Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED)
What is the PSED?
- Created under the Single Equality Act, the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) became law in April 2011, refer to webpage and online videos: EHRC Scotland
- Legal provisions for the setting up of the PSED: UK Government Legislation website in the Act in Sections 149-157 and in Schedule 19.
- The duty consists of a duty with three main aims (set out in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010) and the Scottish Specific Duties (May 2012).
What are the requirements of the General Duty?
The legal duty, known as the General Duty, requires universities in the public sector to consider how they could positively contribute to the advancement of equality and good relations. It requires equality considerations to be reflected into the design of policies and the delivery of services, including internal policies, and for these issues to be kept under review.
To demonstrate due regard to the duty, the following 3 areas of compliance relating to the Single Equality Act (2010) must be met:
-
Eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Act
-
Foster good relations between people from different groups - this involves tackling prejudice and promoting understanding between people from different groups
- Advance equality of opportunity between people from different groups - this involves considering the need to:
- remove or minimise disadvantages suffered by people due to their ‘protected characteristics’
- meet the needs of people with ‘protected characteristics’
- encourage people with ‘protected characteristics’ to participate in public life or in other activities where their participation is low
Scottish Specific Duties - Actions for the University:
Approved by the Scottish Government on 27 May 2012, the Specific Duties for Scotland are the next phase of the PSED leading on from the main General Equality Duty, refer to webpage: Scottish Government PSED.
The purpose of these duties is to guide universities in their performance in meeting the General Equality Duty by carrying out specific compliant actions. To ensure the University is aligned to these requirements, the E&D Officer has carried out the following immediate planning actions for the University:
| Timescale: | Duty to: | Checklist of actions for the University: |
| From 27 May 2012 | Impact assessment of new and revised policies and practices, informed by evidence and involvement in relation to the 3 parts of General Duty. | EIA Toolkit has been updated and already in place, with a Summary of Completed EIAs available, embed University-wide action through the Single Equality Scheme (SES). |
| From 27 May 2012 |
Publish all reports in a manner that is accessible and using existing means of public performance reporting, as far as is practicable. |
University-wide Equality continuous action: Ensure the following documents below can be accessed via the appropriate webpage and available in Alternative Format upon request. |
|
By 30 April 2013 |
Publish Equality Outcomes based on evidence and involvement of equality groups and every 4 years thereafter. |
University-wide Equality action: Create a SES, review every 4 years. |
| By 30 April 2013 | Report on mainstreaming (including employee information) and action to embed equality and diversity into the day to day systems and practices of an organisation and every 2 years thereafter. |
University-wide Equality action: Publish report within the SES, report on progress 2 years thereafter. |
| By 30 April 2013 | Publish Gender Pay Gap information. | HR Equality action as part of the SES. |
| By 30 April 2013 | Publish Equal Pay Statement for Gender and every 4th year after that. | HR Equality action as part of the SES. |
| By 30 April 2015 | Report on mainstreaming (including employee information) and action to embed equality and diversity into the day to day systems and practices of an organisation and every 2 years thereafter. | University-wide Equality action: Publish report within the SES, report on progress 2 years thereafter. |
| By 30 April 2015 | Publish Gender Pay Gap information. | HR Equality action as part of the SES. |
| By 30 April 2015 | Report on progress made towards achieving the set of Equality Outcomes. |
University-wide Equality action: Publish progress report as part of the SES. |
|
By 30 April 2017 |
Report on mainstreaming (including employee information) and action to embed equality and diversity into the day to day systems and practices of an organisation and every 2 years thereafter. | University-wide Equality action: Publish report within the SES, report on progress 2 years thereafter. |
|
By 30 April 2017 |
Report on progress made towards achieving the previous set of Equality Outcomes. Publish Equality Outcomes based on evidence and involvement of equality groups and every 4 years thereafter. |
University-wide Equality action: Publish progress report and review the SES to create further Equality Outcomes. |
|
By 30 April 2017 |
Publish Gender Pay Gap information. | HR Equality action as part of the SES. |
|
By 30 April 2017 |
Publish Equal Pay Statement for Gender, plus Disability and Race. | HR Equality action as part of the SES. |
Download the briefing:
Equality Manager Briefing on Public Sector Equality Duty (PDF, 397 KB)
Also refer to webpage Fairness = Funding for an overview of how the duty relates to research, student provision and grants applications.