This is an equality strategy and action plan for North East England which aims to ensure that all sectors are inclusive and able to address inequality and discrimination, so that everyone can contribute to and benefit from life in the region. It has been developed by independent consultants in consultation with stakeholder agencies and individuals, and includes both long- and short-term actions covering six main themes:
 Leadership
 Capacity building and voice
 Evidence
 Awareness and communication
 Mainstreaming equality
 Employment, skills and enterprise.
The strategy includes information about the North East Equality and Diversity Partnership and how it will work and interact with stakeholders including organisations and equality groups. The main role of the partnership will be to lead, facilitate and influence change; monitor progress; and provide a co-ordinated approach to identifying and delivering regional priorities in the area of equality and diversity. It is anticipated that organisations will use the action plan to inform their own action planning in equality and diversity.
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This strategy and action plan is aimed at all those who wish to be part of a welcoming, inclusive and fair North East England.
Its purpose is encapsulated in the following statement:
To develop the North East of England as a place that embraces diversity, addresses inequality and discrimination, and enables all its people to contribute and benefit fully in relation to the
economic, social, political and community life of the region.
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Evidence of good work being undertaken in respect of equality and diversity within North East England is apparent in many different ways - from the work of some of the regional agencies; to particular sectoral organisations; to a range of groups, strands and individuals. But for all the examples of good practice, significant gaps remain and there is especially
limited evidence of a shared, regional approach to equality and diversity. Like many other areas of the UK, the changing demographics of North East England bring further challenges and opportunities.
In recognition of these issues, the North East Equality and Diversity Partnership (NEE&DP) came into being in 2006. It’s
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1 aim is to provide the region with a powerful, influencing voice for equality and diversity; to provide leadership; agree strategy; and to oversee progress in addressing the following high-level objectives.
Maximising the economic benefits of equality and diversity for the region.
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Promoting the social benefits of social cohesion, equality and diversity.
 Strengthening the engagement of under-represented individuals and groups in regional policy making.
Improving information, advice and guidance about rights and responsibilities relating to equality and diversity, and raising public awareness of these issues
From October 2007, the new Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) will have an increasing influence on the direction of equality and diversity, and on human rights. It is intended that the EHRC will have a regional presence in North
East England and the NEE&DP will be a key partner of the EHRC.
An early action for the NEE&DP was to commission independent consultants to facilitate - in conjunction with current members of the Equality and Diversity Partnership and some other key agencies and individuals - the development of the regional action plan that forms the basis of this document.
1 Terms of Reference for the NEE&DP
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The research and consultation exercises that have under-pinned the regional action plan highlighted a number of challenges for North East England:
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Differing levels of inequality for different groups
Changing demographics
Skills shortages in relation to changes in the region’s industrial base
Significant new legal obligations in relation to equality for the public sector and challenges in compliance with this
Low public awareness of equality and diversity across the region and lingering attitudes that support prejudice and discrimination
Mixed levels of understanding and expertise in equality and diversity across agencies in
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 all sectors (public, private, community and voluntary)
Varying degrees of engagement with the equality and diversity agenda across all sectors
Varying levels of development and cohesion within equality strands and associated ability to participate, lobby and have their issues recognised and addressed
Issues of harassment and community cohesion are prevalent for some equality groups
 in parts of the region
Examples of good practice are not widely shared
The positive outcomes from embracing these issues will include: stronger voices that influence the direction of North East England to reflect all of its communities; increased benefits for the economy of the region as more people become involved in the labour market in different ways; better community relations; better use of public money and better targeted services which reflect the views of the communities they serve; more opportunities and a better quality of life for many individuals and families who are currently experiencing significant inequality and discrimination.
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The aim of the NEEDP was clearly stated at the start of this document. The more specific objectives and actions associated with achieving this aim follow in the next section. The following principles have been used in development of the action plan and are recommended as sound principles for implementation.
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Region-wide strategic approach
Mainstreaming equality
Building on ongoing work
Inclusive of all equality strands
Inclusive of all sectors – private, public, voluntary and community
Recognising difference
Working towards compliance with legislation and beyond towards
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 best practice
Sharing good practice
Enabling participation
The following points should also be noted in the reading of the Action Plan.
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It is a high-level, long-term regional plan that should, in turn, inform the strategies and policies of specific sectors, organisations and equality strands. This high-level plan will therefore need to be further developed into a detailed action and implementation plan that takes account of current activity, and identifies the specific actions in relation to different equality strands.
