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Publication - Impact assessment

National innovation strategy: equality impact assessment

Published
4 September 2023
Directorate
Economic Development Directorate
Topic
Business, industry and innovation, Economy
ISBN
9781835212585

Summary of results for the Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) undertaken to consider the impacts on equality of the national innovation strategy.

View supporting documents Supporting documents

Stage 3: Assessing the impacts and identifying opportunities to promote equality

Do you think the policy impacts on people because of their age?

Age Positive Negative None Reasons for your decision
Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimisation Yes No No The Scottish Government's Fair Work criteria will be a condition of any Scottish Government funding provided to businesses as a result of the National Innovation Strategy. Businesses that are granted funding will need to demonstrate commitment to the Fair Work and Fair Work First principles and equality and employment law. Commitment to increased access to flexible working, payment of the real Living Wage, lifelong learning and fair employment, and equal pay for men and women, regardless of age, will be required to be demonstrated in any resulting activity relating to the delivery of the National Innovation Strategy.
Advancing equality of opportunity Yes No No According to data gathered, spinout founders tend to be older in age. Encouraging spin out and start up activity in higher education institutions should dissipate to younger academics[81], as part of the work through the Scottish Technology Ecosystem Review (STER) on entrepreneurial campuses and filter through into emerging sectors identified through the National Innovation Strategy.
Promoting good relations among and between different age groups Yes No No A strong theme throughout the National Innovation Strategy is one of participation and collaboration. Encouraging the involvement of young people in innovative activity in each of the Strategy's priority areas, and stimulating skills pipelines and career paths for younger people into high value innovation jobs will be a prerequisite for higher education institutions involved in the Strategy's delivery. The Strategy will work to diversify the innovative workforce as new industries emerge, allowing for more inclusive workplaces for people of all ages.

Do you think the policy impacts disabled people?

Disability Positive Negative None Reasons for your decision
Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimisation Yes No No The Scottish Government's Fair Work criteria will be a condition of any Scottish Government funding provided to businesses. Businesses that are granted funding will need to demonstrate commitment to the Fair Work and Fair Work First principles and equality and employment law. Commitment to increased use of flexible working along with a commitment to paying the real Living Wage and equal pay for disabled and non-disabled workers will also be required to be demonstrated.
Advancing equality of opportunity Yes No No Innovation can help to improve universally accessible technology and work processes, and work will be done to encourage businesses to adopt these inclusive technologies and processes within the workplace. The Scottish Government has invested £75 million in the National Manufacturing Institute of Scotland (NMIS). NMIS is already looking at manufacturing technologies which will help disabled people overcome some of the traditional workplace challenges.
Promoting good relations among and between disabled and non-disabled people Yes No No The low carbon transition of industry will promote good relations with disabled and non-disabled people, through reducing the carbon emissions and waste, ensuring better health, a more prosperous economy and improving the environment. Whilst the National Innovation Strategy promotes good relations among disabled and non-disabled people, it is recognised that disabled people, who may be in lower skilled jobs may be disproportionately affected by any phasing out of low skilled jobs due to the introduction of new technology and industries. Therefore equality of opportunity must be considered in the emergence of new jobs created in emerging highly innovative industries.

Do you think the policy impacts on people proposing to undergo, undergoing, or who have undergone a process for the purpose of reassigning their sex?

(NB: the Equality Act 2010 uses the term 'transexual people' but 'trans people is more commonly used)

Gender Reassignment Positive Negative None Reasons for your decision
Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimisation Yes No No The Scottish Government's Fair Work criteria will be a condition any Innovation Strategy-related funding. Businesses that are granted funding will need to demonstrate commitment to the Fair Work and Fair Work First principles and equality and employment law.
Advancing equality of opportunity Yes No No The Scottish Government's Fair Work criteria will be at the heart of the Innovation Strategy, helping to tackle inequalities faced by individuals in this group, and ensuring no one is left behind.
Promoting good relations Yes No No The opportunity the National Innovation Strategy presents to diversify the workforce and work processes will allow for more inclusive workplaces for this group in emerging and highly innovative sectors, ensuring that all workers have equality of opportunity, improved workplace flexibility and parity of pay.

Do you think that the policy impacts on women and men in different ways?

