Equality outcomes and mainstreaming report 2023: easy read

Part 3: Equality Outcomes

In 2021, the Scottish Government set out equality outcomes up to 2025.

An equality outcome is a commitment for us to increase equality, inclusion and human rights across our work

Here are some of the main achievements and what will happen next.

Policy Outcomes

Equality Outcome 1

By 2025 we will get better data on the characteristics of people in Scotland and find the information that is missing.

Equality data will be used more often to develop and change services.

Main achievements

Our Equality Data Improvement Programme includes:

• guidance on questions to ask when collecting equality information

• examples of good ways to collect data from public services

Next Steps

We will work on actions in the Equality Evidence Strategy 2023-2025, including having:

• better data held on systems

• more detailed checking of data we already have

Equality Outcome 2

By 2025 public services will use inclusive communication - things like easy read, braille, audio, British Sign Language, captions and plain text.

More people in Scotland will report that their communications needs are being met when they get public services.

Main achievements

We have asked people what they think about having a new rule to make sure inclusive communication is used by local councils.

Next steps

We will work with public services, advocacy groups and people with lived experience to develop this work.

Lived experience means what has happened to people.

Equality Outcome 3

By 2025 we will have worked to improve the health of people with a protected characteristic.

We will focus on sex, race, age and disability and how COVID has affected some groups of people more than others.

Main achievements

In 2021 we published ourWomen's Health Plan.

In January 2023 we appointed a Women's Health Champion, and we published our report on the work in the plan.

We have started a group to improve race equality in health and social care.

Group members have had 'Anti-Racist Leadership Development' sessions.

Next steps

We will make the recommendations from the Independent Review of Adult Social Care happen by making a National Care Service.

Equality Outcome 4

By 2025 outcomes for women, disabled people and ethnic minorities who are looking to get a job, will have got better.

Employer practice will have improved, workforces will be more diverse and employers will work to make sure their workplaces treat people fairly.

Main achievements

The Workplace Equality Fund gives money for employers to make it easier for people to get jobs.

We have funded projects that focus on disability, race, gender, and age.

We published our new Fair Work Action Plan in December 2022.

Next steps

We will have an equal pay audit looking at pay gaps by disability, gender, race and age by March 2024.

By the end of 2025 we will check and change the way we get and keep staff so that our workplace treats everyone fairly.

Equality Outcome 5

The National Transport Strategy will make sure transport services are easier to get and use and that people can afford them.

Main achievements

We have free bus travel for under 22s, disabled people and the over 60s.

Next steps

We are asking people what they think about rail services in Scotland.

A Fair Fares Review will look at discounts and concessionary schemes on transport.

Equality Outcome 6

People who have experience of not being treated fairly will be more involved in designing policy and ways of working that affect them.

Main achievements

Our Participation Framework gives a guide to good ways of doing participation work across Scottish Government.

Next steps

Our Equality and Human Rights Mainstreaming Strategy will develop ways to work with and listen to people's lived experience and the knowledge of organisations that work with them.

Equality Outcome 7

By 2025, our workforce will be more diverse and will look like the people who live in Scotland.

Main achievements:

The Scottish Government workforce has a greater mix of different kinds of people.

Since November 2020 there are more people in the Scottish Government from each of these groups:

• female
• aged between 16 and 29
• LGBTI+
• disabled
• from an ethnic minority
• from a religious background that is not Christian

What happens next

We will do the work in our action plans to make sure we have a greater mix of different kinds of people in our workforce.

Equality Outcome 8:

By 2025 our workplaces will be more inclusive, with employees from all backgrounds, characteristics and experiences reporting they feel more valued.

Main achievements

In 2021 more Scottish Government staff felt they were treated fairly than ever before.

In 2021 less Scottish Government staff experienced discrimination, bullying and harassment than ever before.

The facts, figures and information show that some groups have much worse experiences than other groups.

What happens next?

The work in our action plans will support us to have a more inclusive workplace.