Strategic equality objectives
The Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) requires listed bodies to review their existing equality objectives at least every four years.
In line with recommendations from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and The Welsh Government, the duty represents an opportunity for public sector bodies in Wales to work together to recognise and collectively impact against the challenges set out in the Equality and Human Rights Commission 'Is Wales Fairer report, 2018'.
The Wales Public Bodies Equality Partnership represents a group of public bodies committed to working together to unite behind shared equality objectives. This approach promotes smarter working and creates opportunity for shared engagement, learning and intervention to achieve greater impact across the public sector and public services in Wales, contributing significantly to delivering equality.
Wales Public Body Equality Partnership - Long Term Objectives
Increase workforce diversity and Inclusion
- Aim 1. Elimination of inequality caused by poverty.
- Aim 2. Strong and progressive equality and human right protections for everyone in Wales.
- Aim 4. Wales is a world leader for gender equality.
- Aim 5. Elimination of identity-based abuse, harassment, hate crime and bullying.
- Aim 7. Everyone in Wales is able to participate in political, public and everyday life.
- Aim 8. The Welsh public sector leads the way as exemplar inclusive and diverse organisations and employers.
Eliminate pay gaps
- Aim 1. Elimination of inequality caused by poverty.
- Aim 2. Strong and progressive equality and human right protections for everyone in Wales.
- Aim 4. Wales is a world leader for gender equality.
- Aim 8. The Welsh public sector leads the way as exemplar inclusive and diverse organisations and employers.
Engage with the community
- Aim 1. Elimination of inequality caused by poverty.
- Aim 2. Strong and progressive equality and human right protections for everyone in Wales.
- Aim 3. The needs and rights of people who share protected characteristics are at the forefront of the design and delivery of all public services in Wales.
- Aim 4. Wales is a world leader for gender equality.
- Aim 5. Elimination of identity-based abuse, harassment, hate crime and bullying.
- Aim 6. A Wales of cohesive communities that are resilient, fair and equal.
- Aim 7. Everyone in Wales is able to participate in political, public and everyday life.
- Aim 8. The Welsh public sector leads the way as exemplar inclusive and diverse organisations and employers.
Ensure equality is embedded into the procurement / commissioning process and is managed throughout delivery
- Aim 1. Elimination of inequality caused by poverty.
- Aim 2. Strong and progressive equality and human right protections for everyone in Wales.
- Aim 4. Wales is a world leader for gender equality.
- Aim 5. Elimination of identity-based abuse, harassment, hate crime and bullying.
- Aim 8. The Welsh public sector leads the way as exemplar inclusive and diverse organisations and employers.
Ensure service delivery reflects individual need
- Aim 1. Elimination of inequality caused by poverty.
- Aim 2. Strong and progressive equality and human right protections for everyone in Wales.
- Aim 3. The needs and rights of people who share protected characteristics are at the forefront of the design and delivery of all public services in Wales.
- Aim 4. Wales is a world leader for gender equality.
- Aim 5. Elimination of identity-based abuse, harassment, hate crime and bullying.
- Aim 6. A Wales of cohesive communities that are resilient, fair and equal.
- Aim 8. The Welsh public sector leads the way as exemplar inclusive and diverse organisations and employers.
Strategic Equality Plan - Outcomes and Outcome Measures
Increase workforce diversity and inclusion
- Long Term Outcome.
Our organisations will reflect a fair and inclusive environment, where all people feel valued and can have equal opportunities to fulfil their potential within their organisation.
- Intended Outcome By 2024.
- By 2022, we will have aligned our own employment data reporting to match that of the Welsh Government in both format and reporting dates.
- By 2024 we will have evidence of how we reach out to minority groups and those living in poverty to gain employment with us.
- Outcome Measure.
- Employment data.
- Engagement profile data.
- Steps That We Will Take To Meet The Intended Outcome.
- Standardise data collection to enable benchmarking to ensure consistency of analysis and reporting of data.
- Remove barriers and enhance recruitment & selection policies, procedures and practices through the lens of equality.
- Ensure values & behaviours promote a fair, equal and inclusive environment throughout the organisation.
- Develop shared initiatives to target unrepresented groups to increase employability e.g, work experience, mentoring opportunities, apprenticeship, academy, and internships.
Eliminate pay gaps
- Long Term Outcome.
Disclosure of information is part of organisational culture, staff understand why data is collected, ensuring that necessary data is only collated (GDPR)
- Intended Outcome By 2024.
Accurate data across the public sector which provides analysis across protected characteristics.
- Outcome Measure.
- Employment profile data.
- Pay gap methodology and analysis.
- Professional Development opportunities.
- Uptake of different work patterns at different levels.
- Steps That We Will Take To Meet The Intended Outcome.
- Share and standardise systems for collating and analysing data across bodies, supporting staff to disclose information.
- Agree a standard methodology for defining and collating pay gaps, interpreting/ communicating.
- Standard rounding methodology.
- Share strategies for workforce planning.
- Join together to create workforce development opportunities.
- Joint management and leadership training (HR Group).
- Share practice on work patterns and ways of working.
Engage with the community.
- Long Term Outcome.
Diverse communities throughout Wales will be actively engaged in our organisations’ work. Strategies, policies, and decisions will be co-produced with diverse individuals. People’s experiences and views will shape our organisations
- Intended Outcome By 2024.
By 2024 we will be able to demonstrate and evidence co-production of our strategies, policies, service changes and decisions
- Outcome Measure.
- Engagement profile data.
- Consultation and engagement -protected characteristic data is produced/published, including supplementary evidence such as surveys, and case studies as appropriate
- Steps That We Will Take To Meet The Intended Outcome.
- Offering shared events and engagement opportunities.
- Engage directly with diverse communities to enable representation at shared events
- We will explicitly identify contributions from our engagement and co-production in our strategies, policies and decisions. (you said- we did)
Ensure equality is embedded into the procurement / commissioning process and is managed throughout delivery.
- Long Term Outcome.
Equality is embedded into procurement principles which are operational and evidenced.
- Intended Outcome By 2024.
- Principles are in place with updated organisational policies.
- Procurement data will be in place and will evidence diversity of procurement.
- Outcome Measure.
Publish agreed procurement principles and procurement data
- Steps That We Will Take To Meet The Intended Outcome.
- Agree a set of procurement principles for organisations to commit to.
- Revising organisational policies to reflect principles.
- Work together to train and support staff to deliver the principles.
- Share practice.
Ensure service delivery reflects individual need.
- Long Term Outcome.
People and shared good practice actively influences delivery of services to meet individual needs.
- Intended Outcome By 2024.
- By 2024, we will be able to evidence operational systems and ways of working that ensure individual needs are understood and respected whilst accessing and receiving services.
- By 2024 we will have collaborative systems in place for co-producing.
- A framework for adopting and sharing good practice.
- Outcome Measure.
- We will monitor and report complaints, concerns and feedback from people using our services to identify areas for improvement.
- Surveys
- Questionnaires
- Citizen Journeys
- Co-production evidence.
- Steps That We Will Take To Meet The Intended Outcome.
- Share learning and examples of positive changes to services, demonstrating dignity, respect and understanding of communication and access needs.
- To have in place shared mechanism for co-production.
- To have in place a framework for recording examples of and sharing and adopting good practice.
- Offer collaborative awareness training around understanding service users.
Application of the 5 Ways of Working - Well-being of Future Generations (Wales)
Prevention
The objectives have been informed through understanding inequality insight evidenced through ‘Is Wales fairer’ - The state of equality and human rights, the Equality and Human Rights Commissions review of the public sector equality duty, 2019 and information from our collective organisations. The consultation process included engagement with people from a range of diverse communities and backgrounds.
Long term
The high-level objectives are recognised as long-term objectives that will exist beyond the four-year cycle of the SEP. Organisations uniting behind the objectives will achieve greater impact for future generations in enjoying a fairer society and more equal Wales
Collaboration
Public Bodies will unite behind shared objectives and are committed to working together to meet the objectives. Partnership bodies have signed a ‘memorandum of understanding’ which outlines their commitment to collaborative working.
Integration
The high-level objectives have been informed through insight, they align to Welsh Government long term equality aims and contribute to a more equal Wales (FGA) and a fairer society (Equality act, 2010). Application of the five ways of working has supported integration across duties. Each of the partnership bodies will integrate the shared objectives within their own strategy and planning.
Involvement
Stakeholders and recipients of public services were involved in the development of the objectives. Through the delivery of the objectives the partnership has committed to engage with people and communities in the design of services that will ensure equality of outcome and services that meet peoples needs.