Many companies throughout the UK understand that real business benefits can be gained by supporting diversity in all aspects of their business operations. Here are just two:

TJW Exhibitions Ltd is a small business based in Taunton, Somerset with 40 employees. TJW organise events throughout the UK in the careers & recruitment and business to business markets. When launching their new careers & recruitment event in Bristol (Job Scene) TJW aimed the event at diversity in the work place. The exhibitors were those looking to recruit from all communities and often with a diversity policy and targets in place. Extra work was then undertaken in the promotional campaign to attract the widest cross section of visitors possible.

The Results
The first event in 2003 was a sell out and attracted a high number of ethnic minority visitors. TJW gained £100,000 of extra sales revenue. Exhibitors are now booking for other shows in the Job Scene series and the 2004 event is expected to be even more successful than 2003.

McPhie's craft bakers in Shettleston is one of several small Glasgow
businesses to employ refugees. Jim McPhie describes them as a breath of fresh air. After 30 years of baking, a major recent challenge has been staffing. Soft skills like turning up for work on time were practically non-existent and staff didn't want to work or develop their skills. High staff turnover limited any plans for growth and even threatened the sustainability of the business. Two Iraqi refugees joined the business. They had previous business experience but, at the time, lacked English language skills.

The Results
After six months of working with Jim, he describes the refugee workers as "nectar from heaven for my business. In the past we have had to turn down orders because we couldn't rely on the staff but their hard work and dedication has turned the business around. They are now so skilled they can do virtually everything in the bakery that I can do."

• 41% of European SMEs have an environmental policy but only 13% have a diversity policy. Source: CSR Europe
• By 2010 only 20% of the workforce will be white, able-bodied men under 45. Source: BITC website
• There are 8.6 million disabled people in the UK, with an annual spending power of £50 billion. Source: Disability Rights Commission
• Employers with a disabled worker on staff report improved teamwork and are better able to anticipate and respond to the demands of disabled customers. Source: Survey commissioned by Jobability.com