Current activity has informed this plan to some extent. It is expected that actions identified at regional level will be reflected in local plans and agency action plans as these are further developed, thus ensuring that regional and local priorities are addressed together.
 The actions vary in type, from short-term tasks to longer term activity which may require ongoing attention or which may require specific activities from time to time.
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 The plan focuses on the following equality strands – race; disability; gender; age; sexual orientation; and religion or belief (in line with strands covered by legislation). It is recognised that other groups experience inequality and may comprise people from any equality strand (e.g. people with an offending history, homeless people, people not in work etc.) and that specific actions may be necessary for issues affecting these groups, as well as for specific strands.
 It is recognised that as the EHRC’s agenda progresses, the action plan may also have to consider human rights issues and how they interact with equality and diversity.
The following six themes emerged from the issues identified during the consultative process which involved key agencies, equality strands, and key individuals.
Leadership
Capacity building and voice
Evidence
Working together for a welcoming, inclusive and fair North East England
Mainstreaming equality
Awareness and communication
Employment, skills and enterprise
Addressing any single theme alone would not achieve a welcoming, inclusive and fair North East England. The themes work in tandem and all of the activities contribute to the overarching goals. The themes apply across different
sectors. For example, leadership will be required in all sectors; exercising leadership requires a sound evidence base.
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Gaining support for activity requires awareness; but awareness alone is not enough – the people affected must be able to be involved and be able to influence activity, therefore capacity building in the community sector is important. It also supports the mainstreaming of equality which is about including equality in planning, policy making and service design and delivery whether in public, private or voluntary sectors. Activity focused on the employment, skills and enterprise arena reaps benefits for the whole region, and employment and skills are concerns for all sectors.
The board has been considering its own structure, membership and links with different sectors to ensure that its aims can be met effectively. The board will be involved with many agencies and key individuals who will act as facilitators for this work and some of whom will be engaged in delivery of the actions.
Progress on the action plan will be monitored by the NEE&DP and it will be reviewed at least annually to ensure that the actions proposed are still relevant and reflect the priorities of the region.
The NEE&DP will arrange to involve people from equality strands to ensure that their voices and views are included in monitoring and reviewing the action plan.
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The action plan contains high-level strategic actions with some background information for each theme. There are indicators of success, an identified and agreed policy lead for the theme and pointers towards the agencies who may be involved in delivery of the objectives and actions. Some consideration has been given to resource needs and possible funding sources.
These aspects will require to be developed further as details are developed in relation to implementation.
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AWARENESS AND COMMUNICATION
Aim: Increase awareness of equality and diversity and create a culture in North East England which promotes wellbeing, inclusion, participation and integration within the community and in the workplace, and which welcomes and celebrates diversity.
Background
Promoting inclusion, participation and integration is about ensuring that all people in North East England feel valued and are able to contribute to the economic, social, political and cultural life of the region. Promoting wellbeing is key to this, and requires an awareness of equality issues across the region, as well as the creation of a discrimination- and harassment-free region for all. A regional approach will ensure consistency and act as an exemplar in creating a region that is welcoming and fair to all and a place where everyone can enjoy and contribute to its economic, social, cultural and community life.
Objectives
 Influence others to communicate key messages about equality and diversity and promote the aims of the board.
 Encourage a programme of activities which celebrates diversity, increases awareness of inequalities and promotes inclusion and integration
 Build support for shared activity relating to equality and diversity
 Ensure positive images of people from different equality groups and promote their achievements
Indicators of Success
 Positive stories and imagery in relation to different equality groups.
 Increased awareness of diversity in the region.
 Positive attitudes to different equality groups.
 Positive outcomes across social, economic, voluntary and community sectors.
 Integration of different communities and shared local projects which increase wellbeing and goodwill.
 Better image of North East England as a place that welcomes diversity.
 Increased community activity that supports equality and diversity
Policy Lead North East Assembly
Delivery
Partners
Include:
Voluntary sector; specific interest groups e.g. VCS Equalities Coalition , BECON, Regional Refugee Forum; police; education sector; One NorthEast; local authorities; the Strategic Health Authority and health trusts; media; employers; TUC; LSC
Resource Needs Resources to fund events and communications. Funding for projects that enhance economic and social wellbeing.
Funding Sources Lottery, ESF, health trusts, EHRC
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AWARENESS AND COMMUNICATION: ACTIONS
1.
