Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

A workplace encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion can help:

• make it more successful
• keep employees happy and motivated
• prevent serious or legal issues arising, such as bullying, harassment and discrimination
• to better serve a diverse range of customers
• improve ideas and problem-solving
• attract and keep good staff

Equality in the workplace means equal job opportunities and fairness for employees and job applicants.

You must not treat people unfairly because of reasons protected by discrimination law ('protected characteristics').  These are 

• age
• disability
• gender reassignment
• marriage or civil partnership
• pregnancy and maternity
• race (including colour, nationality, ethnic and national origin)
• religion or belief
• sex
• sexual orientation

These are called 'protected characteristics' under the law (the Equality Act 2010). Discrimination based on any of these protected characteristics is usually against the law.

Public sector equality duty

The public sector equality duty (PSED) is a legal duty for anyone who works in the public sector or does work on behalf of the public sector. Under the duty, you must consider how you could:

• stop discrimination, harassment and victimisation for employees, customers and other users of your services
• help support equality and equal opportunities in the day-to-day running of your organisation
• help make good relations by tackling prejudice and promoting understanding on all protected characteristics

The duty helps ensure public bodies consider the needs of everyone in their day-to-day work, including:

• their employees
• when shaping policies
• when delivering services

Diversity

Diversity is the range of people in your workforce. For example, this might mean people with different ages, religions, ethnicities, people with disabilities, and both men and women. It also means valuing those differences.

To avoid bullying, harassment or discrimination, you should make sure:

• your workforce and managers understand what is protected by discrimination law
• what's expected under discrimination law is actually happening in your workplace
• you make changes if what’s expected is not happening, for example stepping up staff training
• your workforce and managers understand what the benefits can be of having a range of people with different backgrounds

Inclusion

An inclusive workplace means everyone feels valued at work. It lets all employees feel safe to:

• come up with different ideas
• raise issues and suggestions to managers, knowing this is encouraged
• try doing things differently to how they’ve been done before, with management approval

An inclusive workplace can help lower the risk of bullying, harassment and discrimination.

Some useful places to find out more include 

- ACAS - https://www.acas.org.uk/improving-equality-diversity-and-inclusion

- Equality and Human Rights Commission https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/public-sector-equality-dutyhttps://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/advice-and-guidance/public-sector-equality-duty

- Local Government Association https://www.local.gov.uk/our-support/equality-diversity-and-inclusion-hub

- HM Government 

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/government-equalities-office

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/the-equality-hub