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News from the Equality and Human Rights Commission
Thursday 15 May 2025 |
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Welcome to the latest newsletter from the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
In this edition, you will find a summary of our work in April 2025, including: | |
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| Highlights | | Recent meetings and engagements |
April was another busy month as we promoted our new strategic plan for 2025 to 2028, and equality and human rights more generally.
Amongst our engagements, we discussed our role in ensuring the UK and Welsh governments meet their human rights obligations with Eleanor Sanders (the incoming UK Ambassador for Human Rights and Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN) and Francesco Verducci (Representative at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe).
In our strategic plan, we committed to be an agile regulator. We met with senior leaders at the Health and Safety Executive in response to emerging risks and opportunities.
April also marked an important milestone: the 15th anniversary of the Equality Act 2010 receiving Royal Assent. We hosted a special event in the House of Lords, bringing together parliamentarians and civil society leaders. We reflected on the progress that has been made and reaffirmed our commitment to keep working together for a fairer Britain. | | | Read our strategic plan for 2025 to 2028 | | New videos for employers: Preventing sexual harassment at work |
New guidance videos for employers are now available on our website. They explain the practical steps employers can take to prevent and deal with sexual harassment in the workplace.
The Worker Protection Act 2023 introduced a new legal obligation for employers to take reasonable steps to protect their workers from sexual harassment when it came into force on 26 October 2024. It also gives us the power to take enforcement action where there is evidence of organisations failing to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment. | | | Watch the video about preventing sexual harassment at work |
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| Advising Parliament and governments | | Our response to the Scottish Parliament Finance and Public Administration Committee Inquiry on the budget process | | We welcomed the opportunity to contribute to the Scottish Parliament Finance and Public Administration Committee’s inquiry into the Scottish budget process in practice.
The budget development process has significant implications for protected characteristic groups. We are keen to ensure understanding of the requirements in the equality legal framework, which is primarily through the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED).
We set out PSED and the Scottish Specific Duties (SSD) to the committee, so that those involved in the budget process can scrutinise the Scottish Government’s equality obligations effectively. | | | Read our full letter to the Scottish Parliament Finance and Public Administration Committee |
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| Guidance and advice | | Artificial intelligence (AI) sourcing collaboration with the Local Government Association |
We worked with the Local Government Association and other organisations to produce a guide for English local authorities on buying AI products responsibly.
The new guidance presents a series of questions to help compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty and data protection law when procuring AI. It also supports councils to probe AI-based technology providers on relevant equality and data protection considerations. | | | Learn more about the AI and procurement guide | | Tackling suspect gender pay gap data |
We are responsible for monitoring and enforcing the gender pay gap regulations.
We shared news of recent work to tackle suspect data in Personnel Today. Oliver Varney, our gender pay gap lead, explained how we scrutinise suspect data submitted by employers and enforces gender pay gap regulations.
Oliver explains how employers can ensure they are not submitting suspect data which hides the gender pay gaps in their organisation and provides guidance on how to provide accurate data. | | | Read the article in Personnel Today |
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| Legal and regulatory action | | Update on arrangements for Code of Practice consultation | | We will soon open a public consultation on updates made to our statutory Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations, following the Supreme Court’s judgment in For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers.
We aim to launch the consultation on 19 May and close on 30 June 2025. The consultation will focus on sections of the Code of Practice that required updating following the Supreme Court’s judgment. A draft of the full Code of Practice was consulted on between October 2024 and January 2025.
We are consulting on whether these updates clearly articulate the practical implications of the judgment and enable those who will use the Code to comply with the Equality Act 2010. The Supreme Court made the legal position on the definition of sex clear, so we are not seeking views on those legal aspects.
We will be holding Q&A sessions with stakeholders representing affected protected characteristic groups. These meetings aim to answer questions on the EHRC’s understanding of the Supreme Court’s judgment, the consultation process, where views are being sought and what can and cannot be changed in the draft Code of Practice. Participants will still need to submit a consultation response. We will also meet with the UK, Welsh and Scottish governments, and hold informative briefings for parliamentarians.
Further information on the consultation and how it can be completed will follow when it launches. | | | Read the full update about arrangements for the Code of Practice consultation |
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| Sign up for our newsletter | | We produce a monthly newsletter including updates on our legal and enforcement action, policy briefings, guidance, research and latest announcements. | | | Sign up for our newsletter | |
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