To identify key messages about equality and diversity and to disseminate these. (e.g. “Passionate about diversity”). As part of this:
 Promoting equality and the region’s complex and changing diversity through the media: building up a programme of
 press releases, briefings and features about positive stories and case studies; developing relationships with key reporters; using other communication tools to promote equality and diversity awareness where appropriate.
Encourage organisations to publish equality and diversity features through their own networks (e.g. websites, newsletters), as well as through regional agency press (e.g. Chamber of Commerce newsletter or ‘Touchstone’)
 Develop case studies of good practice in equality amongst different partners within the region (e.g. private sector, strategic health authority, councils, voluntary sector, specific interest groups) and elsewhere in Britain.
 Make effective use of existing and new events in promoting equality and diversity
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To facilitate community activity across the region which promotes integration, especially of new migrants; which promotes activities that address misconceptions and challenge myths about migrants and other equality groups and the issues affecting them; and which increases awareness of inequality and its impact on prosperity, wellbeing and cohesion.
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LEADERSHIP
Aim: Develop collective regional leadership on equality and diversity to increase the pace of change and engagement with equality and diversity within public, private and voluntary sectors.
Background
The achievement of equality and diversity requires engagement with the agenda by all sectors. Only then will discrimination be eliminated, thus improving the lives of those who are currently excluded in many ways in North East England. For this to be effective, all sectors should be working to increase the range, quantity and quality of related activity. High level commitment is needed in all sectors, as is the need to set a strong example and ensure that people from different equality groups are included
in this.
Objectives
 To ensure the importance of equality and diversity is understood across private, public and voluntary sectors
 To facilitate the development of high-profile champions for the equality and diversity agenda
 To increase leadership capacity in different sectors and communities and embed equality and diversity in the regional approach to leadership
Indicators of Success
 Increased profile and high level commitment to equality and diversity within the region.
 Development of leadership within different communities, including communities of interest.
 Role models and exemplars of best practice
 Better outcomes for different equality groups (e.g. better rates of participation, improved levels of satisfaction, increased diversity in representation, narrowing of gaps (e.g. pay, health).
Policy Lead
Delivery
Partners
Include:
E&D Partnership
Partnership and Partnership Network
Resource Needs Equality expertise to support champions. Leadership development work in equality groups and communities.
Funding Sources EHRC, Lottery, One NorthEast, LSC
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LEADERSHIP: ACTIONS
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To set up a process that will enable organisations to embed equality and diversity at senior levels and to facilitate the emergence of equality and diversity champions at all levels and in all sectors, to develop and promote this agenda - championing good practice and initiatives that are tackling discrimination and inclusion, and becoming knowledgeable about the issues. Some of these champions should represent the different equality strands.
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To develop activities to promote leadership in different communities. Identify positive role models (individuals, communities, geographical communities) and use these to promote the value of diversity to the region; undertake skills building with groups to enhance engagement with strategic bodies and in policy development and planning.
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To ensure that equality and diversity is developed in the workplace through engagement of employers, managers, staff and trades unions in the equality and diversity agenda and through leadership, collaborative working and learning opportunities, to develop good policy and practice.
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CAPACITY BUILDING AND VOICE
Aim: Improve the ability of different equality groups to be better equipped, better represented and more involved in regional planning and decision-making, through increased community engagement and capacity building so that their voices can be more effectively included and heard
Background
The low representation and involvement of different equality groups in different key organisations in the region means that their issues are not fully recognised, articulated or addressed in planning, policy development or service delivery. The new public sector equality duties require public bodies to engage with equality groups. For this to be done in a meaningful way, equality groups need to feel confident about issues and power relationships. Such engagement is beneficial for all sectors and therefore the action is directed as such. The actions build on work already being undertaken in the region through the voluntary and community sector coalition.
Objectives
 Increase community capacity in equality groups to enable increased engagement, participation and representation and promote collaborative working across different interest groups
 Work with agencies in public, private and voluntary sectors to increase engagement with diverse communities
 Enable relevant issues to be included in planning, policy and practice
Indicators of success
 Increased community engagement and increased representation of issues affecting different groups within planning and
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More diverse voluntary infrastructure
 Increased confidence among equality groups (and evidence of increased lobbying and joint working by equality groups on common issues)
 Increased representation of people from different equality groups in mainstream decision-making (e.g. at management committee level, councillors) and use of evidence gathered as part of public sector equality duties to measure this
 Shared good practice
Policy Lead VCS Equalities Coalition
Delivery
Partners
Include:
EHRC (and existing commissions);public sector bodies including Local Authorities, Strategic Health
Authority, colleges and universities, police & fire authorities; the voluntary sector, VCS Equalities Coalition; private sector; equality and diversity experts, equality groups
Resource Needs Funding of skills development and networking events. Enabling sectors to understand the need and value of engagement.
