Equality in Employment

The Northwest Regional Development Agency is an equal opportunities employer.  In declaring a commitment to the promotion of equality of opportunity, the NWDA welcomes applications from all sections of the community irrespective of their social identity.

The NWDA believes that valuing and managing diversity is about recognising and appreciating individual needs and differences and treating everyone with dignity and respect.

Our equal opportunity objectives:

• valuing and respecting diversity and benefiting from our differences
• creating a positive, safe, accessible environment and culture in which discrimination has no part and where everyone can achieve their full potential
• listening to, engaging and collaborating with a wide range of partners and staff in order to continually improve our equality practice
• promoting equal opportunities in all aspects of employment
• supporting positive action programmes where there is a clearly identified need
• embedding equal opportunities into all employment and business decisions by developing systems and processes which are accessible and transparent
• ensuring all projects and programmes supported by NWDA investment include equality and diversity core components
• being accountable by target setting, monitoring, evaluating and reviewing progress on a regular basis
• taking necessary action when non-compliance with the Policy is identified
• securing resources to ensure that this commitment is achieved.

The NWDA is committed to valuing diversity by promoting and implementing equality of opportunity in all its activities.  This commitment is based on the rationale that improving the business success and performance of the region depends on all its people having a stake in its future.  Achieving this will depend on developing and implementing the business case for equality and promoting policies to achieve sustainable communities and social inclusion as outlined in the Regional Economic Strategy. 

We recognise that we can improve equal opportunities by making our activities more responsive to different and various individual and community needs.  The NWDA values the diversity of the population of the region and wants its activities to be accessible, relevant and meaningful to everyone.

We will work towards an environment and culture where everyone is encouraged and supported to develop their full potential regardless of gender, race, ethnic origin, disability, age, sexuality, marital status, nationality, religion, political affiliation, class or any other individual characteristics which may limit a person’s opportunities in life.

The aim of this policy is to ensure that the NWDA is an organisation that recognises and values diversity and intends to be a leading edge example of good practice. This will be achieved by implementing equal opportunities across the whole spectrum of the NWDA's business, the three main dimensions of this being:

• As an employer
• As a deliverer of programmes
• By playing a leadership role through partnership and facilitation.

In brief, the NWDA believes that valuing and managing diversity is about recognising and appreciating individual needs and differences and treating everyone with dignity and respect.

This commitment is underpinned by the relevant legislation that includes:

• Equal Pay Act 1970 (amended by Equal Pay regulations 1983)
• Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
• Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (amended 1986; Gender Reassignment Regulations 1999; Indirect Discrimination and Burden of Proof Regulations 2001)
• Race Relations Amendment Act 2000 
• Disability Discrimination Act 1995
• Protection from Harassment Act 1997
• Human Rights Act 1998.
• Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006