It is easy to ignore prejudice when you are not on the receiving end of it yourself. And it is easy to accept the status quo if you seem to benefit from it. Many people are simply not aware of the prejudices they have. Awareness training is a vital first step – but only a first step – if an organisation wants to stamp out prejudice. Equal opportunities are not a question of being politically correct. It about doing what is right for all members of the community and all employees. The data – on levels of unemployment among young black men, for example – is so startling that no-one could possibly consider that all opportunities are currently equal. Education and monitoring are still needed. Legislation is the safety net, the minimum standard. But it has to be policed and put into practice.
