The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) Race and Equalities Working Group has been established to ensure that the Institute upholds the highest principles on equalities, acting as an exemplar organisation and beacon for positive change within the Institute and wider profession.
Positive response
The tragic death of George Floyd, a Black man in the USA, gave rise to protests all over the world regarding racial injustice with respect to Black lives. Floyd died in May 2020 as a result of excessive and inappropriate force used by the police, an enforcement body.
CTSI, as a UK membership organisation of enforcement officers committed to protecting consumers and supporting businesses, felt it appropriate to review how it conducts its business as a whole with regards to race relations. We cannot ignore what occurred. Floyd’s death also made us bring to the forefront the whole subject of equality.
As part of truly identifying and understanding matters which affect our Black members, as well as Black consumers and businesses, CTSI decided to establish the Race and Equalities Working Group – an arm of CTSI Council. The Group was formalised at the CTSI Council meeting on October 14, 2020.
Finding solutions
The Working Group will initially focus on identifying the main issues causing inequality, as well as suggesting and implementing solutions to increase opportunities for Black people within the trading standards profession and to strengthen relations with the Black consumers and businesses with which it interacts.
Moving forward, the Working Group will be responsible for identifying other factors causing inequality, and work to suggest solutions. CTSI is fully aware that there are other equality matters which affect us all as members, and for some officers multiple factors of inequality may be at play.
Subcommittee groups will be formed in each region of all of the four UK nations to assist and share intelligence and solutions relating to local inequality issues.
As a longstanding Member of CTSI Council, I will be conducting a research project on race and equality within the profession. To achieve this I will be working with all regions, the Working Group and relevant stakeholders to identify local issues and recommend solutions.
Together we can all make a positive difference.
