Black and minority ethnic contractors and consultants and UK housing associations' contracting power

Housing associations are the main providers of social housing within the UK and a major force in area regeneration initiatives. They also have a pivotal role to play in promoting equality of opportunity since a large proportion of their clients are from black and minority ethnic (BME) communities. However, few housing associations have recognized the potential of their purchasing power in terms of investment in construction and maintenance work in promoting equality or the business benefits of doing so. This paper presents the research findings of a study of housing associations' contracting practices in London. The study aimed to highlight and document current practices in the employment of BME contractors and consultants and identify the equal opportunity issues associated with their engagement. The findings suggest that there is a general lack of appreciation among housing associations of the importance of employing BME contractors and consultants from both an equal opportunity and a business perspective. In view of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and government guidance on equal opportunities, the housing association sector has still to fully recognize its influential role in this area.