What works to promote employer action and behaviour change in relation to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)

Youth Futures Foundation commissioned the Institute for Employment Studies to conduct a Rapid Evidence Assessment to explore effective approaches for promoting employer behaviour change in relation to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). This research focuses on addressing disparities in youth employment outcomes due to persistent barriers, particularly for young people from ethnic minority backgrounds. With one-quarter of England’s future workforce coming from ethnic minority groups, this research aims to identify evidence-based strategies to engage employers in fostering inclusive recruitment, retention and progression practices for young people.

Though efforts have been made by employers to prioritise EDI initiatives in recent years, challenges persist including lack of resources, data, senior leadership commitment and the confidence to implement and enact change. The findings from this research seek to inform Youth Futures’ ongoing work on generating high quality evidence and engaging with employers, including through their Evidence to Action and Connected Futures programmes.

The findings are reported thematically covering key organisational drivers and motivations for employers to act on EDI and inclusion of marginalised groups; organisational enablers that support inclusive retention, recruitment, progression; organisational barriers that prevent or slow down the rate of change and uptake of inclusive programmes; and changes resulting from effective employer action on EDI. Lastly, implications for Youth Futures, employers and employer-facing bodies are discussed.