We recognise that, as Department with a number of corporate functions, we have a key role to play in promoting gender equality across the different departments of the Scottish Executive. Our objectives are set out in our Action Plan, but we have highlighted two key areas below.
Our aim is to ensure that the Executive becomes an exemplar employer in the field of all diversity issues, including gender, across all of our Departmental functions. We have already set out our commitment to improving our policies and activity in this regard in chapter 6.
We have used a variety of sources of evidence for identifying our key gender equality issues, including consult with our staff networks for part-time-staff and carers, the results of our employee survey and issues discussed with the Council of Scottish Executive Unions. We have also undertaken specific research on barriers to progress for part-time staff and flexible working opportunities.
Consultation with our Unions and with our staff has also told us that we need to provide more and better training in equal opportunities and diversity issues and to make the training we do provide more accessible; that we need to look more closely at our pay and performance systems and work to eliminate any instances of unequal treatment, including areas where there may be occupational segregation. It has also shown us that we need to enhance our existing monitoring processes and also take steps to change the prevailing culture of our organisation to make sure it is truly family friendly and that staff are able to achieve a satisfactory work-life balance. The promotion of flexible working at all grades, with positive role models, and better recognition of the contribution of those working these patterns are only two ways in which we could do this.
Our staff have also told us that we need to look again at the changes we have made to our resourcing procedures to ensure that women are not discouraged from applying for promotion opportunities and are supported where necessary; and that all of our processes remain fair and transparent.
The scientific and anecdotal evidence indicates a need to understand how our flexible working policies and employment policies more generally, are impacting on women and men in the Scottish Executive. We recognise that we need to know whether the needs of carers are catered for effectively by our policies and that women in particular are not disadvantaged in the work place by the fact that they take disproportionate responsibility for child care and caring in general. We also need to know whether there is more that we can do to encourage fathers to share this role.
The data that we collect on our staff also tells us that women are disproportionately under-represented at senior levels and over-represented at junior levels.
We will ensure that: our make-up broadly reflects the population we serve, particularly at senior levels; that each member of staff is valued for their individual contribution; and that the organisation is able to benefit fully from this contribution.
In addition, we will work to raise awareness of gender equality issues across the organisation through internal outreach initiatives.
In order to tackle the under-representation of women at senior levels, we will establish a new network for senior women. We will continue to take positive action measures to ensure that the representation of women at senior levels continues to improve.
In order to tackle discrimination in the work place, we will continue to act to eliminate gender discrimination, or any other form of unacceptable behaviour (particularly discrimination or harassment of trans women and men).
In terms of the Analytical Services Group, our overarching aim is to enhance the contribution of high quality analysis and robust evidence to policy formulation and delivery, thereby increasing policy effectiveness, strengthening national and local accountability and contributing to improved well-being of Scotland and its people. We recognise that taking account of the differing needs and experiences of Scotland's communities in all their diversity is key to this aim.
We know that the availability of good quality gender disaggregated data has improved enormously in recent years. The recent Gender Audit of Statistics has set out clearly the variety, scope and accessibility of data across a range of policy areas.
We recognise, however, that there is still work to be done regarding the collection and analysis of data which allows us to take a more complex view of gender issues, i.e. analysis of gender and ethnicity and/or gender and disability, etc. We recognise supporting policy development to take account of the complex nature of equality matters is not always easy and that there are practical as well as methodological issues to take into account when trying support policy development to fully understand the needs and experiences of those people who are the target of their policies and practices.
We will continue to provide statistical, economic, analytical and scientific research that will support and inform policy development, and we will ensure that gender equality issues are fully taken into account.
In partnership with the Development Department's Social Justice Equalities Research team, we will provide the necessary leadership and strategic direction on equality matters for Analytical Services across the Executive, working with Analytical Services Divisions and external stakeholders to build capacity for production, dissemination and use of the information and analysis required for effective policy formulation and delivery.
We will engage fully in the process of supporting policy development through the effective and systematic provision of relevant gender (and other equality categories) disaggregated data for the equality impact assessment process ( EQIA).
We will continue to work towards improving the mechanisms for the collection and analysis of equality data.
