Implement an equality plan

Having an effective equality plan in place will enable you to coordinate all equality-related work throughout your business. In addition, it will allow you to prepare for upcoming developments in legislation and best practice.

Advantages of having an equality plan

Developing a workplace equality plan can produce a number of business benefits.

It can help you:

• identify gaps and potential problem areas in your business
• raise awareness of your business's commitment to equality
• demonstrate actions undertaken to avoid discrimination in case of tribunal proceedings
• carry out equality training and awareness with employees
• access private investment, public procurement, and funding where commitment to equality of opportunity may be an eligibility factor

Your equality plan will also ensure that you revise your other employment policies eg bullying and harassment and redundancy policies, to ensure they also comply with equality standards.

Developing an equality plan with the Equality Commission

You can receive support from the Equality Commission to develop an equality plan for your business.

By accessing this support, you will also avail of their full range of speciality knowledge, training, guidance, and support and you will be able to work with Equality Commission staff to develop examples of good practice which could be promoted on the Equality Commission website. See equality plans.

Business benefits of an equality plan

Watch the video below of Paul Oakes, Manager of the Advisory Services Team at the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, who explains how a business can benefit from developing an equality plan.

Paul also details the four steps a business should take when implementing an equality plan and explains how the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland can provide various means of support to businesses.