It is still a fact that women do less well in the workplace

Beverley Bernard CRE deputy chairwoman

Deputy chairwoman Beverley Bernard said companies needed to take action.

"Women clearly feel that race is a barrier to career choice and career progression.

"Employers should take note," she said.

Positive discrimination

Two-thirds of British women believe race can limit their career choice and promotion, according to the survey findings published in She Magazine

Only half of those 1,100 women aged over 16 surveyed believed Britain was a society based on equal opportunity.

Just one in four were in favour of positive discrimination at work, but more on grounds of age than race.

Ms Bernard said employers could not afford to ignore the concerns of half of Britain's workforce.

"It is still a fact that women do less well in the workplace".

She said they were promoted less and suffered greater harassment and bullying at work than men.

"Ethnic minority women face all of these problems, with the added dimension of racial discrimination on top."

The research studied British women's attitudes to racial issues, including employment and relationships.

It follows CRE seminars last year with ethnic minority women who said they were being excluded from the public policy-making process at a national and regional level.

Survey findings included: