Strategy, Policy & Scheme Development

In order to take equality and diversity seriously, organisations have to ‘think equality’ in every aspect of managing business performance. We support clients in reviewing their business plans to ensure that equality becomes a core element of their day-to-day activities. This often includes working with organisations to clarify the business case for equality and diversity, to review existing equalities data, to undertake consultations with key stakeholders, and to ensure they are fully compliant with legislation and best practice in all equality strands.

We have developed Gender Equality Schemes, Equalities Guides, Workforce and Equalities Monitoring Reports and corporate guidance handbooks. Your organisation can take advantage of our extensive experience in this area and our pragmatic approach to practical implementation in your business.

As well as the case studies below, read more about how a couple of our clients approach this area:

Case studies:

Ealing Homes: Development of a Single Equality Scheme

An equality scheme is a plan that outlines a public body’s action to address the requirements of the three public duties that cover race, disability and gender to proactively promote equality over a specific year period. All three duties seek to mainstream equality into all aspects of an organisation’s policy and decision making.

Ealing Homes is an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) which manages, on behalf of Ealing Council, approximately 18,000 council tenants and leaseholders properties; providing tenancy and leasehold housing services.

Manchester Metropolitan University: Audit of Policy and Practice on Flexible Working

Equality Works was commissioned by Manchester Metropolitan University to assess current working arrangements within the university. We also undertook a review of the informal flexible working arrangements within the University and made recommendations about how best flexible working might be formalised in the future, taking into account the preferences of staff and current best practice.

Northwest Development Agency: Developing a Gender Equality Scheme

Equality Works were commissioned to work with the NWDA to develop their Gender Equality Scheme to meet the legal deadline of 30 April 2007.

The scheme drew upon the Regional Economic Strategy (RES), Race Equality Scheme and Disability Equality Scheme. It also involved gathering evidence from a wide range of sources, including external reports and research, monitoring data and internal and external consultation.

East Midlands Development Agency: Equalities Guide

Equality Works were commissioned to develop a series of resource guides for project developers to mainstream equality into emda - funded projects. The guides cover five different themes: skills, business support / enterprise, employment, tourism and regeneration. These guides are relevant to a range of professionals in local authorities and other public sector bodies.

NHS East Midlands: Baseline Assessment of Equality and Human Rights

Equality Works was commissioned by NHS East Midlands in October 2008 to undertake a baseline assessment of all 24 NHS organisations (including the Strategic Health Authority) within the East Midlands area in relation to Equality and Human Rights. The main aim of this project was to assess the infrastructure and consistency throughout the organisations, with a focus on the structures for managing equalities inside trusts and to make recommendations to further the agenda across the reg

Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust: Equalities Audit and Training Support

Equality Works were commissioned to carry out an initial audit of equality and diversity strategy and policy at the Trust. The aim was to identify existing good practice as well as priorities and opportunities for further development. This involved desk research and document review as well as telephone interviews and consultation with key personnel, to produce a report summarising key findings and a range of practical recommendations.

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