Equality Impact Assessment (EIA)

What is an Equality Impact Assessment?

An Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) is a tool that helps the University make sure our policies, processes, procedures and practices (hereafter, referred collectively as 'the initiative') do what they are intended to do and are inclusive for staff, students and visitors.

Carrying out an EIA before a new initiative or during revising an existing initiative helps support good decision making and involves systematically assessing the likely (or actual) effects of our activities on people relating to the nine protected characteristics (age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage & civil partnership, pregnancy & maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation) and  other University relevant characteristics as parenting and caring responsibilities, part-time working, and socio-economic background.

This includes looking for opportunities to promote equality that may have previously been missed or could be better used, as well as negative or adverse impacts that can be removed or mitigated, where possible. If any negative or adverse impacts amount to unlawful discrimination, they must be removed.

Completing an EIA for your initiative at the University

The Equality & Inclusion Unit (EIU) has launched a refreshed approach to completing Equality Impact assessments (EIAs) which is simpler and streamlined for services and teams to consider the equality impact of their initiatives, which includes new or revised policies, procedures, processes, programmes, products and variations thereof, on staff, students and other stakeholders (like visitors, vendors, etc.) for the university.

The assessment, submitted online through a MS form, asks services/teams leading on the initiative to consider five key questions to assess whether the initiative has positive or neutral, or negative impact on any of the characteristics listed above.

The EIA MS form submitted online, and detailed guidance to complete it can be accessed through the intranet.

Access the EIA intranet page

When should an EIA be carried out?

The EIA should be done when the need for a new policy or practice is identified, or when an existing one is reviewed.

Equality & Inclusion Unit (EIU) can offer advice and guidance on various aspects of EIA like designing  consultation, understanding the impact, or accessing equality data (where available).

Please contact: '[email protected]' if you’d like further information or to discuss your initiative from an EIA perspective.