Funding Sources EHRC, Lottery, One NorthEast, trusts, public sector bodies,
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CAPACITY BUILDING AND VOICE: ACTIONS
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To build on the work of the VCS Equalities Coalition , CADE and Equality North East to improve capacity of equality strands so that they are able to develop knowledge, skills and confidence to participate in range of activities in the region, especially in planning and decision-making.
2.
To support all sectors to build their capacity to improve engagement with diverse communities and to work towards increasing engagement with them.
3.
To develop activities to enable E&D communities to network effectively, develop collective voices and work together collaboratively and to engage in civic society – citizenship, representation, engagement in decision-making at the earliest stages and throughout the process at local and regional levels.
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EMPLOYMENT, SKILLS AND ENTERPRISE
Aim: To increase the opportunities for under-represented groups to participate, develop and progress in the labour market thus enhancing their opportunities for contributing economically and socially to North East England and to use the business case for equality and diversity to advance this.
Background
There is clear evidence that many groups are either under-represented in the labour market; disproportionately represented in certain job sectors; or at different levels of seniority and income.
There are various explanations for this including:
 A low baseline awareness of equality and diversity among employers
 Prejudice and discrimination within employment across all sectors
 Employers and potential employees having poor understanding of their respective needs
 Job segregation arising from discrimination and stereotyping
 Mismatches or under-use of skills
 Specific barriers for some groups (e.g. language, carer provision, negative stereotyping, lack of confidence, out of date skills)
 Limited opportunities for progression and poorly targeted activity (e.g. enterprise activity which excludes minority ethnic communities).
These actions are focused on employment and enterprise activity to address the structural inequalities, whilst recognising that some work also needs to happen to align skills with skills gaps and to ensure that different equality groups gain access to knowledge and skills development. In addition, it is recognised that stereotyping and varying levels of achievement for different equality groups means that work at an early stage in the schools system could facilitate equality at later stages of life. More focus should also be placed on improving access to employment for people aged 50 and over in the region, the economic inactivity rates for whom are highest in North East England than anywhere else in the country.
The business case for equality and diversity makes it clear that exclusion from being able to contribute to the region economically has economic, social and community impact for individuals and for the region, and so it is important to communicate the business case and link it to this area of work.
Note: exclusion from the labour market and from progression to better paid work and more senior positions applies both to recognised equality strands (e.g. race, gender, age) as well as to groups outside of this framework (e.g. offenders, carers) and
activity should recognise the breadth of exclusion.
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Objectives
 Work with employers and individuals across private, public and voluntary sectors to increase engagement with the equality and diversity agenda (this should include improving understanding of the processes and practices that can contribute to a lack of opportunity and diversity, such as in recruitment)
 Enable recognition and understanding of barriers for employers, service providers, individuals and equality groups in achieving equality
 Recognise, build on and develop skills, particularly within equality groups, to fill identified skills gaps within the regional economy and to increase earning potential
 Increase opportunities for learning to enter and to progress in the labour market
 Ensure enterprise initiatives include different equality groups
 Promote the business case for equality and diversity to relevant agencies, ensuring they are able to relate it to their own areas of activity and to their own policies and practices
 Involve schools in promoting equality and celebrating diversity, challenging stereotypes and occupational segregation and tackling harassment
Indicators of success
 Better engagement of employers in equality and diversity across public, private and voluntary sectors
 Increased involvement of equality groups in supporting employment-related activity
 Improved employment policies in relation to equality and diversity
 Increased mainstreaming of equality and diversity information through Business Link and other agencies.
 Targeted local projects in relation to employment and enterprise using relevant agencies
 Increased activity in schools in relation to equality and diversity
 Increased participation in economic activity, both generally and in specific sectors, occupations and senior posts where equality groups are under-represented.
 Increase participation in enterprise by under-represented groups (in new businesses, business growth and sustainability)
 Measurable change in awareness of business case
 Action plan to deal with associated issues and support to implement equality and diversity policies and practices.
Policy Lead CBI/TUC
Delivery
Partners
Include:
Business Link, Job Centre Plus, LSC, Chambers of Commerce, voluntary sector; specific interest groups e.g. VCS Equalities Coalition, BECON, Regional Refugee Forum; Local Authorities; Strategic Health
Authority; HE/FE sector, schools, ENE, 14+ Partnership
Resource Needs Development of equality related material and promotion of this. Project funding for work with specific client groups and direct work with employers (e.g. seminars, conferences).
