Equality Impact Assessments – Factsheet
What is an Equality Analysis or Impact Assessment ?
An Equality Analysis or Equality Impact Assessment is a tool used by organisations to assess the risk of inequalities to people who have ‘protected characteristics’. For example, Race, Gender and Disability.
Over the years, there has been some interesting policies written where it is clear that equality implications were NOT considered prior to implementation.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Example:
For a long time, a major UK supermarket chain insisted that it’s workers be clean shaven when working on the delicatessen or fresh food counters. The reasons presumably being hygiene factors. 
Equality Issues ?
Probably easier to recognise with hindsight, but this policy clearly discriminated on two counts: Gender – as it is considerably more likely that you will be a man if you have a beard and of course, Religion where certain religions e.g. Sikhs – many of whom do not cut their hair.
Easy to Fix ?
Incredibly. Issue all ‘offending’ employees with a beard net. Situation sorted.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Lessons learned ?
Screen your polices for equality implications prior to implementing.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Equality Impact Assessment / Equality Analysis Good Practice:
Ensure your organisation has:
-
Developed Equality Impact Assessment template documentation – this should include an Initial Screening (summary) analysis and a more detailed assessment tool
-
Developed guidance notes so that everyone knows when an analysis is required
-
Trained your staff. Completing an Equality Analysis requires technical knowledge, confidence and lateral thinking skills
-
Decided who is ultimately responsible for completion
-
Agreed a process for quality assurance
-
Completed some ‘model’ assessments as an illustration of good practice
-
Decided a strategy for collecting and analysing equality profiling data for employees and service users. For more information about this, please download this useful and detailed guide issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission information_guidance_rev.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
How can McKenzie work with you in this area ?
We can work with you in respect of all of the above and more. We have comprehensive experience of completing Equality Impact Assessments, designing and delivering interactive and engaging training and supplying bespoke template documentation and guidance.
___________________________________________________________________________________