Making Scotland's future - a recovery plan for manufacturing: equality impact assessment

Background

The manufacturing sector, its workers and those tasked with supporting them face the greatest challenge in generations. What began as a public health crisis has become a global economic crisis - growth has stalled, businesses have had to close and there have been many job losses with the likelihood of more to come. The pandemic has also highlighted, and in many cases worsened, the inequalities in our society with those with the least before the crisis often worst affected by both the health and economic impacts.

That is why Fair Work is more important than ever and must be at the heart of our economic recovery and renewal, ensuring that the inequalities in Scottish society are addressed and that every single individual is given the same chance to achieve their potential. The Scottish Government's dedication to this agenda is long-standing and is shared by partners across the public, private and third sectors, trade unions and others who will help us develop and deliver this recovery plan.

Given the importance of assessing the socio-economic impact and the impact on each of the protected characteristics, the Scottish Government has considered the actions set out in the plan against the needs of the general equality duty as set out in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010. The Scottish Government has also considered whether the measures could constitute direct and/or indirect discrimination.