Public authorities are required to adhere to the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED).
This duty requires public bodies to:
- Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimization.
- Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.
- Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.
Expertise is to influence public entities comply with the specific duties, including:-
- report on mainstreaming the equality duty
- publish equality outcomes and report progress
- assess and review the equality impact of policies and practices
- gather, use and publish employee information
- use information on the characteristics of members or board members gathered by the Scottish Ministers
- publish gender pay gap information
- publish equal pay statements
- consider award criteria and conditions in relation to public procurement
- publish in a manner that is accessible
The purpose of the specific duties is to help listed authorities improve their performance on the general duties. However, complying with the specific duties does not necessarily mean that you are having due regard to the needs of the general duty in all the work that you do.