Briefing Pack for Managers The Importance of Diversity In the Workplace Engendering a Culture of Respect

© British Telecommunications plc What is the difference between Equality and Diversity? Equal Opportunities Reactive: Driven by legislation Removing barriers Improving numbers Focus on under-represented group Diversity Pro-active: Driven by organisational need Nurturing potential Improving the learning and working environment Focus on the individual

© British Telecommunications plc Equality is….? Equality is about making sure people are treated fairly and given fair chances. Equality is not about treating everyone in the same way, but it recognises that their needs are met in different ways.

© British Telecommunications plc Diversity is…..? Diversity is based on the concept of recognition of differences: recognising that everyone is different, and respecting and encouraging those differences for business benefit

© British Telecommunications plc The diversity mosaic includes all the unique differences that make each of us who we are What is Diversity?

© British Telecommunications plc Working arrangements: full/part-time; office-based/remote Job role: manager; professional; team member; length of service; experience; skills Personality: reserved/gregarious; adventurous/careful; logical/creative Personal circumstances: parental or caring responsibilities; family status; life-cycle events Background: socio-economic; education; qualifications Choices/preferences: home location; hobbies; lifestyle; dress; tastes We are all diverse! Diversity – what makes us the same or different?

© British Telecommunications plc A diverse workforce reflects the marketplace in which we operate Individuals from diverse communities can relate to our customers. This gives an improved customer experience and a higher level of customer service Customers make choices based on how well companies relate to them and understand their needs. Diversity means that BT creates better products and services for its customers and therefore has a better market share Good E&D/CSR credentials help us attract and retain talent and make us an employer of choice Diversity helps BT be First Choice BT’s people networks provide insight into diverse markets and help us develop competitive products and services So What?

© British Telecommunications plc Facts and Figures – Did You Know? 99% of women in BT return to work after maternity leave compared to an industry average of 40% 75% of people return to work after extended sick leave compared to industry average of 25% 9.8% of the BT workforce is from an ethnic minority background compared to 7.9% in the UK 3% of workforce have declared a disability 22% of the BT workforce is female which compares well with other telecoms sector businesses 85% of part timers are female There are 13,750 homeworkers in BT 5,000 people in BT work part time Since BT removed the normal retirement age there are now 1,244 people over 60 working for BT 1/3 rd of the UK workforce is aged over 50 Only 4.4% of our recruits are aged over 50 15% of recruits in 06/07 were from ethnic minority background

© British Telecommunications plc Facts & Figures - Benchmarking Latest Benchmarking Results show how BT compares to other organisations Position%Standard (if known) Race3 rd Gold Sexual Orientation 13 th 87%N/A Gender94%Gold Dow Jones1 st -- Disability3rd89%Gold

© British Telecommunications plc Diversity Facts and Figures - General In the UK the estimated annual disposable spend of the following groups is: –Disabled people and their carers =£80 billion –Over 50s =£55 billion –Ethnic minority population =£45 billion –LGBT community =£40 billion Purchasing power of the Black and minority ethnic community increased by 64.7 % between 1998 and 2004 Over 80% of family purchasing decisions are made by women 51% of independent retail outlets in the UK are owned by black and minority ethnic entrepreneurs 25% of all SMEs are owned by women 10% of business start ups in the UK are from ethnic minority groups

© British Telecommunications plc Diversity – Demographic Data By % of the workforce will be female 1 in 4 of the European population either has a disability or knows someone who does 27% of the European workforce now works flexibly (35% UK). This is expected to grow by 10% year on year The age group is decreasing by approximately 10.5% a year due to birth patterns in the mid-1980s relating to changes in lifestyles and women becoming primary earners The fastest growing population in the UK is the ethnic minority group In in 4 of the population is over the age of 45 1 in 14 of the UK population is Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Graduates are seeking a stronger focus on Work/Life Balance and CSR issues when selecting future employers

© British Telecommunications plc Every colleague or customer interaction could provide you with…… An opportunity to learn about others An opportunity to understand how to use diversity to provide a better level of customer service An opportunity to understand how diversity adds commercial financial benefit to BT

© British Telecommunications plc Further Information BT Retail Equality and Diversity Homepage Customer Service Equality and Diversity Homepage centre/equalityanddiversity/ Your Line of Business E & D representative