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.

1. People with disabilities and people who speak languages other than English can access our services and funding of appropriate communication support with ease
2. SLAB gathers and uses equality data to inform our policies and improve our services
3. SLAB employees maintain good mental and physical health during the covid-19 pandemic and recovery phase.

Our Equality outcomes plan 2021-23 provides a high level overview of the activity that will help us to achieve these outcomes, what success will look like and how we will measure the impact on relevant equality groups.

Our review of evidence, and specifically that gathered through direct research and engagement about SLAB’s remit as a service provider and employer has led to a focus on the protected characteristics of age, race, disability, sex and pregnancy and maternity.

The evidence does not suggest that the remaining protected characteristics of religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or marriage and civil partnership face specific barriers in relation to the themes of our equality outcomes.  However, we will monitor this through any equality impact assessments completed as part of the work to deliver our equality outcomes.

Our Equality outcomes progress and mainstreaming report (October 2020) includes:

• The progress we have made against our equality outcomes
• an update on our work to mainstream equality into the way we work
• a summary of our employee equality information
• details of our gender pay gap and our equal pay statement.

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 our Corporate Policy Officer (Equalities) using the details below:

Direct dial: 0131 240 1981
Email: equalities@slab.org.uk