Organisation in Focus - October 2006

Our Organisation in Focus this month is the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE). The CRE is a non-governmental public body set up for England, Wales and Scotland under the Race Relations Act 1976 and charged with the triple responsibilities of tackling racial discrimination, promoting racial equality and monitoring the way the Race Relations Act is working and recommending ways in which it can be improved.

The CRE is the only body with the statutory power to enforce the Race Relations Act and some of its recommendations to the Macpherson Inquiry in the Stephen Lawrence case are now enshrined in law. It is run by up to 15 commissioners (including the Chair), who are appointed by the Home Secretary. The current and outgoing Chair is Trevor Phillips.

The CRE’s mission statement is to work “in partnership with individuals and organisations for a fair and just society which values diversity and gives everyone an equal chance to work, learn and live free from discrimination, prejudice, and racism.” It therefore works with the public and private sectors to promote policies and practices that will help to encourage and ensure fair treatment and the promotion of equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of their race, colour, nationality, or national or ethnic origin. It also provides information and advice to people who think they have suffered racial discrimination or harassment.

Since 2005, the CRE, jointly with the Law Society hold the annual Solicitors’ Race Equality Award, the second of which was on the 28th September 2006. The CRE also organises the annual RIMA (Race in the Media) Awards. Sir Trevor McDonald won the RIMA 2006 Media Personality of the Year award at London's Royal Opera House on 14 June 2006.  In 2006 the CRE launched Catalyst Magazine, a new free bi-monthly publication on race issues.

By April 2009 at the latest, the Commission will be merged into a new single Great Britain equalities body, the Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR) which is coming to being in 2007. The CEHR will take over the role of the Disability Rights Commission, the Equal Opportunities Commission and the CRE, covering six areas – race, gender, age, disability, religion and belief and sexual orientation. Trevor Phillips was appointed in September 2006 as the new head of the CEHR.

The CRE will be commemorating its thirtieth anniversary by holding a Race Convention on 27th and 28th November at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London. The convention will be the first of its kind in the UK.