Lantra Skills Matching Service: equality impact assessment

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Skills matching service recruitment on basis of skills and suitability for post, rather than age. Protected characteristics only shared with the permission of the applicant when there is commitment to interview. This supports employers to make decisions based on skills rather than specific characteristics. This means age discrimination is less likely.

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Allows for individuals regardless of age to get critical work experience in animal welfare settings. Also increases the scope of recruitment by increasing the range of applicants (geographic and sectoral) as currently recruitment is often through word of mouth only.

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Aimed at all people of working age. Suitable matches can potentially promote good relations between different age groups, especially where an older farmer has employed a younger person. As above, protected characteristics only shared with the permission of the applicant when there is commitment to interview.

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As above, 'information that an employer should know' is only shared when there is a commitment to interview, to ensure that there is no discrimination in the assessment of applications.

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Due to the above, disabled people are potentially more likely to get to interview stage and hopefully to be appointed.

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Due to very low numbers of applicants / vacancies it is unlikely there will be more than one applicant per business, or that there will be a high enough number of applications from those with disabilities for this to be measurable. Lantra itself is a Disability Confident Employer and where it can shares this practice with others (see Skills Summit report). Where there are positive examples however, case studies will be shared.

Translating the guidance into Easy Read could help to eliminate discrimination, but is also designed to promote equality of opportunity and to foster good relations between people by ensuring access to information for people who have a distinct communication need and those who do not.

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Applications screened and sorted based on skills, not sex.

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Offering women (an under-represented group in land-based industries) greater opportunities to get experience working in animal welfare and agricultural settings.

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By helping to increase the range of applicants for vacancies, there will be a corresponding increase in the number of applicants that are women. Increasing applications from women may help to address the historical gender imbalance in this industry and help to foster good relations. This could also demonstrate to employers, who are predominantly men, that women are keen and able to work in these roles, when the vacancies are communicated and 'advertised' openly (as opposed to a discussion at the mart).

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As this will mainly be operating during the pandemic, pregnant women have been encouraged to shield. It may be that some could miss out on opportunities as a result, but this would not be due to the SMS service.

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As above.

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As above.

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As mentioned earlier, the skills matching service will help to ensure recruitment is based on skills and suitability for post. Whether someone is trans will not be recorded or shared with employers.

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As above

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As above, when they are in post, or even at interview, it should be clear that this would not impact on their capability for the role.

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As mentioned earlier, the skills matching service will help to ensure recruitment is based on skills and suitability for post, and not be influenced by sexual orientation. Only recorded protected characteristics will be shared with the permission of the applicant when there is commitment to interview, and as above this is not one that is recorded (GDPR requires that only what is relevant to the task is recorded).

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As above

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As above, when they are in post, or even at interview, it should be clear that this would not impact on their capability for the role.

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As mentioned earlier, the skills matching service will help to ensure recruitment is based on skills and suitability for post, and should not be influenced by race. Information on the applicant is only shared with the employer when there is commitment to interview, and race is not a factor that is recorded during their application.

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As above

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As above, when they are in post, or even at interview, it should be clear that this would not impact on their capability for the role.

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The SMS matching process is based on skills and suitability for post, and should not be influenced by religion or belief, not least as this is not recorded, so it can't be shared when there is commitment to interview.

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As above

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As above, when they are in post, or even at interview, it should be clear that this would not impact on their capability for the role.