Statement of Service
Equality Standard
For further information regarding the 'Equality Standard' please complete the Expression of Interest form →
What is the North East Equality Standard?
The Standard is a practical tool intended to identify and promote your business as an employer and supplier of choice.
The Standard will help your business:
• Achieve tangible business benefits
• Reduce the risk of discrimination litigation
• Achieve fairness in the workplace and embrace diversity
• Improve competence when seeking to bid for work with the Public Sector
The Standard is awarded in recognition that you actually plan and promote good equality and diversity practices in the workplace. Achieving the Standard can help you become an employer and supplier of choice in a marketplace that now expects employers to recognise equality and diversity and the needs of the individual and society.
Who should apply for the Standard?
The Standard is relevant to all organisations of all sizes and from all sectors who wish to visibly demonstrate that they lead the field in their approach to equality and diversity.
Who has defined the criteria in the Standard?
The Standard has been developed by Equality North East, over an 18-month period, in collaboration with ONE North East, TUC Northern Region, the North East Employers’ Network, Job Centre Plus, Muckle LLP, the North East VCS Coalition and members of Equality North East’s NEtWorking for Change project. The Standard brings together the best in current equality and diversity thinking and is endorsed by the North East Equality and Diversity Partnership.
The Standard provides a framework both for organisations that have already introduced good equality and diversity practices and wish to go further or those that are just starting the ‘journey’ and want to start evaluating and reforming their practices.
How do I demonstrate that my business meets the Standard award criteria?
You have the choice of using an initial self-assessment form or liaising directly with an Equality Advisor. The initial assessment will enable you to benchmark where your business currently stands and identify any support needed to help you improve your equality and diversity practices. The assessment will help generate a timed action plan.
Central to the Standard is a supporting toolkit to help address any defined weaknesses and suggested areas of improvement.
The toolkit includes:
• Example policies and procedures
• Best practice guidance sheets
• Face-to-face support
• Links to organisations offering specialist support
• The law and equality
What sort of information will we have to provide?
Most initial information is gathered by meetings with members of staff from both management and operational areas. You will be asked to provide verbal and written evidence of policies, procedures and other documentation that supports your application. Your approach to your policies and your procedures will be expected to be verified by your staff.
How long will it take for us to achieve the Standard?
Once you have agreed to commit to the Standard and have agreed the action plan, you will be registered as ‘Working Towards the Standard’. The timelines in the action plan will be flexible to suit your particular needs and circumstances as you work towards the full Standard.
Next steps?
Express your interest in working towards the Standard by completing the Expression of Interest form and returning it to Equality North East.
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