There has been a considerable amount of activity relating to Equality and Diversity during recent
months.
(1)
Progress on Equality and Diversity Action Plans
The University currently has three specific equality action plans for disability, gender and race and
a generic equality and diversity action plan.
The plans were established at different times in accordance with the relevant legislation and
therefore run to different timescales. As the University looks to move to a more harmonized and
consistent approach it seems an appropriate time to assess progress to date on each of the action
plans and begin to identify areas that can be carried forward into a Single Equality Action Plan.
Progress on all four action plans has been collated, and reported to the May meeting of the
Equality and Diversity Committee. The progress report is available on the Equality and Diversity
website.
(2)
Single Equality Scheme
Equalities legislation has developed over more than 40 years and the law is set out in many
different places including Acts of Parliament, Regulations and Orders. The government has
acknowledged that everyone who needs to understand discrimination law would benefit from
having it in a Single Equality Act which simplifies the law as far as this can be done.
In October 2007 a number of equality commissions (Disability Rights Commission, Equal
Opportunities Commission and the Commission for Racial Equality) were brought together into a
single commission, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
In addition, work has begun planning for a Single Equality Act which will bring together equality
strands in one harmonised, modernised and simplified piece of legislation. It proposes to “replace
the race, disability and gender equality duties with a single duty on public authorities to promote
race, disability and gender equality”1 and also to consider “whether a single public sector equality
duty should be extended to cover age, sexual orientation, and/or religion or belief”.1
In order to respond to forthcoming legislation the University is in the process of developing a Single
Equality Scheme (SES) which will draw together all of its work on equality and diversity and give a
renewed focus on these issues.
In order to broaden the University’s work, a Single Equality Action Plan (SEAP) will be drawn up
encompassing all six main equality strands – age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief and
sexual orientation.
An initial draft of the SES was considered by the Equality and Diversity Committee in May. All
outstanding actions under the four equality action plans referred to above have been transferred to
a draft SEAP.
Both the SES and SEAP will be subject to extensive consultation with staff, students, and external
organisations such as local community groups, and the Equality Challenge Unit during the Summer
of 2008. They are both available on the equality and diversity website.
1
Discrimination Law Review A Framework for Fairness: Proposals for a Single Equality Bill for Great Britain
A consultation paper June 2007, page 82
(3)
E-learning modules
The University has been working with an external provider (Marshalls) in developing two e-learning
modules on recruitment and selection and equality and diversity. These were rolled out to staff in
May 2008 to staff involved in recruitment and selection and also for staff in “customer-facing” roles.
All Equality and Diversity Representatives, and members of the Equality and Diversity Committee
will be given access to the e-learning module on equality and diversity. Both modules contain a
wealth of reference material which can be accessed at any time.
(4)
Equality and Diversity Representatives
Departments without Equality and Diversity Representative were recently asked to identify
someone who could act in this role. This has resulted in a number of new representatives
volunteering across the University. The list of Representatives has been published on the website
and further work will continue to ensure a representative is identified for each department and the
role of the representative is clarified and utilised effectively.
(5)
Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs)
The University has been running a project on Equality Impact Assessments for some time and the
current phase is drawing to a close. Whilst good progress has been made, it is important to embed
the process into the “routine” functioning of the University. Therefore, recommendations on the
future of equality impact assessments (which are required by law at least once every three years)
have been made to the Equality and Diversity Committee and accepted by it. Further details are
available from the Equality and Diversity website.
(6)
PULSE: Staff Survey 2008
There are challenges for the University in the responses to the PULSE: Staff Survey 2008. 50%
of staff responded to the survey and of those who responded 15% said they felt they had been
harassed or bullied in the last 12 months. This figure has not changed since our last survey in
2005 and this will be an area of focus in the University’s response to the survey.
In addition, 61% of respondents said they believed the University offers equal opportunities to all
staff, and 62% of respondents said they thought the University values individual differences. Both
of these figures are low in comparison to outside organisations and are therefore a cause for
concern.
Departments have been asked to draw up local action plans following the survey and a central
Pulse Action Team has been put together to consider where actions may need to be taken
centrally. The survey will be repeated in 2009.
LCM May 2008