ADD2638 The Mayor’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy

1.1. The GLA has recently undertaken work to review and update the objectives set out in ‘Inclusive London’, the Mayor’s 2018 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy. This fulfils the obligation placed on the Greater London Authority (GLA) by the Equality Act 2010 to set strategic objectives explaining how the GLA will comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty. The new objectives were published in November 2022 pursuant to MD3054.

1.2. The GLA wishes to publish a refreshed Strategy that maintains the same goal – to create a fairer, more equal city – and overarching structure of ‘Inclusive London’ but is updated to reflect the Mayor’s delivery priorities for the current term.

1.3. The GLA procured an external consultancy with specialist knowledge and experience in EDI, on 31 January 2023, following a competitive tendering process, to incorporate the new set of objectives within a refreshed strategy that sets out a broader narrative around the changed nature of inequality in London. The Assistant Director for Communities and Social Policy at the GLA previously approved the appointment of the external consultancy on 20 January 2023. The anticipated cost of rewriting the refreshed Strategy is £15k.

1.4. The GLA will seek to commission a graphic designer to design the Strategy so that is accessible and engaging to a wide audience and will explain the Mayor’s commitment to create a fairer, more equal and integrated city.

1.5. In addition, resourcing is sought for procuring a provider to create alternative and accessible formats, such as British Sign Language, audio, visual, Easy Read and hard copy iterations; as well as translations, if requested, so that no-one is excluded from being able to access the Strategy. Quotes will be sourced for each of these, as required. 

1.6. The anticipated cost is £5k for the activities described in paragraphs 1.4 and 1.5. 

2.1. Objectives: The refreshed Strategy will enable the Mayor to set out in more detail how the GLA proposes to meet its equality, diversity and inclusion objectives published to fulfil the obligations placed on the GLA by the Equality Act 2010.

2.2. An accessible design, along with alternative and accessible formats will make sure that Londoners from a wide range of communities and with different needs will be able to digest the strategy and will not be excluded.

2.3. Outcomes: The Strategy will be accessible and engaging for both an internal and external audience. This will ensure the Strategy has impact and promotes equalities across the GLA Group and across London.

2.4. Outputs: The GLA is working with an EDI specialist to refresh the Mayor’s Strategy and provide suggestions for the design of the final report. The appointed consultant is expected to redraft and produce a report which:

i. sets out a narrative on the drivers of inequality in London

ii. describes the impact of major events, such as the coronavirus pandemic and the cost of living crisis, on inequality in London

iii. sets out the levers available to the Mayor (and those that are not)

iv. outlines action needing to be taken by others

v. reflects the 14 new EDI objectives

vi. is informative, engaging and impactful for the target audience.

2.5. Once the draft Strategy has received Mayoral approval, it will be in alternative and accessible formats, such as British Sign Language, audio, visual, Easy Read and hard copy, as well as translations if requested, to ensure the report is accessible to a wide audience across London.

2.6. The final Strategy will be approved by an MD.

2.7. The Strategy and alternative and accessible formats will be published and made available on the GLA website.

3.1 Under section 149 (1) (a) to (c) of the Equality Act 2010 , as a public authority, the GLA must have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation, and any conduct that is prohibited by or under this Act; to advance equality of opportunity; and foster good relations, between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. Protected characteristics under the 2010 Act are: age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, and marriage or civil partnership status (the duty in respect of this last characteristic is to eliminate unlawful discrimination only).

3.2 The GLA is required to prepare and publish one or more specific and measurable objectives it thinks it should achieve to do any of the things mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (c) of section 149(1) of the 2010 Act.

3.3 Under section 33 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (“GLA Act”), the GLA is required to have in place arrangements to ensure that due regard has been had to equality of opportunity for all people in the exercise of the Mayor’s general powers, as well as in the formulation and/or implementation of the statutory strategies he must publish under section 41 of the GLA Act.

3.4 The Strategy is one of the tools that will demonstrate how the GLA will meet these statutory obligations. It will set out how the Mayor will continue to work to create a fairer, more equal, integrated city where all people feel welcome and able to fulfil their potential.

3.5 The new equality objectives were informed by a process of internal engagement with equity-led groups including Action on Race Equality, the Ubele Initiative, Inclusion London, LGBT Consortium, London Age-friendly Forum, Women’s Resource Centre and GLA staff networks. The refreshed Strategy will explain how the Mayor will meet the new objectives.

3.6 The draft refreshed Strategy will be informed through further engagement with the EDI Advisory Group supplemented by engagement with specific sectors, including: race equality organisations, Deaf and disabled people’s organisations, older Londoners’ groups, LGBTQ+ organisations, and others as part of the ongoing implementation of the Strategy objectives outlined in MD 3054.

3.7 It will be accessible to those with protected characteristics, as it will be produced in a range of different and inclusive formats.

4.1 Key risks and issues

Conflict of interest

4.2 There are no conflicts of interest to note from any of those involved in the drafting or clearance of this form.

5.1. The Assistant Director of Communities and Social Policy approval is sought for the expenditure of £20,000 to prepare a refreshed equality, diversity and inclusion strategy and accessible formats of it, for publication.

5.2. The expenditure is to be funded from EDI Implementation Budget, which is a programme budget. 

5.3. The expenditure is affordable within the budget for 2022-23 and 2023-24.

6.1 Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 provides that the Mayor must have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation, and any conduct that is prohibited by or under this Act; and to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. The duty is set out in full in paragraph 3.1.

6.2 Regulation 5 (1) of the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties and Public Authorities) Regulations 2017 requires the GLA to prepare and publish one or more objectives it thinks it should achieve to do any of the things mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (c) of section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010. Regulation 5 (3) provides that an objective published by a public authority in compliance with paragraph (1) must be specific and measurable.

6.3 Section 33 of the GLA Act provides that the GLA is required to have in place arrangements to ensure that due regard has been had to equality of opportunity for all people in the exercise of the Mayor’s general powers, as well as in the formulation and/or implementation of the statutory strategies he must publish under section 41 of the GLA Act 1999.

6.4 Paragraph 3.4 sets out how the Strategy is one of the tools that will demonstrate how the GLA is meeting its statutory obligations.

7.1 Project milestones and deliverables are itemised in the timeline below