Westmorland and Furness has urged businesses to take a stand against hate crime in the workplace and provide staff with greater support.

As part of Hate Crime Awareness Week, the council has released a statement about the importance of ensuring workplaces are safe and inclusive for staff.

The local authority is working in partnership with Cumbria Police to deliver these aims through a campaign called ‘Operation Hail’, which seeks to raise awareness about hate crime and its effects on individuals, families and communities.

It will involve officers attending local business visits to provide employers with information that will help them recognise hate crime and support those affected, as well as outlining how to preserve evidence that could be used in investigations.

The council has highlighted that hate crime can take place in various settings and stem from motivations including hostility or prejudice towards someone’s race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or transgender identity.  

It has called on businesses to ensure their workplace cultures facilitate the reporting of incidents. It also emphasises that employers should take hate-related abuse, intimidation or harassment seriously by supporting staff and taking appropriate action.

This can be achieved by preserving evidence (CCTV footage, emails, messages and witness details), alerting staff to help and advice resources, and fostering a workplace ethos of respect, dignity and inclusion.

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Cllr Judith Derbyshire, the Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: ‘Everyone deserves to feel safe, respected and valued, whether they are at work, at home or in their local community.

‘Hate crime can have a lasting impact on victims and can affect people's confidence, wellbeing and sense of safety or belonging. Employers are often amongst the first people a victim may turn to for support, and a positive response can make a real difference.

‘By encouraging reporting, supporting affected staff and helping preserve evidence, businesses can play an important role in ensuring victims receive the help they need and assisting agencies take action against those responsible.’