Diversity Mark and Legal Island, two leading all-Ireland certification bodies, have joined forces to deliver a sole accreditation recognising diversity and inclusion (D&I) excellence in the workplace.
Barry Phillips, Chairman at Legal Island.
A response to the growing demand for independent D&I accreditation in the pandemic era, the newly-formed Chartermark will enable organisations to establish targets and milestones on their path to greater inclusion.
Speaking on the collaboration, Nuala Murphy, Head of Diversity Mark, said:
“This is an exciting development for organisations as the newly-formed Chartermark offers the employer the very best of both worlds. It includes ambitious targets and milestones that will mark the D&I journey towards excellence in diversity and inclusion practices, with evidence of up-to-date D&I policies and all-staff D&I training required from February 2023.”
Since launching in 2016, Diversity Mark’s accreditation process has required organisations to set out clear goals and milestones relevant to D&I activity, all of which are thoroughly reviewed by independent assessors. The feedback provided then enables organisations to develop their D&I initiatives as they seek to build a more inclusive workforce.
“We want companies to be courageous about change,”
Nuala added.
“Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion is a top organisational priority, particularly in the pandemic era, and as an awarding body we welcome organisations to reach out and begin their journey towards greater inclusion. Our community of signatories is growing rapidly across the rest of Ireland and the UK with public declarations to build workplaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and appreciated for who they are.”
With its focus on compliance and proactive training for all business sectors, coupled with its annual D&I Awards at Titanic Belfast, Legal Island has given unprecedented profile to the importance of robust D&I practices in organisations across Northern Ireland and beyond.
Barry Phillips, Chairman at Legal Island, added:
“We believe this combination of compliance and stretch targets is unique in the marketplace and it’s a really exciting development. At times, Northern Ireland has perhaps been considered something of a backwater for D&I activity. This development really positions us front and centre.
“No other region of the UK or indeed Ireland offers employers such a unique and thorough accreditation process, together with the opportunity for recognition at an annual D&I Awards evening. Couple this with relevant and readily accessible online D&I training, and employers large and small across all sectors can expect to excel.”
