d&i Leaders Monthly Equality Law Update
How and why you need to stop using BAME
By Nighat Sahi on 18 March 2024
BAME has been used as ‘catch-all’ phrase for several decades. It was historically used by government and other large organisations, in particular for data collection and statistical analysis. As a result, it gradually slipped into more general use in the workplace.
However, it is now recognised that the term BAME fails to recognise individual identities by lumping people into large generic categories. This masks or ignores the differences between communities and their respective experiences. This in turn can result in misleading interpretations of data collected as well as being divisive and exclusionary.
What is BAME?
The acronym BAME stands for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic and is defined as all ethnic groups except white ethnic groups.
BAME first came into use as an acronym as long ago as the 1980s and 90s and became a frequently used method of gathering data. For example, in the 1992 UK census, anyone who didn’t fit into one of the specified non-white categories (Black-Caribbean, Black-African, Black-Other, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Chinese) was listed as ‘any other ethnic group’.
There had been concerns and dislike of the term BAME (and BME which was also often used) and its use to group all ethnic minorities together for some time, however matters came to a head during the Covid pandemic. BAME was regularly used to report into COVID “BAME disparities”. Then a 2020 report by Public Health England on the impact of COVID-19 on minority ethnic groups mentioned the term BAME 217 times, without defining the term other than spelling out the acronym.
As a result, in March 2021, the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities recommended that the UK government stop using the term BAME and instead, to refer to ethnic minority groups individually, rather than as a single group. In December 2021, UK broadcasters committed to avoid using the BAME acronym wherever possible. A number of other organisations promptly followed suit.
What does the law say?
The Equality Act 2010 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, and religion and defines the protected characteristic of ‘race’ as including colour, ethnic or national origin, or nationality.
The law does not specifically ban the use of the acronym BAME. However, it is widely recognised that as a term, it is no longer acceptable and should not be used as a replacement for directly addressing a specific racial or ethnic group or individual. The expression BAME can be divisive and exclusionary, categorising people on the basis of minority ethnic groups, rather than identities with which people have chosen to identify.
Best practice advice
It is important to bear in mind that there is not going to be a one size fits all alternative that could possibly accurately describe such a diverse population as we have here in the UK. Some organisations have adopted the expression ‘ethnic minority’ but rather than opt for what is still a large and generic categorisation, it is good practice to go through the following four step process.
- Review your documentation and the terminology used
This will include everything from your staff handbook to recruitment tools and any in-house surveys or data collection tools.Make sure you avoid using umbrella terms and whenever possible do not refer to a singular generic ethnic group. Give careful consideration to what terms you will use instead. Ensure the terms you use are an accurate reflection of the groups they represent and be respectful of how individuals think of themselves. Only refer to people’s ethnicity if it is relevant and make sure your terminology is clear and specific. Always explain any acronyms in full in any writing and remember that expressions like BAME are not adjectives and do not describe an individual’s identity. - Education and training
Some employees will be more aware of the issues surrounding terminology like BAME than others. So make sure your employees understand the negative consequences of grouping minoritised individuals together, especially when there are significant differences. Don’t be afraid to have conversations about race, ethnicity and culture, but try and make sure the individuals themselves are involved in an appropriate way. For example, they may want to lead the discussion or have specific input. - Review your data
You may want to invite employees to self-describe their preferences and this can be a good way to gain a better understanding of their experiences. However, ensure the terminology you use is appropriate and avoid expressions like “where are you from?”.You may also want to review any data you have previously collected. Has this been skewed in any way due to the broad and generic categorisation that results from terms like BAME? - Repeat
Society and language are ever evolving and changing. You will need to keep your documentation and the words you use under review. Avoid knee jerk reactions to headlines but do continue to give consideration to what is acceptable and appropriate language and terminology.
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