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Diversity and inclusion

Now more than ever, organizations are prioritizing meeting diversity and inclusion standards and investing in resources to set their teams up for success. It’s becoming increasingly clear that having a diverse and inclusive team creates a more resilient company. Diversity and inclusion standards help organizations to embed these best practices into the heart of their processes.

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Explore how standards support the provision of diversity and inclusion policies within organizations

8 steps in developing a diversity and inclusion strategy for your small business
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8 steps in developing a diversity and inclusion strategy for your small business

Despite a volatile business landscape, the business case for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) continues to produce results. And that includes making your business more attractive to candidates.  With many sectors facing a shortage of skilled staff, it’s perhaps no surprise that many organizations are open to improve diversity, equity and inclusion.  Here we examine the importance of DEI, and how to promote it within your business.  Why does diversity, equity, and inclusion matter? The best way for firms to recruit, retain and develop talent is to draw from the widest possible talent pool – that means not ruling anyone out or limiting anyone’s potential.  As a basic minimum, organizations should comply with the law, which requires equal treatment of individuals with protected characteristics such as sex, race, disability, age and maternity. Organizations should go further than meeting basic legal obligations to ensure an effective policy embraces diversity as a means for adding value and contributing to employee well-being and engagement, as well as being the right thing to do. Top tips for promoting DEI in your organization It can be hard to know where to start on becoming a more diverse and inclusive organization.  To help, here are some ideas for getting started: 1. Follow best practice by using a standard-based approach Using a standard ensures it’s more likely that change can be embedded, effective and measurable. You might want to use PAS 1948:2023 Diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. It has been sponsored by the All-In Diversity Project in response to organizations seeking guidance.  It’s a practical, one-stop shop for organizations looking to develop and implement an effective diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) framework. It applies to traditional offices and industrial environments, but also workplaces such as zoos, sports arenas or film sets. The standard, which is free to download here, is intended to help you implement a DEI framework that works for your situation.  2. Always gather employee views You might think you’re doing well on DEI, but would your employees say the same?  Having systems that allow employees to express views discreetly can be invaluable. This might be through informal chats, anonymous questionnaires or using an outside consultant. Structured and frequent listening will give you an idea of where your starting point is, and once you’ve taken action, whether it’s actually working. 3. Act on feedback Make sure that you update your employee lifecycle processes (recruitment, development, reward etc) based on the best practice and feedback from your employees. It can be beneficial to then capture these in policy form (or maybe a legal requirement), but remember a ‘policy’ is not action. 4. Understand why diversity programmes often fail If DEI is seen as just another box to tick, an initiative will prove to be only superficial. Training should ensure employees really believe in the value and importance of DEI, rather than seeing it as a policy they are required to follow.  Training should focus on the why as much as the how, with business effectiveness emphasized along with fairness. 5. Focus on culture At its heart, diversity is about fairness and respect. Working on company culture to ensure people treat each other fairly, with care, respect and consideration will help to embed DEI and prevent problems with bullying and harassment. This culture has to start with the senior team and filters down through the management system. 6. Train staff in calling out prejudice Tackling issues such as racism, sexism and homophobia should not be seen as the work of people with those protected characteristics. All employees can be trained on how to challenge prejudice and flag up issues to management. This will create a more supportive environment. 7. Commit for the long term DEI is not something you can ‘do’ then forget about - it has to be an ongoing commitment with regular audits, data, employee surveys, training and research to ensure your organization stays up to date. 8. Promote openness and communication If a worker feels unwelcome in the working environment, they might not flag it up - they might just move to a new employer, taking their knowledge and expertise with them. Encouraging openness and communication, for example through staff surveys and discussions, will help. Diversity, equity, and inclusion standards Standards can help you to take a rounded view of DEI and develop a comprehensive strategy. Alongside visiting our dedicated Diversity and Inclusion topic page, organizations looking to improve diversity and inclusion will benefit from exploring the following standards:  BS ISO 30415:2021 Human resource management. Diversity and inclusion BS 76000:2015 Human resource. Valuing people. Management system. Requirements and guidance BS ISO 25551:2021 Ageing societies. General requirements and guidelines for carer-inclusive organizations BS ISO 45003:2021 Occupational health and safety management. Psychological health and safety at work. Guidelines for managing psychosocial risks BS 30416:2023 Menstruation and menopausal health in the workplace – Guide BS 25800:2024 Safeguarding for organizations. Guide BS ISO 53800:2024 Guidelines for the promotion and implementation of gender equality and women’s empowerment If you have questions about the right standard for your needs, contact the BSI Member Enquiry Service by emailing knowledgecentre@bsigroup.com. The service is included in your membership and you’ll be talking to professional researchers with up-to-date databases of national and international standards. Discover more about BSI Membership Become a BSI member and you’ll be joining 11,000+ organizations committed to making positive change through standards. You’ll get extra support in implementing standards via a team of research professionals and stay up to date with relevant changes to standards with a monthly spreadsheet. Your personalized Membership certificate and digital Membership badge will help your organization stand out from the competition too. And every member enjoys a 50% saving on British Standards and BSI Knowledge subscriptions, and up to 50% on other standards and subscriptions. Find out more about BSI Membership here.Read more
BS 30416: Menstrual and menopausal health matters in your workplace
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BS 30416: Menstrual and menopausal health matters in your workplace

