Fewer than half of private and public companies have formal written policies to deal with workplace equality issues, according to a new survey commissioned by the Equality Authority.
The study of 400 organisations also found "limited evidence" of an infrastructure to promote equality beyond such written policies.
Just over a third of companies had organised equality awareness and training for staff, while 15 per cent had established a committee to deal with equality issues.
The report on the equality infrastructure in 300 private sector and 100 public sector organisations was released today to coincide with the start of Anti-Racist Workplace Week.
It found that the numbers of non-nationals employed in the private sector may be as much as seven times that of the public sector.
The Equality Authority, unions and employers involved in Anti-Racist Workplace Week said the findings gave cause for concern.
"There is clearly a range of organisations in the public and private sectors making significant progress in establishing an equality infrastructure within their organisations," they say in a preface to the study. "However, significant numbers would not appear to be taking even the minimal steps required to avoid and address discrimination, including harassment and sexual harassment.
"There is a failure to take an integrated approach within the steps taken by organisations so that all nine grounds covered under the equality legislation are included."
The nine grounds on which discrimination in the workplace is banned under equality laws are gender, race, age, marital status, disability, family status, religious belief, sexual orientation and membership of the Traveller community.
The survey found that:
76 per cent of public organisations and 69 per cent in the private sector say they have informal plans and procedures to deal with equality issues. The report says this is "a limited and inadequate response";
Fewer than half of all organisations say they have a formal written policy to deal with equality issues - 40 per cent in the private sector and 63 per in the public sector;
56 per cent of organisations have nominated staff to deal with equality issues, and 53 per cent have identified where change is needed;
36 per cent of all organisations have organised equality awareness training for staff, and 15 per cent have established a committee to deal with equality issues;
Small organisations in the private sector have the poorest record in setting up an infrastructure to promote equality;
Four in five organisations reported that they have not taken any specific action, apart from a general written policy, to promote equality and/or avoid discrimination on the grounds of race.
Anti-Racist Workplace Week is an initiative of the Equality Authority, IBEC, ICTU, the Construction Industry Federation and the Know Racism Campaign.
The groups said today's survey should act as "an alert to stimulate action in organisations to ensure compliance with equality legislation".
Within the public sector, companies had done most to promote equality on disability and gender grounds and least on the grounds of membership of the Traveller community and sexual orientation.