LONDON, June 15 (Reuters) - "Blatant and shocking racism" still exists in parts of the world of work, according to a report on Tuesday, June 15.
Ethnic minorities living and working in Britain consider professions including banking, politics, law and journalism, as closed off to them, it said.
"Some professions, especially those that offer the best pay, are still not perceived by a large minority of the country’s BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) population as genuine career options," said Sandra Kerr, National Director of the Race for Opportunity group that carried out the survey for the Business in the Community group.
"Blatant and shocking racism still exists in parts of the world of work," she added in the foreword to the report.
Called "Aspiration and Frustration," the report looked at the attitudes of 1,500 people from all the main ethnic groups living in the UK, including white Britons.
Business in the Community said the survey showed that despite ethnic minorities having a strong work ethic and high career aspirations, more so than white Britons, many ruled out careers in the professions because of perceptions of racism.
No profession was seen as devoid of racism.
Close to half of all respondents, including white Britons, perceived the police to be a racist profession, rising to 72 percent for Black Caribbeans.
Similarly, over a fifth of Black Caribbeans considered the media and legal industries to be either subtly or overtly racist.
More than a quarter cited politics as another problem area, rising to 30 percent when white respondents were excluded and 39 percent for the Black Caribbean group.
"As well as perceptions of racism, the clear lack of role models and family disapproval, among other things, contributes towards many of the best-paid professions being disregarded by a large majority of the country’s ethnic minority population as genuine career options," the survey said.
Kerr added: "The results from the survey show there is still much work to be done, and are a call to action for politicians, employers and educators to look harder at how they can ensure that these professions are seen as truly equal opportunity employers."
