Equalities and diversity

We are committed to equality of opportunity and a culture that respects individuality. The Equality Act 2010 and Scottish specific equality duties provide a clear planning and reporting framework to help us achieve this.

Our strategic approach to equality and diversity 2017-20 can be found in our Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Report April 2017.

This report shows how we continue to embed equality across our organisation and provides updated employee equality monitoring data and equal pay information. The report also summarises the work under our revised equality outcomes and how we will measure progress towards achieving them.

1. Our diverse workforce is aware and understands equality and diversity and the impact of this in helping us manage and deliver our business
2. Minority ethnic people and disabled people experience equal access to quality accessible services and information about legal aid
3. System users and legal aid applicants are aware of why we collect equalities information and can conveniently disclose this information.

Our equality outcomes are relevant to all the protected characteristics, with the exception of outcome two which specifically refers to the characteristics Race and Disability.

Transparency in our decision making is supported by our equality impact assessment (EqIA) process.

Our approach to this ensures we consider the impact of new and current policies or projects on protected equality groups.

It also helps us meet the general public sector equality duty to have due regard to the need to:

• Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation.
• Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not.
• Foster good relations between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not.

A Criminal Justice Disability Project (CJDP) was set up by the Justice Board to promote and enable accessibility of service across the criminal justice sector in Scotland for people with disabilities.

The member organisations have published a final report of the CJDP.

A large print version is also available or you can view a BSL version of the Executive Summary.

We are keen to hear your views about:

• The priorities we have identified.
• How you think our policies or functions impact on equality.

Please provide feedback or let us know if you would like to get involved in our equality work by contacting:

Louise Baggott

Corporate Policy Officer (Equalities)

Direct dial: 0131 240 1981
E-mail: baggottlo@slab.org.uk