Under the Equality Act (2010), public authorities, in the exercise of their functions, are required to have due regard to the need to:
- Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation, and other prohibited conduct;
- 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 protected characteristic and those who do not.
This is called the Public Sector Equality Duty.
In 2012, the Scottish Parliament passed legislation that implemented additional regulations in Scotland, including:
- The duty to report progress on mainstreaming the Public Sector Equality Duty;
- The duty to publish equality outcomes and report progress;
- And the duty to publish in a manner that is accessible.
To meet our duties, the College publishes Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Reports every four years, with a Progress Report published halfway through that cycle.
- Equality Outcomes are specific targets around equality. We identify between four and seven areas of work to focus on based on local or national evidence of persistent and significant inequality for a particular group.
- The Mainstreaming Report shows how the College promotes equality, diversity, and inclusion in all its day-to-day functions. It gives examples of all the activities and projects that contribute to our goal of an inclusive College.
If you require any of the Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Reports documents in an alternative format, please email equality@edinburghcollege.ac.uk.