Boston College are an effective and innovative community leader in advancing equality, diversity and inclusion. They regularly hold and attend meetings and participate with a range of statutory, community and voluntary organisations to help improve social cohesion within their increasingly diverse town. Through their business networks and strong links with local employers, they have been able to extend their influence to the workplace. Their ‘Employers Open for Business' project worked with ten employers of varying size and scale to help them avoid the legal pitfalls and realise the business and social gains that can be had from taking a pro-active approach to equality and diversity. In total the employers, which included a national construction company, residential care home and hair salon, received 60 hours of free training and consultancy support tailored to meet their individual needs, benefitting over 100 employees many of them apprentices and work-based learners. Boston College also took 60 delegates to the Holocaust Centre, Newark for a 1-day thought provoking educational programme on the dangers when prejudice, discrimination and intolerance go unchecked in society. The project has been showcased at three national dissemination events across the country. A film of the project has been widely disseminated, together with a good practice guide to equality and diversity in the workplace. Their work in advancing equality, diversity and inclusion continues and has been sustained through their employer contacts and business network meetings that they regularly host and deliver, as well as more directly through work with their learners and other stakeholders.

Managers have been provided with training to the extent that over 50% of middle ranking managers have attended at least a level 5 qualification management course. This equips managers with the skills to optimise staff workloads within achievable levels and understand recognition and reward for their staff. The guidance of the management framework encourages managers to recognise and value their staff. This is reinforced through regular meetings, coaching and mentoring and team meetings. The staff survey showed a 6 point increase to the question 'My line manager makes me feel valued' to 70% and a 5 point increase to the question 'Often thanked by my line manager for my efforts' to 67%.

Boston College are an effective and innovative community leader in advancing equality, diversity and inclusion. They regularly hold and attend meetings and participate with a range of statutory, community and voluntary organisations to help improve social cohesion within their increasingly diverse town. Through their business networks and strong links with local employers, they have been able to extend their influence to the workplace. Their ‘Employers Open for Business' project worked with ten employers of varying size and scale to help them avoid the legal pitfalls and realise the business and social gains that can be had from taking a pro-active approach to equality and diversity. In total the employers, which included a national construction company, residential care home and hair salon, received 60 hours of free training and consultancy support tailored to meet their individual needs, benefitting over 100 employees many of them apprentices and work-based learners. Boston College also took 60 delegates to the Holocaust Centre, Newark for a 1-day thought provoking educational programme on the dangers when prejudice, discrimination and intolerance go unchecked in society. The project has been showcased at three national dissemination events across the country. A film of the project has been widely disseminated, together with a good practice guide to equality and diversity in the workplace. Their work in advancing equality, diversity and inclusion continues and has been sustained through their employer contacts and business network meetings that they regularly host and deliver, as well as more directly through work with their learners and other stakeholders.