Minority groups lose out on training if they work for organisations that have won the Investors in People (IiP) gold standard, the Nottingham University Business School has claimed.

According to the study of almost 15,000 people, women, ethnic minorities, temporary/fixed term employees, the disabled and older workers were all at more of a disadvantage, in terms of training, if they work for an IiP-accredited employer, compared to those at non-IiP workplaces.

The research also claims that IiP does nothing to boost training levels for many of these groups and says there is no evidence that IiP does anything to boost training levels for workers classified as ‘routine unskilled’.

Professor Kim Hoque of Nottingham University Business School, author of the research, said: “Although IiP requires organisations to uphold equal opportunities principles, it also requires them to gear their training provision to business need.

“In organisations where business need is narrowly defined, this often means developmental opportunities come to be targeted on a cadre of core value-creating professionals and managers, rather than the workforce as a whole. It does raise questions, though, as to how organisations are able to secure recognition despite failing to adhere to one of IiP’s key requirements.”

A spokesperson for IiP expressed surprise and disappointment at the launch of this report, adding there was no consultation prior to its publication: “Investors in People UK would have welcomed the chance to provide input and evidence for the researchers to consider.

“Any organisation that seeks accreditation with the Investors in People Standard is rigorously assessed against our indicators of good practice, and this includes analysis of whether it delivers the access to training and development support to all employees and segments of the workforce. If they don’t meet the evidence requirements, employers are not accredited.”