Chronological Unfairness

As a company we’ve just won a fantastic contract with the Equality and Human Rights Commission to write guidance on the new Equality Bill – soon to be an Act. It’s fantastic because this is an Act which will help everyone to be treated fairly.

I love the idea of fairness. Who doesn’t? And I think it’s a really important idea because life itself is such a lottery. As Alexander Herzen, the courageous radical Russian exile said, “Human development is a form of chronological unfairness, since late-comers are able to profit by the labours of their predecessors without paying the same price.”

I was lucky in my background circumstances – born to well off parents, educated extensively, never really known hunger or poverty and brought up to have confidence in who I am. A great example of chronological unfairness. Others aren’t so lucky. How unfair it is that advantage comes from an accident of birth.

And even I have suffered from unfairness. In particular, some years ago a very unpleasant man, who held the keys to my next job promotion, made it very clear that he would never allow a woman to hold such a senior position. I couldn’t even get an interview despite being well qualified. So I left – in the end the best thing I ever did as it led me to where I am today. But, at the time, it was devastating in its unfairness. In fact, when I think about it, it still is.

So that’s why I’m delighted to be doing my small bit to help make life a little more fair for a great many people.