Equality and diversity
We are committed to ensuring that equality stays at the heart of our organisation by actively considering equality across all areas.
Public Sector Equality Duty
The Public Sector Equality Duty came in to force in April 2011 (s.149 of the Equality Act 2010) and it brought the 3 previous duties on disability, gender and race together into a single duty, which were extended to cover the remaining protected characteristics (age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity, and gender reassignment).
Public authorities like Cabinet Office are now required, in carrying out their functions, to have due regard toward the need to achieve the objectives set out under s149 of the Equality Act 2010 to:
- eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Equality Act 2010
- 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
The Public Sector Equality Duty is supported by the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) Regulations 2011, which require public authorities named on schedule 1 of the regulations to publish:
- equality objectives at least every 4 years
This is to ensure we are fully transparent and to illustrate how we have fulfilled the requirements of the Public Sector Equality Duty.
Equality objectives
Since 2010 the Cabinet Office has undergone significant change. Business Units and Corporate Services have been considering the impact of the Equality Act on the delivery of units’ business objectives.
As an employer, Cabinet Office is committed to the Civil Service ambition to become the UK’s most inclusive employer and we will continue to:
- increase the representation of currently under-represented groups to make Cabinet Office more diverse
- build an inclusive environment, where colleagues are able to be themselves at work and feel supported, empowered, valued, respected, fairly treated and able to achieve their full potential
Our Diversity & Inclusion Strategy refresh in 2017 reinforced our commitment to Inclusion.
As an inclusive employer we will not tolerate discrimination. Our HR policies are fully inclusive of all staff regardless of:
- age
- disability
- gender reassignment
- marriage and civil partnership
- pregnancy and maternity
- race
- religion or belief
- sex
- sexual orientation
Representation
Cabinet Office is committed to “Recruiting, retaining and developing a diverse workforce that is representative of the wider population, particularly at senior levels.”
We will address this by:
- improving ethnic minorities’ representation at senior levels in Cabinet Office (to achieve 10% SCS by 2019 and 20% Band A by 2020)
- improving Disability representation at all levels in Cabinet Office and the employee experience
Previous objectives published as part of the Single Equality Scheme are also available:
Since 2010 we have been working together with the Government Equalities Office and representatives from Cabinet Office units to prepare staff for changes to the legislation. In particular, we have provided workshops to support Cabinet Office staff to embed the concept of “Due Regard” into our day-to-day work.
This work will continue and help inform appropriate departmental objectives.
Equality information
Our equality information relates to members of staff that are employed by the Cabinet Office. Work continues to include all the protected characteristics.