SYFR Template for Equality Impact Assessments
Introduction
You may find it helpful to read Equality Impact Assessments: Guidance for Conducting
Assessments. Examples of assessments and other useful information can be found in the Equality
& Diversity section of the intranet.
Remember that the outcome of any equality impact assessment (EIA) should be service
improvement. At the conclusion of the assessment these improvements should be documented in
the action plan and added to your business plan.
This document is a standard template designed to make you consider the needs of all kinds of
people in the community.
NB: Please highlight and overtype all italic writing ONLY in the following boxes.
Title of EIA – Procurement Strategy (generic)
Part 1 – What are the aims of the service/policy you are assessing?
1.1 What is being assessed? Is it new or is it an existing service/policy?
What is the main aim or purpose of the service/policy
The procurement strategy of SYFR, as procurement “cross cuts” across different areas and sections
this is a generic assessment aimed at encompassing all procurement but has specific permutations
to Transport, Supplies and Property Services. It is an existing policy and the “ whole process of
acquisition from third parties and covers goods, services and construction projects. This process
spans the whole life cycle from the initial concept of business need through to the end of the useful
life of an asset or end of a services contract”. (Gershon – 1999)
1.2 Who is responsible for the service/policy? Who are the members of the assessment
team? Who is responsible for the assessment?
All procurers have responsibility to adhere to the strategy; however the main thrust of the
procurement activity falls on the three service heads of the Transport, Supplies and Property
Services.
Fleet Manager – Transport Section
Supplies Officer – Supplies Section
Capital Projects and Environmental Manager – Property Services
Joint responsibility for the Procurement Strategy and EIA.
The Assessment was undertaken by the Fleet Manager and the Asset Management assessment
team.
1.3 Who implements the service/policy? Is the service/policy provided solely by the
team/service/directorate or in conjunction with another team/service/directorate, agency or
contractor? If external agencies are involved, what actions are going to be put in place to
ensure that they comply with the Authority’s Equality and Diversity policies?
The strategy is implemented by members of the main procuring sections, however it is used by
others sections of SYFR
The majority of the strategy will be delivered by members of the departments and other employees
within SYFR. There will also be a need to work with partner agencies/suppliers.
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All external suppliers with an estimate expenditure of over £20,000 will be approached with a view to
ascertaining their E&Q credentials by means of a questionnaire. Partners will also be encouraged to
support SYFRs E & D strategy and Dignity at work policy when working on joint initiatives.
1.4 To what extent does the service/policy have an impact on people? Who is affected by the
service/policy and how?
The strategy has minimal impact on people both internally and externally in its own right; however
the “knock on” effect may informally promulgate the Equality and Diversity development of suppliers
by increasing their awareness and in some cases have an effect on the suppliers staff.
1.5 How has the service/ policy been promoted or explained to these groups of people?
What analysis has been done to identify if the service/policy is meeting the needs of ALL
these groups of people?
The strategy will be made available to all staff within the Service via its availability on the
internet/website.
The assessment team have assessed as detailed in part 3 of this document, Equality and Diversity
is well covered in the Procurement Strategy.
A new Procurement Strategy is currently being developed that will be subject to extensive
consultation with key stakeholders
Part 2 – What data and research do you need to consider?
You need to assess whether certain groups of people may be experiencing a barrier to accessing
your service and /or be disadvantaged by your policy. This section should help you identify the sort
of information that will help you to do this.
2.1 What data, information or results of consultation exercises are available to you to use in
your assessment?
The procurement strategy contents – all functional heads will receive a copy of the procurement
strategy and will be able to determine whether the strategy meets their needs, or adversely impacts
any of their staff, customers or others. We are looking currently at how much the authority spends
by category.
The results of the questionnaire mentioned earlier that will be included when purchase enquiries or
tenders are distributed, returned results being analysed at tender/quotation analysis stage.
Feedback questionnaires from customers will also be analysed.
2.2 What does the information tell you about the value of the service/policy to those intended
to benefit from it? What complaints have been made about the service/policy and have they
been from minority groups of staff/customers?
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With regard to all external facing policies and procedures there is currently insufficient information
available. The same applies to all internally focussed aspects. Very few (if any)complaints/nonconformances have been received regarding the procurement strategy, however the EIA aspect of it
has never been promoted before and may provide further information to inform the process.
Internally, feedback is regular and instant and any complaints are resolved by the managers.
Discipline and fairness at work procedures exist for the resolution of any problems. WE will also be
looking at the spend profile
2.3 Does the information suggest that this service/policy could have a differential impact on
certain groups of people?
Although there is insufficient evidence available to confirm whether the organisations procurement
strategy has a differential impact on certain groups of people, there is equally no detrimental
negative impact
The strategy contains an assurance that we will seek to develop diverse and competitive sources of
supply, including procurement from ethnic minority businesses, small firms, social enterprises, and
wherever possible consider the business case for sourcing from these sectors.
