Our work with Inclusive Companies is so valuable. We are continually supported and this is reflected in our ongoing development and ability to share our inclusive work more widely.”
Join the ranks of diverse and inclusive companies
The list of organisations contributing and testing their performances in an independent arena has grown massively over the past seven years. It sees many entries from both Public and Private sectors, ranging from NHS Trusts to utility companies, the emergency services to building societies and IT consultants to educational establishments. Last year saw new entries from Allianz, Canon, Rolls-Royce, Humberside Police, CGI, Crown Commercial Organisation, TransUnion, NielsenIQ, Novuna, and the Open University among others.
Auto Trader UK has been ranked in the IT50 List for the last five years and said: “It is very important to participate in the IT50, not only as a celebration of the recognition of the incredible work we do, but as a powerful reminder that we can always do more. Being part of the wider Inclusive Companies community over the years has been a fantastic opportunity for us to network and learn from other businesses who are also driving forward to make their organisations more inclusive.”
