Valuing Equality & Diversity

What is Equality and Diversity?

Diversity is all about valuing and embracing people's differences.  These can be many and varied including:

• Race

• Culture

• Nationality

• Gender

• Sexual orientation

• Age

• Marital status

• Religion

• Ethnicity

• Disability

• Socio-economic differences

• Family composition

Equality on the other hand is about making sure people are treated fairly and given fair chances. Equality is not about treating everyone in the same way, but rather recognising people’s needs are met in different ways. 

Equality focuses on those areas covered by the law, namely the key areas of race, gender, disability and, more recently, religion or belief, age and sexual orientation. Amendments to legislation add a duty for us to actively promote race, disability and gender equality and avoid discrimination by acting before it happens.

Eastbourne Homes Equality and Diversity Policy Statement

Eastbourne Homes celebrates the diversity of society and will promote and reflect that within our organisation.  Everyone has the right to define their own identity and we will demonstrate zero tolerance towards attitudes & behaviour that amount to discrimination, victimisation and harassment.

We recognise that one size does not fit all and will provide excellent services and an environment in which everyone is valued and can access equal opportunities in both service delivery and employment, regardless of race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion and faith, culture or family and marital status.

Equality and Diversity Strategy

We have a comprehensive Equality and Diversity Strategy, and Action Plan, which is a key driver for Eastbourne Homes to deliver excellent services and sets out our equality commitments and strategic objectives for the period 2008 to 2011. 

Our approach is a flexible one that supports activities to address inequality, which whilst employing different processes, has also developed into a family of schemes directed to this common aim.  These schemes are set out below.

• Race Equality Scheme
• Disability Equality Scheme
• Gender Equality Scheme
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans People Equality Scheme

During 2008-9 we will also be adding the following:

• Religion and Belief Equality Scheme
• Age Equality Scheme

This strategy and the family of equality schemes will guide the equality work of Eastbourne Homes and those delivering services on our behalf.  For more information about equality and diversity in Eastbourne Homes please click on the links to the left.  

Links to other organisations

For more information about equality legislation please use the link to the right which will take you directly to the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which from 1st October 2007 has merged the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) and the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) into one commission. 

Alternatively, for further information organisations representing, Race, Age, Gender, Religion and Belief, Sexual Orientation and disability please visit Equality Britain by clicking on the link on the right.