Please identify key policy areas where the department is or will take forward gender equality |
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Policy | Action | By whom | By when | Outcome expected |
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The development, procurement and dissemination of high quality statistical, economic, analytical and scientific research. We recognise that the evidence base underpins the successful implementation of the gender equality duty and that good quality data that takes account of gender is essential if we are to effectively support and inform policy development. | We will provide high quality and relevant gender disaggregated analysis to support departmental policy formulation where possible and feasible. We will ensure that when we commission social research projects, that, where relevant, gender is fully taken into account. | OPS; Analytical Services Group | Ongoing | Good quality, evidenced based policy, ensuring that gender issues are reflected in policy implementation and evaluation. Understand complexity of gender issues. |
Diversity Strategy - The strategy reflects the legislative and organisational priorities that were identified by the working group of both internal and external equalities experts, including the Equal Opportunities Commission. | We will review the Strategy in consultation with stakeholders including women and the Senior Women's Network via electronic consultation and meetings. We will ensure that the Strategy reflects staff views and requirements and embraces best practice. The review will ensure that women across the organisation are treated fairly, have access to equality of opportunity and valued for their individual contribution. | OPS: Diversity Team | 2008 and every three years thereafter | Compliance with legal requirements and becoming an exemplar employer and an employer of choice. This will ensure that policies encourage and help women into the organisation and aid retention when they join. Women will also have access to the full range of opportunities across the organisation and the Executive itself will reflect the wider population of Scotland. |
Diversity Delivery Plan - sets out how we will ensure proper and effective representation of women at SCS and feeder grade level. | We will progress, monitor and report on actions within plan | OPS: Diversity Team / stakeholders | 2008 | We aim for the Executive to become an exemplar employer and support the wider Civil Service diversity agenda. |
Monitoring diversity targets. | We will analyse statistics at all points of career. We will undertake an effective resurvey of staff ethnicity, gender and disability. We will do this by reviewing how and at what stages we capture diversity information. We will also positively target all staff whose diversity information is missing or incomplete. This will allow us to monitor and track women at all stages of their career to check for and rectify any disparate or negative effects of any policies or procedures. Targets are in place to ensure better representation of women across all grades within the Executive. | OPS: Diversity Team | Ongoing | Outcomes and targets within plan are achieved. Any adverse effect of any policy or process is identifies and remedied |
The Scottish Executive's Resourcing Policy applies to recruitment and resourcing in the Executive and its Agencies. Those involved in any stage of the process should be aware of and adhere to the contents of this policy, which includes issues relating to equal opportunities. Interchange Strategy: Interchange is a temporary exchange of people between the Scottish Executive and other public, private and voluntary organisations, i.e. secondments. | We will continue to review the policy and associated processes to ensure they reflect best practice with regard to gender equality and that we continue to be legally compliant. | OPS: HR Resourcing Centre of Expertise | Ongoing | Scottish Executive complies with legal requirements and strives to be a best practice employer. |
To ensure that Interchange offers all employees, regardless of sex, the opportunity to secure secondments to external organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors | OPS: HR Resourcing Centre of Expertise | Ongoing | Gender equality during selection process is assured, in line with Resourcing Policy. |
Human Resources Policy Review | We will ensure that the review will take account of gender equality and include ensuring policies reflect best employment practice and are legally compliant, through benchmarking with other organisations, reference to ACAS and consultation with Scottish Executive solicitors. | HR Employee Relations, Policy Reviewer | Ongoing during 2006 and 2007 | HR Policies comply with legal requirements and demonstrate best practice. |
The Operation of the Honours System. | Taking its lead from Cabinet Office. Our Honours Secretariat have specifically asked Departments to identify and consider women candidates (particularly women in industry) as well as people from ethnic minority backgrounds as part of the honours nomination process. Our Permanent Secretary reinforced this message to the Scottish Executive's Management Group. | OPS: MSG | Ongoing | It is too early to evaluate, but we intend to monitor the nominations we receive to ensure that progress is being made. |
Arrangements for delivering the general duty to promote gender equality. |
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| Action | By whom | By when | Outcome expected |
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1. What arrangements will you put in place to ensure that your policies, services, functions pay due regard to the need to eliminate any unlawful discrimination between women and men? | We will continue to ensure that HR policy review and development: - involves and consults key people, including Diversity Manager, trade unions, Scottish Executive solicitors, and staff.
