Equality Impact Assessments
As part of our commitment to building an inclusive university and as a public sector organisation it is important that we are held accountable for all our decisions made and the inclusiveness of all projects started whether a consultation or a capital building project.
The Public Sector Equality Duty gives public bodies legal responsibilities to demonstrate that they are taking action to promote equality in relation to policy making, the delivery of services and employment.
The University therefore has a legal responsibility to assess activities and to set out how we will protect people from discrimination on the basis of their protected characteristics.
We are required to:
- Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010.
- Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.
- Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.
What is an Equality Impact Assessment?
An Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) is an analysis of a proposed organisational policy, service or function or a change to an existing one, which assesses whether the policy has a negative impact on persons with a protected characteristic.
The EIA must be started at the beginning of the planning process of any activity and is an ongoing document throughout the project. It should be referred back to regularly and must be updated if plans or circumstances within the project change.
An Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) is an analysis of a proposed organisational policy, service or function or a change to an existing one, which assesses whether the policy has a negative impact on persons with a protected characteristic. An EIA is mandatory for all strategies, plans, functions, policies, procedures and services under the Equality Act (2010). The EIA must be started at the beginning of the planning process of any activity and is an ongoing document throughout the project. It should be referred back to regularly and must be updated if plans or circumstances within the project change.
Who is responsible?
The member of staff responsible for the policy, service or function being assessed and/or the Project manager is responsible for undertaking the EIA.
The Head of Department or Project sponsor has a responsibility for ensuring that an EIA is undertaken and that it is robust enough to satisfy our Public Sector Equality Duty
The manager who has commissioned the project or the Project sponsor is accountable.
Useful documents
- EIA toolkit
- EIA initial template (complete first)
- EIA full template (complete if required)
Equality Impact Assessment Training
Find out more about EIAs
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Published Equality Impact Assessments
Existing EIAs
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