UK Coatings industry launches Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Charter

On April 8, 2024, the British Coatings Federation (BCF) launched the UK coatings industry’s first Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) Charter, a public commitment that recognises and celebrates companies in the sector who are committed to working towards a more balanced, fair and high-performing sector.

Through the work of BCF’s ED&I Committee since 2021 and following the BCF Board of Directors’ commitment in 2023 to championing ED&I principles throughout the industry, the Charter is the industry’s next stage in its ED&I journey.

Head of BTC UK & Ireland (A brand of BASF) and BCF ED&I Committee Chair Lisa Kelly, commented on the launch: “Diversity and inclusion are increasingly important to the coatings industry, our customers, stakeholders and investors, so I am delighted that we have launched the British Coatings Federation’s Equity Diversity and Inclusion Charter. By signing up to the Charter, companies are not only demonstrating their commitment to an inclusive workforce but also the steps they are taking towards making this goal a reality.”

BCF CEO Tom Bowtell (pictured) added: “By signing the Charter, over 30 BCF members have committed to showing leadership to embed ED&I in their organisations, which is a fantastic start. The Charter includes company commitments to proactively support the BCF in benchmarking, monitoring and reporting on their progress. The Charter is only the beginning of the journey and I’m looking forward to working with Lisa and the ED&I Committee to move this important issue forward.”

For more information and to see the full list of signatory companies, please visit: https://coatings.org.uk/page/EDICharter.