- Is overseen by a diverse working group including both men and women.
| OPS: Diversity Team / Stakeholders | Ongoing | Executive achieves and maintains best practice and becomes an exemplar employer and employer of choice. Women and men are fully involved in our review and development processes and gender equality issues are taken fully into account. |
We will ensure that the new policies, including guidance and procedures, will advance equality, including gender equality, by: - taking account of the Executive's Diversity Delivery Plan.
- having a monitoring and evaluation framework, including Management Information.
- being clearly communicated to all staff, with training where appropriate in consultation with women's network, network, trade unions and solicitors.
| OPS Diversity Team/Management Information Team | Ongoing | Staff are fully informed and aware of what is expected of them. Gender equality matters are fully monitored and evaluated. Women and men have a clear understanding of their rights and responsibilities. |
We will regularly monitor staff by sex through all stages of employment to ensure no discrimination is in place. Where adverse or discriminatory effects are identified remedial action is put in place. We will effectively communicate and apply our Dignity at Work policy to ensure any discrimination is identified and resolved. We will promote and increase awareness of gender equality, as part of work to promote Equal Opportunities and Diversity Statement | OPS: Diversity Team | Ongoing | Women and men working in the Scottish Executive are treated fairly. Women and men have a clear understanding of their rights and responsibilities. Cases of discrimination decrease. |
In implementing a new HR system, we will take account of the management information needed to support our meeting our gender duty. | OPS: HR | 12-18 months | Robust HR information to inform action on gender. |
We will critically appraise the current gender equality arrangements for internal communications on an annual basis through external audit and make improvements based on evidence | OPS: Internal Communications Team, in consultation with Equality Unit and Human Resources. | December 2006 | Annual assessment and evaluation of new practice impact on internal communications. |
We will ensure staff involved in policy development have access to relevant training information. We will continue to meet with trade unions to discuss improved information about equality including gender equality. We will continue to provide training for staff on resourcing issues, specifically includes diversity (including gender equality). We will regularly monitor of management information to ascertain advance in gender equality. | HR Resourcing Centre of Expertise | Ongoing | Scottish Executive complies with its voluntary and legal requirements and becomes a best practice employer. Appropriate management changes are introduced. |
Where criteria are used to prioritise access to training activities, we will monitor these specifically with respect to the gender balance of participants to identify and address any inequities. | CLS/Shared Service Centre | Ongoing | Scottish Executive comply with legal requirements and becomes a best practice employer. Ensure equal access to training. |
We will continue to work towards the appropriate representation of men and women in our Honours System. | OPS: MSG | Ongoing | An Honours System which reflects the contribution of both women and men in our society. |
2. What arrangements will you put in place to ensure that your policies, services, functions are able to pay due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity between women and men? | We will regularly monitor staff by sex (based against all staff), through all stages of employment to ensure no adverse (based on statistics) or discriminatory effects. Where disparate effects are identified remedial action will be put in place. | OPS: diversity Team/ Management Information Team | Ongoing | As above. There will also be a reduction in staff turnover and absenteeism. Women have fair and equal access to all opportunities i.e. training, progression, etc |
We will analyse annually results from our Staff Survey and take remedial action where required. | OPS: Diversity Team/Internal Communications Team | Feb 2008 | No differing levels of satisfaction with employment between men and women. |
We will continue to ensure that a statement about equality on our Recruitment Code on our Internet web site. Statements about equality are embedded into resourcing policies and strategies. | OPS: HR Resourcing Centre of Expertise | Ongoing | The Executive complies with legal requirements and strive to be a best practice employer. |
Analytical Services Group will ensure, as part of the policy development process, and through the Consultation Registration Evaluation System ( CRES) that Department's attention is drawn to the issue of gender and other equality duties regarding newly commissioned consultations. | Analytical Services Group | Ongoing | Consultations will have equality considerations built in from the outset, with the aim of achieving inclusive and comprehensive input from consultees across the equality spectrum. |
We will continue to collect, analyse and publish gender disaggregated data, as appropriate, to support the development, implementation and monitoring/evaluation of policy and practice across Executive Departments. | Analytical Services Group | Ongoing | Improved policy understanding of the different needs of women and men when developing policy and practice. |
