Collecting Equality Data
14th May 2015
The importance of collecting and analysing equality data cannot be underestimated for both organisations, and employees.
Many organisations need to identify and transform equality data into robust information and meaningful evidence, often crucial for building a business case to support change.
What do I need to know about collecting equality data?
There are several areas that you need to understand that will enable your organisation to more effectively collect, analyse and produce coherent data to support all your equality, diversity and inclusion programmes:
1. Understand the context and range of equality data
Equality data is a rich seam of people information that includes the legal characteristics but goes much further. It should cover all aspects of working life including; recruitment, working patterns and conditions of employment, promotions, grievances and leaving employment.
2. Describe what constitutes equality data in the context of the Equality Act 2010.
The Equality Act 2010 sets out 9 protected characteristics upon which equality data is based. These should be seen as anchors on which to build further datasets to provide a robust and comprehensive picture of equality/diversity in an organisation.
3. Articulate the concepts, content and uses of equality data to a wider audience
Developing an understanding for people not involved in equality/diversity matters around the make-up, utilisation and importance of equality data can be difficult. Being able to present equality data in a concise and intelligible way is fundamental in making progress in equality, diversity and inclusion.
4. Identify different uses and applications for equality data sets to progress equality / diversity / inclusion
Equality data is a useful element of organisational planning and development. It provides insights into the historical, current and potential composition of an organisation. Consequently it can support important decisions on what an organisation wants to be in the future.
5. Utilise and understand the importance of equality data in applying for external equality / diversity awards
The demonstration of the progress made by an organisation in equality & diversity can be enhanced through gaining external awards. Robust, coherent and understandable equality data is vital in the attainment of external awards.
How do I learn how to start collecting equality data?
Built in partnership with Diversity & Equality specialist Michael Howard, Marshall’s Equality Data course provides an excellent introduction or refresher in understanding the context, range, constituents and uses of equality data.
All our Equality and Diversity elearning courses are highly interactive with rich graphics and audio-visual content, blending a variety of question-types and gamification to encourage learners to apply the learning in their daily lives.
All our e-learning courses come with Marshall Learning Management System, providing your organisation with the ability to manage all your e-learning and track completed training all from one place.
For a free demonstration of Marshall’s new course or to find out more about our other e-learning courses, please call us on 0845 123 3909 or just complete this short form and we’ ll be in touch very soon.
