One of our core organisational values is to promote high quality services that care for, support and protect the people of Devon.  Equality brings quality for everyone and the creation of a fairer society where everyone can participate and achieve their potential.  

Equality is not about treating everyone the same; equality is about valuing a person ‘as an equal’ regardless of their characteristics and treating people according to their needs in order to achieve an equal or fair outcome.  An equal society values human diversity, recognising that diversity brings a range of skills, knowledge, values, styles, perspectives and ideas that secure Devon’s future as a place where people want to live, work and prosper, and challenges the inequalities that destroy this diversity in our society and organisations.  

Freedom from discrimination and equality of opportunity are basic rights.  Devon County Council is committed to challenging inequality and celebrating diversity to achieve its Vision of Fairness and Equality (522KB - pdf help):

• People achieve their own potential and a good quality of life
• Everyone can use or access our services, facilities or information
• There is public influence over decision-making, planning, policy and service delivery
• Devon is a stronger, safer and inclusive community
• People have trust and confidence in us to report incidents or abuse or discrimination
• Across all levels, our workforce is supported and reflects the community

Working through the Devon Strategic Partnership, we have signed up to a Joint Declaration for Equality (89KB - pdf help). Through this, we will work together with our partners on joint projects, pooling our resources where it will help to achieve our Vision.

Under the Equality Act 2010, as a public authority we have legal duties to: 1) Eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other prohibited conduct.  2) Advance equality of opportunity.  3) Foster good relations between people. 4) Publish objectives (266KB - pdf help) to demonstrate how we will meet 1-3 above and publish information on our performance.

The duties apply to nine ‘protected characteristics’:  age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership (in relation to point 1 at work), pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation.

The Council acknowledges and welcomes its legal duties and uses the legislation and national guidance as a framework to improve or maintain standards and be accountable to the people it serves.  However we are not only driven by legislation - our policy and work programmes are also in response to local needs.

Equality objectives and considerations need to be built into our everyday work - from strategic planning, policy and decision-making right through to how we commission, support or deliver services and employ staff.  This requires leadership, political commitment and ownership across all parts of the organisation as well as effective performance monitoring, scrutiny and engagement with individuals, groups and organisations.

Also on devon.gov.uk

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