2.1 Choosing between racial equality and racial equity
There are many discussions on the meaning of equality, and you will be introduced to the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) definition to simplify the situation. According to EHRC:
Equality is about ensuring everyone has an equal opportunity to make the most of their lives and talents. It is also the belief that no one should have poorer life chances because of how they were born, where they come from, what they believe, or whether they have a disability. Equality recognises that historically certain groups of people with protected characteristics such as race, disability, sex, and sexual orientation have experienced discrimination
Equality, at face value, is about ensuring that people get the same treatment, whereas equity focuses on fairness (Espinoza, 2007; Lanfranconi et al., 2020). In other words, equity refers to ‘distributions based on deservingness … equality, … favours identical allocations’ (Huppert et al., 2019, p. 2). Equity means ‘each of us getting what we need to survive or succeed—access to opportunity, networks, resources, and supports—based on where we are and where we want to go’ (Lee and Navarro, 2018, p. 25). Equity has many dimensions: economic, political, health, and legislative (Junfeng, 2012, p. 30).
As this week focuses on the power of businesses and corporations, it makes sense to spend some time exploring equity in the labour market. Racially equitable labour market means a labour market where the labour market processes operate similarly for Black people and other racialised minorities and the majority white population (Daymont, 1980, p. 379). In effect, racial equity in the workplace means a labour market where the legacy of race is no longer relevant (Duncan, 1969) and race no longer plays a part in labour market outcomes (Wilson, 1978).
Dealing with racial inequalities in the labour market through a racial equity approach would, over time, ‘result in smaller racial differences in backgrounds in the next generation’ (Daymont, 1980). Figure 2 highlights the difference between equality and equity. As the image on the left (equality) shows, the short person in the picture must look through the gaps in the fence to see what is happening on the pitch, whereas the taller ones can see clearly. The image on the right (equity) highlights how adjustments and levelling up help all the three people featured to watch and enjoy the match.
Activity 1 Interventions to improve labour market outcomes for Black people
Based on your understanding of the UK labour market, identify and evaluate two potential racial equity interventions that you would suggest to an official of a corporation of similar size and power to Lloyds Bank (if you met with them), based on their commitment to fund opportunities for Black people and other racialised minorities. These interventions should positively impact the labour market outcomes for Black people and other racialised minorities.
Comment
Here are some potential interventions, and you may have had others.
- Scholarships: encourage Lloyds Bank or relevant business officials to fund scholarships for Black people and other racialised minorities. The scheme would help those who missed out on educational opportunities due to dropping out early, being expelled, lacking role models at home, school and the community and not being able to identify with the school curriculum and hence losing motivation. The scholarships would help develop the skills to enable recipients to get into better jobs and help break the circle of poverty, exclusion, and marginalisation.
- Mentoring: Lloyds Bank or relevant businesses could offer a mentoring scheme for Black people and racialised minorities. Getting a mentor would help build confidence, broaden networks, and help with career aspirations and mobility in the labour market.
- Apprenticeships: Lloyds Bank or relevant businesses could sponsor apprenticeships, helping Black people to acquire qualifications and work experience while earning.
- After-school programmes: suggest to Lloyds Bank or relevant businesses’ officials to invest in after-school activities for people living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods where Black and racialised minority people tend to live, thereby helping young people stay in school, improving their education outcomes and, by extension, their future labour market outcomes.
- Banning all-white shortlisting and interview panels: suggest to Lloyds Bank or relevant business officials to ban all ‘White’ panels and tell them how you have felt in the past or would feel if you do not see yourself represented on an interview panel when you show up for the interview.