The launch of the Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion (enei) last night in London was heralded as an opportunity to both develop true inclusiveness within UK businesses and adapt to an increasingly global economy.

Borne from the Employers Forums on Age and Belief (EFA/EFB), the new organisation embraces all nine strands of the diversity spectrum: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy & maternity, race, religion & belief, gender and sexual orientation. The organisation is intended to support inclusive workplaces and share best practice among members.

The organisation will also be conducting research with partners into workplace diversity issues.

Caroline Waters, director for people & policy at BT, told an audience of about 200: “Make no mistake: this is the future of business.”

Waters went on to say that workplace inclusiveness represented “the reality of life in a global opportunity” and that the promise offered by enei was “a real opportunity” to enter “a new world of business”.

Other speakers included Trevor Phillips, chair, Equality & Human Rights Commission, and research psychologist Dr Pete Jones.