Corporation employment policies give equality a boost

2 Aug 01
The Housing Corporation is making important strides to employ more women and people from black and minority ethnic (BME) groups at all levels of the organisation, says chief executive Norman Perry.

03 August 2001

Thirty per cent of staff recruited by the corporation last year were female, while 16% were from BME groups. 'We regard ourselves as being utterly transparent,' he said at the launch of the corporation's annual review. 'We are doing well in some areas and not so well in others.'

Dr Perry was speaking just days after the Race and Housing Inquiry called for better equality in the RSL sector, including more senior management jobs for BME staff.

The Housing Corporation has reorganised its senior management structure, with all 52 top jobs re-advertised since last October.

Thirty per cent of these posts are also filled by women and 13% by people from BME groups. Baroness Dean, chair of the corporation, said: 'All of the jobs were filled on the merit of the individuals. There was no change in the recruitment process.'

The review shows the number of housing associations failing to meet the corporation's performance standards remains constant after a significant rise in 1999/2000.

Seventy per cent of large RSLs submitted satisfactory financial reviews last year – the same percentage as in 1999/2000 but still down from 82% in the previous year. The total number of RSLs under supervision for financial or management reasons at the end of 2000/01 was down from 93 to 81.

The corporation has appointed an independent complaints reviewer to help resolve disputes involving RSLs.

Jodi Berg will investigate complaints about the way the corporation has handled matters which have not been dealt with satisfactorily through internal procedures.

PFaug2001

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