Funding Sources One NorthEast, ERDF, ESF, LSC, Lottery
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EMPLOYMENT, SKILLS AND ENTERPRISE: ACTIONS
1.
To work with employers, employees and schools/colleges to reduce stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination in relation to career choices; increased employment and progression through an improved understanding of different equality groups; and development of relevant policies and practices (building on current TUC and ENE work in this area and ensuring equality groups are involved in supporting relevant client groups)
2.
To build on current work and involve a range of agencies in addressing the mismatch of skills and job requirements for different equality groups (increasing the skills of disabled people; up-dating the skills of women returners and older people; equipping people with the necessary skills to engage with the labour market; and increasing workplace learning opportunities).
3.
To develop and use existing mechanisms to effectively promote the business case to SMEs and employers in all sectors (e.g. one-to-one approaches, workshops, conference, e-bulletins, reference material, web-based information).
4.
To attract, retain and maximise the skills contribution of refugees and migrants including supporting access to conversion of qualifications for refugees and other migrants and supporting ESOL for migrants.
5.
To use existing agencies (e.g. ACAS, TUC, ENE), promote specific employer-related E&D advice and to signpost
SMEs and other employers to relevant information; to ensure Business Link activity in this area is enhanced and that links are made to relevant agencies with equality expertise, particularly in relation to employment and enterprise.
6.
To review enterprise strategies to take account of under-represented groups and target specific groups
7.
To use the business case to develop associated issues such as managing workplace diversity, support to enable participation in the labour market (e.g. ESOL for migrant workers) and provide support to ensure employers develop progressive equality and diversity polices and practices.
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MAINSTREAMING EQUALITY
Aim: Ensure that all sectors effectively take account of equality and diversity in their planning, policy making, service delivery, monitoring and procurement processes and that these influence change in the diversity of the supply chain and its workforce.
Background
Mainstreaming equality is a key objective of government and, as part of this, the public sector is now subject to new legal duties to promote race, gender and disability equality which are intended to increase the pace of change.
The new legal duties also require equality to be built into procurement arrangements, and thereby to involve private and other sectors in considering equality and diversity. Local councils are also obliged to consider local government equality standards to meet key performance indicators.
Mainstreaming equality is about ensuring it is built into the operation of organisations in all sectors, taking equality into account from start to finish of processes such as planning and policy design as well as considering equality and diversity when delivering
and monitoring services. Hence a number of actions across this action plan contribute to this aim.
Objectives
 Increase the pace of change in relation to equality
 Promote good practice based on minimum standards across planning, policy and practice, including procurement processes and outcomes
 Develop common principles and a framework for assessing suppliers in relation to equality and diversity
 Ensure that suppliers are aware of this and there is capacity building so they are able to demonstrate positive steps taken to promote equality
Indicators of success
 Minimum standards, consistency of approach and activity to meet equality and diversity within planning, policies and practice across all sectors
 Measurable change in diversity of suppliers
 Measurable change in the understanding and capability of suppliers to demonstrate they meet E&D requirements (e.g. the ability to show steps taken to combat inequality, to encourage participation of under-represented groups in the workforce, and of investment in training and development)
 Better outcomes for different equality groups in relation to employment and service delivery
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Policy Lead
Delivery
Partners
GONE
EHRC (and existing commissions); Improvement Partnership; public sector bodies including Local Authorities,
Strategic Health Authority, colleges and universities, police and fire authorities; voluntary sector including
Include: ENE, VCS Equalities Coalition; private sector; TUC; E&D experts; equality groups
Resource Needs Equality and procurement expertise.
Funding Sources
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MAINSTREAMING EQUALITY: ACTIONS
1.
To facilitate work with existing local government equality standards (and others) to develop a set of common core equality standards and indicators which can be built into the work of organisations through standards, objectives, monitoring and reporting on progress.
2.
To develop common frameworks for procurement based on guidance from equality commissions and taking into account different rules (e.g. public compared to voluntary and private sectors).
(These could include assessments of when equality is relevant to a tender, questions to ask, documents to be sought, evidence required, treatment of previous successful tribunal claims, any differences in application to different sizes of supplier, arrangements for supplier compliance such as issues of supplier readiness, arrangements to meet training and information needs for commissioners and suppliers, monitoring of outcomes)
3.