Guidance will be developed and published on the website on how to do business with SYFR,
together with details of forthcoming supply opportunities and contact details.
Part 3 – Assessment of impact
Testing of differential (adverse, neutral or positive) impact of service/policy on groups of
people.
This section asks you to assess the impact of the service/policy in relation to people across the six
strands of diversity covered by the Equality Standard for Local Government and SYFR Equality and
Diversity Scheme, along with any impacts on other groups which may be relevant to our services.
3.1 Using the information available, identify the effects on this service/policy on the following
groups
Note: that you may be able to justify a positive differential impact on grounds of promoting equal
outcomes for under represented or disadvantaged groups within the law
See glossary of terms in guidance to assist you.
(Please tick the appropriate box)
RACE
Adverse Neutral Positive Explain your answer
Impact
Impact impact
*
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There is no evidence to suggest that the
procurement strategy has any implications but
SYFR will adopt the recommendations contained in
the Commission for Racial Equality Publication
“Race Equality and Procurement in Local
Government” in its procedures.
*
No evidence to suggest that the procurement
strategy has any implications
*
No evidence to suggest that the procurement
strategy has any implications
SEXUAL
ORIENTATION
(Heterosexual,
bisexual people.
Lesbians, Gay men)
*
No evidence to suggest that the procurement
strategy has any implications
RELIGION/BELIEF
(and Faith)
*
No evidence to suggest that the procurement policy
has any implications
OTHER
(Additional groups that
may experience
impacts)
*
No evidence to suggest that the procurement
strategy has any implications
DISABLED PEOPLE
AGE
(Across the whole age
spectrum)
Part 4 – Identifying the changes & improvements you need to make
For any area of adverse impact you will need to consider making changes. If sufficiently
adverse to amount to illegal discrimination you will need to consider the option of
abandoning the policy/service approach causing the adverse impact.
4.1 In Section 3, did you identify any adverse impact? Could it be illegal?
No adverse affects currently identified.
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4.2 How can the barriers be removed or disadvantage minimised? How can you make sure
that this situation is avoided in the future?
The main course of action is to undertake EIAs on service functions, policies, practices and
procedures and monitor and review the outcomes.
4.3
What equality monitoring, evaluation, review systems will be set up to carry out regular
checks on the effects of the policy/service?
An annual procurement meeting attended by the three main procuring sections with a standing
agenda item of Equality and Diversity. Each of the main procuring area belongs in the Finance and
Resources Directorate and will also be an agenda item at the more frequent section heads meeting.
Where appropriate the more detailed actions of this EIA will be reviewed as part of that meeting
process. Any new and emerging objectives will be identified and discussed within this whole
directorate format.
We will be looking at questionnaire results, to see if they mirror the community we are working in.
Date
completed
Jan 2009
Signed by (Manager
conducting the EIA)
A. Stevens
Part 5 – Equality impact assessment action plan
Please use this section to develop an Action Plan to implement the key recommendations of the equality
impact assessment:
Please note that this Action Plan should address any concerns or issues related to equality and diversity that
have been identified in the equality impact assessment
This plan should be integrated into your Service/Business Plan.
Recommendations
Actions
Required
Timeframe
Resources
required /
Costs
Lead Officer
Responsible
Relevant
Outcome/Performance
Indicator
Review process may
identify specific
procurement activities
that require a “stand
alone” assessment.
Undertake
annual
review
As & when
Procurement
Managers
time
Procurement
Managers
Report any individual
assessment
requirements to
service head meeting
and also invite
suggestions from
participants, log
outcome as a ratio
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against product
range?
Establish a regular
departmental EIA
monitoring process
Linked to the
Questionnaire data
analysis review
practices
Set up E &
Ongoing
D within the
Directorate
meeting
involving all
participants.
Section
heads
Head of
Function
New and emerging E
& D objectives and
targets included in
departmental plans.
Set any
new
objectives
and include
in 2009-10
business
plan
Part 6 – Equality impact assessment summary report
The results of equality impact assessments must be presented to the Fire & Rescue Authority &
published on SYFR website. Please complete this summary, which will be used to report the EIA to
the Fire and Rescue Authority. Please return the completed Equality Impact Assessment to the
Equality & Diversity Manager.
Date of
assessment
15/01/09
Manager’s name
Richard Gould
Role
Supplies Officer
Service/ policy that was
impact assessed
Procurement Strategy
Summary of findings
recommendations and key
points of action plan
Complete EIAs for the Procurement Strategy
Establish routine agenda at Directorate Meeting
Programme annual review of strategy
Strategy and EIA to be communicated to other function heads
Quality review meeting (analysis of complaints, non-conformances
and questionnaires).
Note: A new Procurement Strategy is currently being developed
which will actively focus on E & D issues
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