EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) PRO-FORMA
Legislation says that the University must take steps to understand the effect, or potential effect, of its policies* on different groups of people. This is to ensure that a policy is neither directly nor indirectly discriminatory and to identify how it does, or could, advance equality and foster good relations between different groups of people.
Legislation groups people by ‘protected characteristics’ and it is these ‘protected characteristics’ that need to be considered when carrying out an EIA.
The protected characteristics are: disability, race, sex, age, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief and sexual orientation.
Your help is needed to do this, not just because the law says so, but because the University is committed to equality of opportunity for all and to ensuring that all the University’s policies are developed with an awareness of their consequences for different groups of people.
Heads of Sections/Departments are responsible for ensuring this form is completed for each policy they ‘own’. It should take no more than 30 minutes to complete. Questions 1-6 only of this EIA proforma need to be completed for new policies. For existing policies, please answer all the questions.
Policies should be assessed for their effect on equality every 3-5 years.
* For the purpose of EIAs, the term policy refers to formal policies, procedures and processes. It does not include informal policies, procedures or processes.
Name of policy
Web address of policy
Policy-holding Department/Section
Is this a new or existing policy?
Date assessment completed
Name and job title of person completing pro-forma
Binless offices www.essex.ac.uk/gtf
Estates Management
New
8 th February ‘13
Daniel Dempsey, Carbon Change Advisor
Q1.
What is the purpose of the policy?
Please explain in no more than 50 words.
To improve recycling rates and to reduce overall waste arisings.
Q2 . Does the policy involve, or have consequences for, the people the University serves and employs?
Please answer Yes or No. If yes, please describe all those affected. If No, there is no need to answer any further questions.
Yes. Staff will now have improved access to recycling facilities for glass, paper, cardboard, metal, plastic and food waste located in communal spaces. Staff will no longer have a general waste bin by their desks.
Q3 . Does the policy require decisions to be made in relation to individuals or groups of individuals?
Please answer Yes or No. If Yes, please identify the responsible person(s) e.g. Human
Resources Manager.
Yes – Fire safety officer & Carbon change advisor
Q4. What is the decision-making process and is it fair and transparent?
E.g.
if the decision relates to determining whether an academic offence has been committed, what is the decision based on and how are individuals made aware of this?
1

Fire safety officer to ensure that location of bins is in compliance with relevant law.
Carbon change advisor to locate bins as conveniently as possible to work areas.
Q5 . Please give details of what equality training is/will be provided for decision makers?
If the decision-maker(s) has not had any equality training, s/he should be encouraged to complete the
University’s equality and diversity online training programme.
Training is important because it identifies the implications of not complying with legislation and outlines the benefits of doing so.
Carbon change advisor has received a Dignity & Respect Social Responsibility Group Dignity
Champion Award.
Q6. Referring to the list of protected characteristics at the top of this form, how do you/will you
monitor the effect this policy has on groups of people with these PCs? You can get support and
guidance from Equality and Diversity on equality monitoring by emailing diversity@essex.ac.uk
.
Staff emails communicating the changing policy have been sent to all staff with Carbon Change
Advisor’s email address and telephone number so he can receive ongoing feedback from people with protected characteristics regarding the changing policy.
Q7 . Referring to Q6 above, have you identified any positive or negative impact on any group of people who share a protected characteristic?
E.g. the policy means that some groups of people are charged for a service and others aren’t.
Please answer Yes or No.
If yes, what, if anything, has been/will be done about this?
Q8 . Have there been any complaints or issues raised about the policy in relation to its effect on people who share a protected characteristic?
Please answer Yes or No.
If yes, please expand.
Q9 . Are there any (further) measures that could be taken to continue to ensure the policy is neither directly nor indirectly discriminatory? e.g. additional data collection/monitoring or
training. Please answer Yes or No. If yes, please expand.
Q10. Have you identified any ways in which the policy does, or could advance equality or
foster good relations between different groups of people? Please answer Yes or No. If yes, please expand.
Please now email the completed form to diversity@essex.ac.uk
. The Equality and Diversity
Committee (EADC) have responsibility for overseeing the completion of EIAs. Equality and Diversity will assess the information provided in the first instance and will either:
 Decide that no action is required and report this to the Equality and Diversity Committee;
 Recommend actions to be taken and report this to the Equality and Diversity Committee *;
 Refer the EIA to the Equality and Diversity Committee who have the option to require a more detailed assessment be carried out.
The individual completing the EIA pro-forma will be informed of the outcome of the assessment by
Equality and Diversity as soon as possible after submitting the form.
*If Equality and Diversity recommend action(s) be taken, a report outlining the progress made against the recommended actions will be requested one year after the EIA has taken place.
2

For completion by Equality and Diversity
Name of Policy
Should this EIA be referred on to the Equality and Diversity Committee for further consideration?
If no, what recommendations, if any, should be made to the Policy-holding
Department/Section?
Date:
Signed
Binless offices
No further consideration required at present.
1. The Fire Safety Officer and Carbon Change
Advisor should complete the University’s on-line
Equality and Diversity training programme (Q5).
This training is currently compulsory for all new staff and later in 2013 will become compulsory for all staff.
2. The policy should be reviewed annually or sooner if significant changes are required, taking account of any reported adverse effect on those with a particular protected characteristic.
Particular regard should be given to staff and students with disabilities and the responsibility of the University to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people are not placed at a substantial disadvantage (Q6).
3. A record should be kept of feedback received in relation to the policy where it relates to a protected characteristic, and any changes made to the policy as a result of that feedback. This information should be included in the next EIA that takes place on this policy in 3-5 years (Q6).
28 February 2013
Karen Bush, Equality and Diversity Manager
3