Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Tackling discrimination, injustice and inequality by embedding equality, diversity and inclusion in everything we do
Fairness is at the heart of the Combined Authority’s work and is a guiding principle in everything it does to improve the lives of the city region’s 1.6 million residents.
We will prioritise those left behind, disadvantaged, or experiencing discrimination, and reduce inequality by changing how public services are delivered.
The authority is pursuing a range of actions to underpin this commitment with significant progress made over the last twelve months to embed equality and diversity into all activities and decision making, while reducing injustice and disadvantage, to deliver a fairer city region.
Our vision for equality, is for a City Region that:
We will do this because nobody’s life chances should be determined by where they were born, the colour of their skin, what they believe, who they love, their gender, chosen or otherwise, or whether they have a disability.
Our Corporate Plan for 2024-28 commits the Combined Authority to taking proactive action to tackle inequality, remove barriers and provide opportunities for all of our residents, increase the range of support available to people experiencing poverty, exclusion and inequality; and to improve equality outcomes across all protected characteristics.
The Equality Act 2010 places a Public Sector Equality Duty on public authorities like the Combined Authority to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunities and foster good relations between people. We consider the equality impact of new projects, and any significant change in existing projects and services through Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs).
The Equality Act 2010 has defined nine protected characteristics: age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation and marriage and civil partnership status.
To comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty, we prepare and publish equality objectives every four years, outlined in our Equality Strategy and in line with our Corporate Plan. We also report on how we comply with our equality duty.
Our Equality Strategy for 2022-26 sets out our equality objectives, details the high-level actions that we will be taking, and how we will measure success. Our equality objectives are embedded in our Corporate Plan for 2024-28, which commits the Combined Authority to taking proactive action to tackle inequality, remove barriers and provide opportunities for all of our residents, increase the range of support available to people experiencing poverty, exclusion and inequality; and to improve equality outcomes across all protected characteristics.
Our Employee Networks and Groups play an invaluable role in the Combined Authority. They are an integral part of our organisation, having a positive impact on our culture, and they represent colleagues with a range of shared characteristics and shared interests. They allow colleagues across different teams and services to network, socialise and collaborate – building great working relationships. Our Employee Networks and Groups are employee-led, meaning that the groups choose to focus on what matters to them.
Our equalities-related networks are: Disability Employee Network, LCR Women TogetHER, LGBT+ Employee Network, Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority Staff Network, Men’s Health NetWork and Parents and Carers Network.
At the Combined Authority, our people are our greatest strength. We value diverse perspectives and experiences; they make us more representative of the communities we serve. We are proud of the work we do to make the Liverpool City Region even better – and proud of the people who make it happen. Find out more about our joining the Combined Authority via our Guidance and Vacancies pages.
As part of our commitment to creating a fairer and more inclusive Liverpool City Region, we are dedicated to embedding equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) into every aspect of our work. Our Equality Champions are internal colleagues that who advocate for inclusion across departments. They help us incorporate inclusion in the policies we develop, the programmes we implement, and the services we invest in, commission, or deliver.
Our goal is for the LCRCA to be an inclusive organisation that truly reflects the diverse communities we serve, celebrates differences, and actively promotes equality. Our Equality Champions play a key role in this; from championing inclusive behaviours and practice, gathering insights and acting as a critical friend, they are essential in promoting an inclusive organisational culture.
We are advancing equality, diversity and inclusion
We continuously strive to embed equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) into every aspect of our work. We are proud of the charter marks we have achieved and frameworks we have adopted, which demonstrate our commitment and our progression towards greater accessibility and inclusion.
