Equalities

Equality and Diversity Policy Summary

Hackney has one of the most diverse communities in the country. The Council celebrates this and wants to work with its partners in the NHS, Learning Trust and voluntary sector to advance equal opportunities, tackle discrimination and promote good relations amongst all our residents.

To do this the Council needs to look at its responsibilities as an employer and as a service provider. Community leadership and meaningful consultation are key factors. Over the past 6 months the Council has been co-ordinating its activities, looking at what it does and setting up the essential building blocks to make sure that equalities and diversity issues are at the heart of all its work.

Making the links to other key Council policies and strategies such as the Anti Poverty Strategy, the new policy underpins all of the Council’s equalities, diversity and community cohesion work. A key aim is to clarify the Council’s understanding and interpretation of ‘equality and diversity’.

This policy seeks to clarify for residents, service users, all staff and the wider community, Hackney Council’s understanding and interpretation of ‘equality and diversity’.

It provides a clear statement of principles in relation to the Council’s vision for an equal and socially inclusive Hackney and demonstrates how the application of equalities and diversity good practice necessarily underpins the Council’s wider social and economic aims.

It outlines the Council’s duty to comply with relevant legislation and other statutory requirements and makes public its commitment to go beyond basic compliance wherever possible, in order to improve the delivery of equality and diversity in the workplace, through service delivery and via community leadership.

It also identifies key ‘equality groups’ within the community, which the Council recognises are most likely to experience ongoing discrimination and disadvantage and whose needs and issues are therefore the focus of this and other related policies.  

Lastly, it summarises how the Council will ensure that equality and diversity is integral to all of its work at every level, informing service planning, workforce management and community engagement.

The Council’s Race Equality Scheme has also undergone an initial first stage review and will be revised further in conjunction with the development of the Council’s first comprehensive Corporate Equalities Plan.

More information

For more information email: equality.diversity@hackney.gov.uk

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Page updated: 8 Jul 2008