We are constantly striving to help organizations achieve equal opportunities in their workplaces. To that end, we have just published a revolutionary new British standard. BS 30416 aims to provide all businesses with guidance on how they can adequately support their employees who menstruate and experience menopause symptoms. The way we work is changing rapidly, but in many cases, our workplaces are still not designed to cater to the needs of employees who menstruate. Menstruation and menopause are complex and often misunderstood but, in some cases, can have detrimental physical and mental health impacts to those experiencing them. The lack of open discussion around these topics can make it difficult for individuals to be at their best in the workplace - and for businesses to provide adequate support. According to a UK Parliamentary survey carried out in 2022, 92% of respondents reported that menopause symptoms affected them at work. As well as difficulties caused by menopause symptoms themselves, the survey highlighted that the attitude of other colleagues and line managers can have a significant impact on people experiencing the menopause or menstruation, in terms of feeling able to seek support and even stay in their job. As a result, organizations are beginning to recognize the need for a level of consideration when it comes to menstrual and menopausal health. However, uncertainty on knowing the approach to take has often led to inaction. A new standard has been published which aims to address this issue. BS 30416, Menstruation, menstrual health and menopause in the workplace – Guide has been developed by experts to provide guidance for organizations on supporting the menstrual and menopausal health of their employees. How can BS 30416 help support menstrual and menopausal health in the workplace? BS 30416 is a free, practical toolkit for businesses of all sizes and sectors. Developed by experts in the field of menstruation, menopause, HR and occupational health and academics, this document aims to help organizations identify the misconceptions around menstruation and menopause. It also identifies the impact of stigma surrounding these topics on workplace cultures and support. This standard helps businesses to take action to make their workplace more inclusive. BS 30416 contains examples of actions and adjustments that can be taken to improve employees’ wellbeing. Examples of these include: Physical aspects of work Policy guidance and practices Supportive workplace cultures Work design Inclusivity Evaluation and metrics There are also practical annexes with checklists and tools to use such as: Tips for having confidential conversations Conversation topics and potential workplace adjustments based on symptoms Team management considerations Ideas for facilitating culture change Training considerations Further reading  The guidance will be especially useful to individuals within businesses who are responsible for managing employee workload, wellbeing, or the work environment. Discover more about how standards can help you to establish a safe and inclusive workplace by visiting our Workplace Culture Topic Page. What are the benefits to businesses of using BS 30416? Not only will implementing BS 30416 benefit employees, but it will also help organizations to: Tackle the taboo around menstruation and menopause in the workplace BS 30416 can assist organizations to identify the misconceptions around menstruation and peri/menopause, and the impact the taboo surrounding them can have on workplace support. By addressing the taboo, workplaces can create a more inclusive and supportive environment. This helps to reduce the barriers that prevent them from fully participating in the workplace. Facilitate fair treatment and opportunities for employees Under the Equality Act 2010, employees have a right to be protected from disadvantage or less favourable treatment. BS 30416 helps businesses of all sizes to comply with this regulation. It does this by providing guidance to re-evaluate their job and workplace designs to be suitable for employees experiencing symptoms for menstruation or peri/menopause. Empower employees through every life stage BS 30416 helps companies to achieve their diversity and inclusion objectives by preventing the loss of employees from the workplace due to inadequate or inflexible working conditions. This generates a more engaged workforce with better health and wellbeing - which retains staff, saving business costs. Anne Hayes, Director of Standards at BSI says: “Now is the time that businesses want to make sure they are not losing their talent and encourage women to stay and progress to more senior leadership roles. Society will benefit if we enable them with a supportive environment.” Kickstart a cultural shift in your organization and provide adequate support for your employees who experience symptoms of menstruation or menopause. Download your free copy of BS 30416. Discover BSI Knowledge Over 100,000 internationally recognized standards are available for simple and flexible access with a BSI Knowledge subscription. Build your own custom collection of standards or opt for access to one of our pre-built modules and keep up to date with any relevant changes to your standards strategy. Request to learn more.
Prioritize psychological safety with BS ISO 45003
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Prioritize psychological safety with BS ISO 45003

