Tenders Matter-Equality Works!

The economic case for equality, diversity and inclusion is not only firmly linked to staff recruitment, selection AND retention but also to customer service AND retention. This latter point of course includes thinking about disposable income of various groups. This includes a focus on rainbow currency covering the blue, ethnic, pink, purple and silver £££’s.

And there are in consequence literally good Tender arguments  for Equality Diversity and Inclusion

Tender is the operative word here!

Often overlooked is the way in which the economic case for EDI is firmly linked to the legal case. So, any type of English business or organisation bidding for a tender from the public sector should keep two laws in mind when describing exactly how their policies on service delivery and workplace well-being can be reconciled with the culture of the organisation inviting the tender.

1. Public Authorities in England* are required by the Public Services (Social Value) Act 20126 to consider how the services they procure, and the way they buy them, could improve the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of the area in which the services are to be provided. It also encourages commissioners to talk to their local provider market or community to design better services, often finding new and innovative solutions to difficult problems.
2. And the Public Services Act is directly linked to the Equality Act, especially the Public Sector Equality Duty(PSED).The PSED is set out in Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 and places a duty on public bodies to have due regard in exercising their functions to the need to:

• eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation

• advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it

• foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it

To have ‘due regard’ means that when making decisions (and in other day-today activities), a public body subject to the duty must consciously consider how to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations.

How much regard is due will depend on the circumstances and in particular on the relevance of the needs of the general duty to the decision or function in question. Equality Impact Assessments(EIA's) are powerful tools for any organisation to use in probing any discriminatory impact of policies, procedures and practices covering:

• Corporate Governance
• Management
• Employment
• Service Delivery
• Service User Involvement
• Volunteers
• Stakeholders

And not EIA's treated as “tick box” exercises but with tangible indicators leading to economic and legal outcomes embracing cultures and demographic localities.

Footnote:-

* The Socio-Economic Duty of the Equality Act 2010 has been enacted in Scotland and Wales but not England. In Scotland this called the Fairer Scotland Duty which came into force in April 2018. In Wales the Socio-Economic Duty is known as A More Equal Wales (2021).

There is some breaking news that at least one of the political parties fighting the July 2024 election will be amending the Equality Act 2010 so that England will restore the Socio-Economic Duty which was removed by the Coalition Government (2010 to 2015)

www.qedworks.co.uk