Archived decisions

Appendix 1

The Equality Standard Levels

Level 1:  Commitment to a comprehensive equality policy

To achieve Level 1 of the Standard an authority must have adopted a Comprehensive Equality Policy that commits it to achieving equality in race, language, gender and disability through:

· Improving equality practice at both corporate and departmental level;

· Earmarking specific resources for improving equality practice;

· Equality action planning and equality target setting within all departments and service areas;

· Systematic consultation;

· A fair employment and equal pay policy;

· An impact and needs / requirements assessment;

· Progress monitoring;

· Audit and scrutiny.

Level 2:  Assessment and Consultation

To achieve Level 2 of the Standard an authority will need to demonstrate that:

· It has engaged in an impact and needs / requirements assessment;

· It has engaged in consultation with designated community, staff and stakeholder groups;

· It has engaged in the development of information and monitoring systems;

· It has engaged in an equality action planning process for employment, pay and service delivery;

· It is developing a system of self-assessment, scrutiny and audit.

Level 3:  Setting Equality Objectives and Targets

To achieve Level 3 of the Standard an authority will have to demonstrate that:

· It has completed a full and systematic consultation process with designated community, staff and stakeholder groups;

· It has set equality objectives for employment, pay and service delivery based on impact and needs / requirements assessment and consultation;

· Equality objectives have been translated into action plans with specific targets;

· It is developing information and monitoring systems that will allow it to assess progress in achieving targets;

· Action on targets has started.

Level 4:  Information systems and monitoring against targets

To achieve Level 4 of the Standard an authority will have to demonstrate that:

· It has developed information and monitoring systems that will allow it to assess progress in achieving targets;

· It is measuring progress against targets and effectively using its information and monitoring systems;

· Monitoring reports are being produced at specified intervals and circulated to designated consultation and scrutiny groups;

· Monitoring systems are providing useful information about progress towards specific targets.

Level 5:  Achieving and reviewing outcomes

To achieve Level 5 of the Standard an authority will have to demonstrate that it has made considerable progress in achieving equal employment and service provision with regard to race, language, gender and disability. It will need to show that:

· It has achieved the targets that it set at Level 3;

· It has reviewed and revised targets, monitoring and consultation systems with designated community, staff and stakeholder groups;

· It has initiated a new round of action planning and target setting;

· Through its achievements it can be seen as an example of good practice for other local authorities and agencies.