Is the psychological health of your people high on the agenda? Are you committed to achieving meaningful levels of trust between your organization and your people? Does your organization need to work on its culture to build a vision that inspires and motivates? Our working lives can have a significant impact on our psychological wellbeing. Every business needs to be identifying and managing psychosocial risks. It’s now essential to reinforce the psychological contract - the unwritten bond between worker and employer that unlocks motivation and potential - and supports both engagement and performance. Standard BS ISO 45003 for psychological health and safety at work Recognizing that employers have a responsibility to protect both the physical and psychosocial health of their staff, the world’s first international standard helps organizations to work to psychological best practices. BS ISO 45003 Occupational health and safety management – Psychological health and safety at work – Guidelines for managing psychosocial risks, gives guidance on managing psychological health and safety risks within an occupational health and safety management system. It addresses the many areas that can impact a worker’s psychological health, including ineffective communication, excessive pressure, poor leadership, and organizational culture. BS ISO 45003 covers aspects such as how to identify the conditions, circumstances, and workplace demands that have the potential to impair the psychological health and well-being of workers; how to identify primary risk factors and assess them to determine what changes are required to improve the working environment; and how to identify and control work-related hazards and manage psychosocial risk within an occupational health and safety management system. Read about implementing BS ISO 45003 in the education sector here. What are the benefits of implementing BS ISO 45003? BS ISO 45003 is a tool that anyone can use to prioritize the people in their organization. It helps identify where psychosocial risks arise and how they can be mitigated or eliminated and can help you to develop expertise, increase people’s trust and manage risk better. Organizations can prevent work-related ill-health and benefit from: Improved worker engagement Enhanced productivity and higher levels of discretionary effort Increased innovation Greater organizational resilience and legal compliance BS ISO 45003 demonstrates an organization's commitment to ensuring decent work conditions, health, and well-being. For organizations seeking to enhance their ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) profile, implementation of BS ISO 45003 and its alignment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals sends a powerful message to shareholders and stakeholders including employees, that they truly care for their people. Conversely, the costs of not prioritizing people and their psychosocial health can be: Poor health, including cardiovascular disease and musculoskeletal disorders. Poor health behaviours, including substance abuse and unhealthy eating. Reduced job satisfaction, commitment, and performance. Increased absence from workplace stress, burnout, anxiety, and depression. Higher costs for the organization due to negative impacts on turnover, productivity, quality, training, and recruitment. Higher costs from workplace investigations, litigation, and reputational damage. Norma McCormick, Project Leader of the ISO technical committee that developed the standard, said stressors such as uncertainty, fear, isolation, and changing workloads have been exacerbated for many workers during this period, but the standard is not just about COVID-19. “Every organization has occupational health and safety responsibilities, and the current pandemic has brought into sharp focus the important role that psychological health in the workplace plays,” she said. “While many have felt powerless about the impact of recent events, there are many things that can be done to build the resilience of staff and promote a strong organizational culture. This standard brings together international best practice in this area and is relevant to companies of all types and sizes.” BS ISO 45003 will also help users meet the requirements of BS EN ISO 45001, the world’s first international standard for an occupational health and safety management system, which is the foundation of a resilient organization with a strong, healthy, and happy workforce. What are the other key health and safety standards? We have a range of other health and safety standards that businesses can implement to protect and prioritize their workforce. BS EN ISO 45001 Occupational health and safety management systems. Requirements with guidance for use specifies requirements for an Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) management system and includes guidance for use. The benefits of BS EN ISO 45001 include: BS EN ISO 45001 tackles a global need to improve the occupational health and safety of people working in organizations. It enables organizations to provide safe and healthy working conditions that prevent work-related injury and ill health, and proactively improve the organization’s health and safety performance. It includes how to develop and implement a health and safety policy and objectives which consider applicable legal requirements and other requirements to which the organization subscribes. It considers factors such as the context in which the organization operates and the needs and expectations of its workers and other interested parties. It is designed to align with other key management systems standards such as BS EN ISO 9001 Quality management systems and BS EN ISO 14001 Environmental management for ease of integration. Whilst PD ISO/PAS 45005 Occupational health and safety management. General guidelines for safe working during the COVID-19 pandemic gives guidelines for organizations on how to manage the risks arising from COVID-19 to protect work-related health, safety, and well-being. PD ISO/PAS 45005 is applicable to organizations of all sizes and sectors, including those that: Have been operating throughout the pandemic; Are resuming or planning to resume operations following full or partial closure; Are re-occupying workplaces that have been fully or partially closed; and Are new and planning to operate for the first time. Ensure your organization is prioritizing its people by working to psychological health and safety best practices by adding BS ISO 45003 to your collection today. Discover BSI Knowledge Get everyone in your business involved in embedding a culture of psychological safety. A BSI Knowledge subscription gives you instant access to the resources you need to improve your well-being processes and the performance of your people. The flexibility and visibility it provides of the best practices guidance enables you to get the most from your standards. Request to learn more.
How can you realize the full potential of older workers?
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How can you realize the full potential of older workers?

