Carter row sparks workplace racism discussion

The FA has spoken out in condemnation of the abuse suffered by the England player Jess Carter, sparking a fresh conversation about the subject of racism in the workplace.

Carter plays for the England women’s team and was targeted after the team lost to France during the European Championships. Carter has experienced difficulties on the field during the tournament, but recently opened up on social media about racist comments. She posted on Instagram that there have been a lot of negative comments directed at her based on her skin colour since the tournament got underway.

She added that she would be pulling back from social media as a result, and now her teammates and the FA have spoken out in support. According to the Guardian, the former issued a statement saying:

“Representing our country is the greatest honour. It is not right that while we are doing that, some of us are treated differently simply because of the colour of our skin.”

This statement then went on to add that the team would be dropping the practice of taking a knee pre-match as a stand against racism, and adopting new tactics. It has led to a discussion about workplace racism and how much of a problem it still is.

Ultimately, it is a cultural matter and must be addressed by HR departments, perhaps with the help of a corporate culture consultant.

A TUC report published three years ago indicated that it was something that 41% of black workers had experienced, so the need for firm policies and action is clear.