How many times do you come across the response ‘no EDI impact’ or similar on board report summary templates? If this is a frequent occurrence then read on, it would perhaps suggest that some preventative action is required…
Almost all social housing providers, particularly those without an equality impact assessment (EIA) framework in place, Equality Impact Assessments – the what, the why and the how (April 2023) will require a board or committee report author to complete a summary template to accompany their report. Alongside aspects such as risk or value for money, this template will usually include the consideration of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) impact. The purpose of which is to meet the requirements of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) and to give confidence to the board or committee that the report author has given due regard to the subject of EDI.
In light of some truly tragic social housing events over the last few years and the resulting changed regulatory landscape, it has never been more important for social housing providers to consider the EDI impact of their decisions. But a frustration we frequently hear from the sector is that all too often the response from report authors in this EDI section of the template is ‘no EDI impact’. This response will rarely be accurate – most reports related to social housing will have a people impact, and since EDI is all about people, the vast majority of reports will indeed have an EDI impact.
So, why are report authors repeatedly saying, ‘no EDI impact’, and what can be done about it?
In our experience, there are three main reasons for this default ‘no impact’ response:
Understanding
Report authors need clarity on why effectively assessing the EDI impact of their board/committee report is important. Without this explanation, completing the report summary template may seem like an irrelevant tick-box exercise.
Consequence
The most positive difference is realised when board/committee members feel confident and equipped with the skills to challenge a ‘no EDI impact’ summary. When board members effectively challenge report authors, it leads to significant improvements in the quality of EDI considerations made by report authors.
Timing
In the absence of a structured EIA framework, report authors need sufficient time to make the required considerations. The completion of the report summary template should be part of the report-writing process from the start, rather than a last-minute task as the deadline looms.
What You Can Do
The first step is to ensure report authors understand why completing the EDI section within a board/committee report summary template is important. This awareness raising is just as critical for report authors as it is for your board and committee members. Without this understanding, effective challenge from board/committee members is less likely, and without effective challenge, responses are unlikely to change.
The reasons why an effective EDI summary is important are not just limited to a changed regulatory landscape where EDI is higher on the agenda. Understanding the potential impact of policies, services, and decision-making on different groups of people enables a report author to identify adverse impacts and take the necessary action to remove or mitigate them, ensuring decisions are transparent and based on evidence with clear reasoning.
Additionally, under the 2010 Equality Act, public bodies must have ‘due regard’ to several equality considerations when carrying out their functions. These are to promote equality of opportunity, eliminate discrimination, and foster good relations. This is known as the Public Sector Equality Duty. Completing the EDI element of a report summary template, especially where an organisation lacks an EIA framework, helps demonstrate that due regard has been given to this requirement.
We frequently hear from report authors that the lack of EDI consideration is often due to report templates being completed at the 11th hour, delayed by internal report authorisation procedures. From our experience, when the completion of a board/committee report template is an integral part of the approval process before sign-off by an executive director, report authors are more likely to give the required attention to this task.
In Summary…
Question the assessments of ‘no EDI impact’ on your board/committee report templates. Are you confident that your report authors and your board and committee members understand what this assessment entails? Are they confident enough to challenge? Does your approval process check this element and allow sufficient time for due consideration?
With a background in social housing, we have worked with many clients to support the implementation of EIAs or to improve their existing board report summary templates. Please contact us to learn more.
