Jim Ratcliffe’s comment that Britain has been ‘colonised by immigrants’ has been criticised by the head of an initiative aimed at boosting ethnic minorities in boardrooms.
David Tyler, chairman of the Parker Review, said the remarks by the boss of chemicals group Ineos were ‘unhelpful’ in making progress and likely to discourage minorities from working for Ratcliffe.
Findings of the review, which assesses data from major UK-listed and privately owned firms, showed that by last year, ethnic minorities held 20 per cent of FTSE 100 board positions and 16 per cent in the FTSE 250 – both at record levels.
And 98 FTSE 100 members have at least one ethnic minority member on the board, up from 95 a year earlier.
Tyler said there had been continued ‘engagement’ from business despite ‘headwinds from across the Atlantic’, where Donald Trump has led a backlash against diversity targets.
But he was critical of the remarks made by Ratcliffe, the part-owner of Manchester United.
Ticking off: In a TV interview last month, Jim Ratcliffe (pictured) said ‘the UK has been colonised by immigrants’, prompting widespread criticism
In an interview last month, Ratcliffe said ‘the UK has been colonised by immigrants’, prompting widespread criticism and a rebuke from the Prime Minister.
Ratcliffe later said he was sorry that his ‘choice of language has offended some people’.
Asked about the comments, Tyler said: ‘They are indeed unhelpful and unconstructive and of course I disagree with them.’
He added that privately owned Ineos had declined to produce data for the review. Of 50 private companies asked to participate, 36 gave their board data.
Tyler argued that it would have been better for Ineos to participate – ‘then they’re much more likely to be seen as an attractive employer’.
Tyler said that FTSE 100 companies had continued to participate in the review despite a backlash against diversity in the US, where Donald Trump is ‘firmly against any sort of targets for individual groups’, which has ‘had an influence on British businesses and all businesses operating in the US’.
Tyler added: ‘We would never suggest to a business they should employ a particular person because of the colour of his skin.
‘All we’re saying is recruit on merit, but be aware of the background of the individual.’
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