The commissioning and publication (on 28 March 2007) of the Gender Audit of Statistics and Research which presents a wide range of statistics disaggregated by gender for a number of topics including; population and demographics, participation in political and public life, education and training labour market, income and wealth, care and caring, health, crime and justice, housing and transport, underpins this process. Crucially, this publication presents time series analysis of gender disaggregated data in order that outcome can be measured over time. Links have been made between key SE policies and related statistics and gaps in the gendered data identified to enable consideration of redressive action if required. We will promote this document across the Executive to support work on delivering the gender equality duty. | | Ongoing | Improved policy making that has been built on high quality research evidence which allows outcomes to be measured through the provision of time series data. |
| The publication of the High Level Summary of Equality Statistics ( HLSES) was published in November 2006. This presents statistical trends on the main areas of Government activity broken down by age, disability, ethnicity, gender and religions. The data highlight key areas of equality and inequality for these groups. This resources has been made widely available to policy colleagues and analysts across Executive Departments in order increase awareness, accessibility to equality data and to highlight key areas of equality and inequality. This will provide a key resource for monitoring and setting evidenced based gender equality outcome. | | November 2006 | |
3. How will you identify gender equality goals and outcomes for your area of work? | We will regularly monitor and analyse staff survey results including remedial action where required, to understand peoples preceptions and understanding of gender issues and set priorities for coming year. | OPS: Diversity Team/Internal communications | February 2008 | Ensure goals are informed by evidence. |
We will ensure that statistical information is available from external and internal recruitment competitions to set targets for ensuring gender equality on recruitment for the coming year. We will hold meetings with CSEU to discuss monitoring of policy. | OPS: HR Central Resourcing Unit. (Part of Shared Service Centre) | In place from May 2005 | Critical analysis of recruitment competitions that will ensure no direct or indirect discrimination due to gender issues. |
Consult with analysts across ASDs to understand the evidence needs with regard to gender data collection for the forthcoming year | Analytical Services Group | Ongoing | Gender equality issues can be mainstreamed effectively into policy and practice. Departments are aware of the gender equality issues for their areas of work and, through the provision of high quality, gender disaggregated data, we will facilitate the shaping of those objectives. |
4. How will you ensure that employees, stakeholders and/or service users are consulted in the process of setting gender equality goals and outcomes for your area of work? | We will continue to regularly utilise our various staff networks, employee groups on policy and process development and implementation. | OPS: Diversity Team | Ongoing | Gender and equality goals are identified, are fit for purpose and are relevant. |
We will develop an across-sector diversity and equality network which will consider all equality issues including gender equality. | OPS: Diversity Team | May 2007 | Sharing of best practice and identification of key issues and resolutions. |
We will use the Diversity Champions Peer Group for feedback on progress on Diversity Delivery Plan. | Diversity Champions | Ongoing | Work on objectives and targets in Diversity Delivery Plan are kept on track and progress monitored. |
We will meet regularly with trade unions to discuss how to improve our information. We will ensure that our training for staff on resourcing issues specifically includes diversity and equality, including gender equality. We will regularly monitor management information. | HR Resourcing Centre of Expertise | Ongoing | Executive complies with legal requirements and becomes a best practice employer |
5. What arrangements will you put in place to ensure that we are able to report on progress on an annual basis? | We will continue to provide a 1/4rly analysis of employment statistics which will outline the position on gender. | Diversity Team | Ongoing | Trends and/or issues are identified and rectified. Accurate and up-to-date information reported annually. |
We will continue to collate Statistical information available from external and internal recruitment competitions. | HR Central Resourcing Unit. (part of shared service centre) | Ongoing | Trends and/or issues are identified and rectified. Accurate and up-to-date information reported annually. |
Actions and implications stemming from the requirements of Gender Duty and this gender equality scheme in terms of the provision of high quality gender disaggregated data will be included in the annual Statistics Plan and will be monitored in the subsequent Annual Report - both of which will be made available to Parliament and publicly. | Office of the Chief Statistician | Annually | Accurate and up-to-date information reported annually. Generate and encourage debate and scrutiny of work undertaken by the Executive's Statistics Group to provide high quality gender disaggregated data. |