Sex Positive Negative None Reasons for your decision
Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimisation Yes No No The Scottish Government's Fair Work criteria is at the heart of the Innovation Strategy. Businesses that are granted funding will need to demonstrate commitment to the Fair Work and Fair Work First principles and equality and employment law. The National Innovation Strategy will align with the Scottish Government's Fair Work Action Plan.[82] This is a refreshed action plan setting out actions to promote fair and inclusive workplaces across Scotland. This incorporates actions on tackling the gender pay gap, the disability employment gap, and our anti-racist employment strategy, driving fair work practices for all. The plan includes ensuring new skills investment focuses on areas of job growth aligning with the Scottish Government's National Mission for job creation, regardless of gender. The National Innovation Strategy creates an opportunity to support this commitment in our plan by breaking down barriers to emerging and high growth sectors.
Advancing equality of opportunity Yes No No The National Innovation Strategy will work to identify those 'hidden entrepreneurs' currently not as visible in Scotland's Innovation Ecosystem, address the particular barriers they face to accessing support via each of the Strategy's programmes. The Scottish Government's Fair Work criteria will be a condition of any funding provided to businesses, helping to tackle inequalities faced by women and men and ensuring no one is left behind, by: addressing the gender pay gap that exists between women and male counterparts; investing in workforce development; creating a more diverse and inclusive workplace; and ensure the appropriate use of zero hour contracts (which offer more flexibility and may widely benefit people who may be unable to commit to set working hours due to child care needs). The Scottish Government is undertaking work on attracting and retaining talent in Scotland. As part of this they are considering how to attract and retain women in industrial careers.
Promoting good relations among and between men and women Yes No No Whilst the National Innovation Strategy promotes good relations among men and women it is recognised that women, who are more likely to be over-represented in lower skilled and lower paid jobs, may be disproportionately affected by any phasing out of these low skilled jobs due to the introduction new technology or industries. Skills Development Scotland are working with the Scottish Government and other partner organisations to promote gender equality across National Training Programmes.[83]

Do you think that the policy impacts on women because of pregnancy and maternity?

Pregnancy and Maternity Positive Negative None Reasons for your decision
Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimisation Yes No No The Scottish Government's Fair Work criteria will be at the heart of the Innovation Strategy. Businesses that are granted funding will need to demonstrate commitment to the Fair Work and Fair Work First principles and equality and employment law.
Advancing equality of opportunity Yes No No The Scottish Government's Fair Work criteria will be a condition of any Innovation Strategy-related funding, helping to tackle inequalities faced by this group and ensuring no one is left behind.
Promoting good relations Yes No No The opportunity the National Innovation Strategy presents to diversify the workforce and work processes will allow for more inclusive workplaces for this group in emerging and highly innovative sectors, ensuring that all workers have equality of opportunity, improved workplace flexibility and parity of pay.

Do you think the policy impacts on people because of their marriage or civil partnership?

Marriage and Civil Partnership[84] Positive Negative None Reasons for your decision
Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimisation Yes No No The Scottish Government's Fair Work criteria will be at the heart of the National Innovation Strategy. Businesses that are granted funding will need to demonstrate commitment to the Fair Work and Fair Work First principles and equality and employment law.

Do you think the policy impacts on people on the grounds of their race?

Race Positive Negative None Reasons for your decision
Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimisation Yes No No The Scottish Government's Fair Work criteria will be at the heart of the National Innovation Strategy. Businesses that are granted funding will need to demonstrate commitment to the Fair Work and Fair Work First principles and equality and employment law.
Advancing equality of opportunity Yes No No The Scottish Government's Fair Work criteria will be at the heart of the National Innovation Strategy, helping to tackle inequalities faced by women and men in this group, and ensuring no one is left behind.
Promoting good relations Yes No No The opportunity the National Innovation Strategy presents to diversify the workforce and work processes will allow for more inclusive workplaces for this group in emerging and highly innovative sectors, ensuring that all workers have equality of opportunity, improved workplace flexibility and parity of pay.

Do you think the policy impacts on people on the grounds of their religion or belief?

Religion or belief Positive Negative None Reasons for your decision
Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimisation Yes No No The Scottish Government's Fair Work criteria will be at the heart of the Innovation Strategy. Businesses that are granted funding will need to demonstrate commitment to the Fair Work and Fair Work First principles and equality and employment law.
Advancing equality of opportunity Yes No No The Scottish Government's Fair Work criteria will be at the heart of the National Innovation Strategy, helping to tackle inequalities faced by women and men in this group, and ensuring no one is left behind.
Promoting good relations Yes No No The opportunity the National Innovation Strategy presents to diversify the workforce and work processes will allow for more inclusive workplaces for this group in emerging and highly innovative sectors, ensuring that all workers have equality of opportunity, improved workplace flexibility and parity of pay.

Do you think that the policy impacts on people because of their sexual orientation?

Sexual orientation Positive Negative None Reasons for your decision
Eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimisation Yes No No The Scottish Government's Fair Work criteria will be a condition any Innovation Strategy-related funding. Businesses that are granted funding will need to demonstrate commitment to the Fair Work and Fair Work First principles and equality and employment law.
Advancing equality of opportunity Yes No No The Scottish Government's Fair Work criteria will be at the heart of the National Innovation Strategy, helping to tackle inequalities faced by individuals in this group, and ensuring no one is left behind.
Promoting good relations Yes No No The opportunity the National Innovation Strategy presents to diversify the workforce and work processes will allow for more inclusive workplaces for this group in emerging and highly innovative sectors, ensuring that all workers have equality of opportunity, improved workplace flexibility and parity of pay.

Contact

Email: innovation@gov.scot

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