Older workers have a lot to offer in terms of knowledge, experience and contributing to the diversity of a team. However, mature workers are not always valued, supported or given opportunities to develop. With one survey showing that 75% of companies globally report talent shortages and difficulty hiring (the highest in 16 years) older workers are a valuable resource. Meeting their needs with appropriate support is not only the right thing to do, it can also enable your business to thrive. Understanding the challenges for older workers There are many factors behind the “Great Retirement”, including personal choice, ill health, caring responsibilities, inflexible working practices, and ageism. However, many of these factors are involuntary. Research shows that one third of those made redundant during the pandemic were aged 50+, and they were half as likely to be re-employed in that time than younger workers. More than a third of people aged 50-69 feel at a disadvantage when applying for jobs due to their age. While some data shows signs that over-50s are beginning to return to the workforce, probably due to the rising cost of living, it is too early to say whether this is a trend. What does the law say about older workers? Age is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. This includes both direct and indirect discrimination, harassment and victimization. There is no ‘default retirement age’. Older people cannot be forced to retire at the state pension eligibility age unless the role involves certain physical abilities or there is a limit set by law. Numerous studies have shown that workers over 50 often wish to work flexibly. All employees (except agency workers) have the right to request flexible working after 26 weeks’ continuous employment. The government has now announced plans to introduce this right from day one of employment. All workers are also entitled to time off to deal with emergencies involving dependents, which for the 50+ age group might include problems with older parents or a sick spouse. How can companies support older workers? Organizations should take a proactive approach to supporting older workers. Of course, the exact strategies will vary according to the individual needs of each organisation, but might include some of these elements: More flexible working ONS figures show that of older workers who left work during the pandemic and would like to return, 69% would prefer to work part-time. Reduced hours Jobs that are cognitively demanding or stressful can be particularly taxing for some older people if they are required to work long hours. Reduced hours can make a big difference to performance. Lifelong learning It is important to ensure that older workers are given the time and training to learn new skills for work, for example, digital skills. Yet the 50+ age group is the least likely to be given job-related training. Physical adjustments Older workers might need assistance with lifting, regular breaks, access to seating, convenient toilet facilities and good lighting. The needs of women experiencing menopause should also be taken into account. Some adjustments may also reduce risk of injury and benefit disabled workers as well. Health management Many over-50s say they feel as fit as ever, with structural and (other people's) attitudinal barriers thwarting their ability to stay involved. Age does bring increasing risk of chronic health conditions, so employers need to support workers with good rehabilitation and return to work practices. Positive attitude It is important not to make assumptions about older workers – treat every employee as an individual. However, there’s plenty you can do to make your workplace a more welcoming and supportive environment for older workers (and others too!). Sustainable employability If someone enjoys working, and is healthy and motivated, they will remain employable for a long time. That, in turn, contributes to achieving your organizational goals. The idea of ‘sustainable employability’, key to BSI’s ‘Prioritizing People Model, becomes increasingly important in later years. Organizations need to ensure that work and working conditions are sustainable by implementing preventive and protective measures to keep workers healthy over their whole life course. How standards can help Standards provide a framework for developing policies that support older workers. Relevant standards include: BS ISO 25550:2022 Ageing societies. General requirements and guidelines for an age-inclusive workforce BS ISO 25551:2021 Ageing societies. General requirements and guidelines for carer-inclusive organizations BS 30416:2023 Menstruation, menstrual health and menopause in the workplace. Guide PD ISO 45001:2018 Handbook Occupational health and safety management systems. A practical guide for SMEs BS ISO 45003:2021 Occupational health and safety management. Psychological health and safety at work. Guidelines for managing psychosocial risks BS ISO 30415:2021 Human resource management. Diversity and inclusion Discover BSI Knowledge Over 100,00 internationally recognized standards are available for simple and flexible access with a BSI Knowledge subscription. Our tailored subscription service allows you to build your own custom collection of standards or opt for access to one of our pre-built modules, keeping you up to date with any changes. With support from a dedicated BSI account manager, our subscription service helps you achieve a more coherent and effective approach to best practice. Request to learn more.

Key Diversity & Inclusion Standards

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