BSI Has Launched the New British Standard of Diversity and Inclusion

The BS 76005 has been launched by BSI, which is a new standard approach for employers to value their employees, via diversity and inclusion. The BS 76005 Valuing people through diversity and inclusion is a code of conduct for organisations and offers suggestions for assessing, reviewing and undertaking a capable and principled approach to diversity and inclusion within places of work.  

The head of governance and resilience at BSI, Anna Hayes said that diversity and inclusivity is no longer a peripheral workplace issue, but it is quickly gaining acceptance in boardrooms all over the UK as an issue of utmost importance. She thinks that taking the necessary steps to create a diverse and inclusive place of work is in the best interest of all enterprises, irrespective of them having ten or ten thousand employees.  

BS 76005 - What is This Standard All About? 

Anna Hayes says that BS 76005 offers a holistic approach to address the issue of diversity and inclusion. This standard is going to enable organisations to exhibit their real commitment towards valuing their employees at all levels. Primarily, this standard is intended to encourage the dignity and fairness of everyone at work.  

What Do the Recommendations in the Standard Cover? 

The proposals in this standard not only cover the management of people and their development, but also the evolution of improved inclusive policies, practices, procedures and relationships with others - the clients, customers and the people within communities. This is one of the most important recommendations in this standard regarding diversity and inclusion.  

The New BSI Standard Concerns All Organisations 

The BS 76005 is applicable to all types of organisations, irrespective of their sector, level of maturity and size. The standard identifies that each enterprise is distinct and that it is best for the decision-makers to assess the most relevant approach as per the context of their organisation. The BSI stated that “valuing people” in the standard is not just confined to the quantifiable monetary value. The standard is fundamentally used to recognise that “value” is the potential or actual contribution that individuals working at different levels in an organisation make as a result of their “knowledge, capabilities, networks, skills, attitudes, insights and experiences”.  

Through the standard, BSI has deliberately used the phrase “working on behalf of an organisation”. This is to acknowledge all those who might not directly be a part of an organisation, but are working on behalf through sub-contractors, agencies and self-employment arrangements.  

The organisations who were involved in the formation of the BS 76005 are: 

• Business Disability Forum 
• Business in the Community 
• The CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) 
• The National Centre for Diversity 
• The Women’s Engineering Society 
• The University of Worcester 
• Experts in management consultancy and management and stakeholder relations also participated in the development of the standard, along with individual experts from ACAS and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion. 

The BS 76005 is a welcome addition to the existing anti-discriminatory legislation, as a workforce that feels equally respected and valued is going to result in greater productivity and ultimately, success.  

Vercida works with over one hundred clients who are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. If you are an employer and interested in working with Vercida to promote your diversity and inclusion initiatives and attract the best candidates, please call 02037405973 or email [email protected] for more information. 

We are also officially recommended by Disability Confident as a step on achieving Employer status, please click here for more information.