To assist suppliers in engaging with the equality and diversity agenda
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EVIDENCE
Aim: improve access to, and the quantity and quality of, evidence in relation to different equality groups. Increase understanding of the barriers to equality and issues affecting different groups, and use this information to increase understanding of why it is beneficial to support equality and diversity in relation to employment, service delivery, health and organisational reputation.
Background
A considerable amount of research has been conducted into issues affecting different equality groups. However, there are still some gaps and the information is not readily accessible. Work is ongoing to distil this information, to make it user-friendly and to ensure it is presented in ways that are relevant to different sectors. In addition, in relation to the new duties to promote equality, many public bodies are required to collect, analyse and publish employment monitoring information. A regional approach and a structural analysis would build on this and ensure that all of the information mentioned above is available and can underpin all activity.
The business case for equality and diversity takes account of factors such as demographic trends, changing markets for goods and services, the nature and scale of inequality, costs for the region (in relation to underused talent, inward investment, corporate social responsibility and being employers and suppliers of choice). A robust, evidence based business case relevant to all sectors with a shared understanding and common interpretation of its components can be used to increase understanding and engagement by different sectors and to promote wellbeing, which will in turn have an impact on society and the economy.
2
Objectives
 Assess evidence available through review of research conducted/reviews already done and identify gaps
 Develop a research programme to address gaps (e.g. for different equality groups, specific communities and specific issues, areas within the region)
 Ensure data is disseminated and readily accessible for use in informing policy and activity through building on existing work and ;
 Develop a full business case (including demographic, legal and ethical cases) for equality and diversity as it applies to different sectors, supported with existing and new research as appropriate
2 Scottish Enterprise has a new project looking at the business benefits of diversity. Work has also been undertaken by the London
Development Agency in relation to specific groups.
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Indicators of Success
 Research programme to ensure key issues and strands are included in available data, and to ensure appropriate updating.
 A robust evidence base in relation to issues, experiences and communities – covering all equality strands in North East
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England
An accessible databank of evidence about equality and inequality, including evidence to substantiate different elements of the business case
 Dissemination of key information to relevant agencies and to wider public
 Shared understanding of business case for equality and diversity in North East England.
 Robust business case developed based on changing demographics, the economic case for diversity and the economic case for including those currently excluded from labour market.
Policy Lead
Delivery
Partners
Include:
NERIP/One NorthEast
E&D Specialists; equality strand members; NE Assembly; ANEC; Local authorities; primary care health trusts (especially for community profiles)One NorthEast; GONE; universities; EHRC(and existing
Commissions)
TUC; ENE; all sectors; economic partners e.g. other RDAs, Jobcentre Plus, LSC, Chamber of Commerce,
Business Link and other advice agencies (e.g. ACAS)
Resource Needs Funding for research, databank and updating website; publicity and other dissemination
EQUAL;LSC;DTI; CBI; TUC
Funding Sources NERIP, GONE, EHRC, One NorthEast
Funding for research, development and publicity. EQUAL; LSC;DTI; CBI; TUC
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EVIDENCE: ACTIONS
1.
To continue to collate and monitor evidence from within the region and nationally/internationally (i.e. current research, data, issues, implications) available about issues affecting economic, social and community wellbeing for different equality strands and publish this for Board and other interested parties.
 Data or lack of data for different equality groups
 Baseline in relation to attitudes to different equality groups and trends
Information about participation in the labour market and enterprise and economic case for inclusion
 Current suppliers of public services to identify which equality groups are under-represented among suppliers
 Published public authority monitoring data to establish a baseline to assist with benchmarking with public sector equality duties; identify common barriers and highlight potential exemplars.
2.
To ensure evidence collected is easily accessible – and there are links from relevant sites to NERIP as well as userfriendly publications for highlights etc.
3.
To develop a full business case for equality and diversity using existing research to demonstrate the benefits (e.g. economic case for inclusion and diversity, current position re exclusion of different groups, particular issues affecting different groups and barriers to employment and access to services, opportunities and implications of changing regional demographics).
4.
To identify gaps and key areas to update or conduct secondary analysis and where new research may be required or new methodologies (e.g. updating community profiles to take into account demographic changes and current migration patterns) and commission research as required in relation to excluded groups, and issues on which there is insufficient information.
5.
To review region-wide monitoring information and arrangements for collecting, collating and reporting this in relation to community safety for all the equality strands in the forthcoming EHRC and develop a consistent and streamlined approach.
6.
To identify output and outcome indicators from the Action Plan that reflect regional priorities as well as local activity and specific needs at local level where these are different from regional priorities.
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