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Fera website survey

We would really appreciate your help by completing a short questionnaire to give us feedback on your experience of visiting the Fera website. Any information you give us is anonymous and will not be individually reported. The questionnaire is part of a commitment by the Government to monitor the effectiveness of all of its websites.

Equality and diversity

Fera recognises the benefits to the organisation of drawing on a wide range of skills and experience from a variety of cultures and backgrounds. Fera aims to create a working culture and practices that recognise, respect, value and harness differences for the benefit of Fera and the individual.

Fera's equal opportunities policy ensures that no one at Fera suffers discrimination either directly or indirectly on grounds of race, ethnic or national origin, gender, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, religion or beliefs or age. The equal opportunities policy aims to ensure that all staff are:

  • Able to work in an environment free from harassment and are treated with respect and dignity.
  • Receive encouragement to reach their full potential and to derive maximum benefit and enjoyment from working at Fera

Equality Scheme - Equality Scheme Impact Assessments

What is an equality impact assessment?
An Equality Impact Assessment is an evidence based assessment of how a proposal or policy affects different groups of people, (either positively or negatively).

Fera will prioritise and conduct Equality Impact Assessment screenings of all relevant policies and functions. The screening process involves either:

  • A Retrospective Assessment – which involves continuously monitoring existing data and reviewing equality objectives
  • Predictive Assessment – which involves evaluating the potential and future impact of proposed policies, projects, services

All policies will go through a screening process to assess whether the policy or function being revised or created has a differential impact on individuals or groups on the basis of their disability, race, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender, or alternative working patterns.

Policies are screened and if evidence is found that there is an adverse impact on any particular group then a full Equality Impact Assessment will be conducted. At this stage the evidence will be further scrutinised to address the impact.

Covering these diversity strands will ensure that in developing our policies and processes we take on board views from our customers, stakeholders and partners as well as to help make our policy development process fair and transparent.

The EIA process highlights any potential positive impact as well as all impacts on the different diversity groups, for example Black and Minority ethnic disabled and Deaf staff and customers.

Guidance
The published guidance, supported by training for staff responsible for conducting equality impact assessments emphasises:

  • How to decide whether a full impact assessment should be undertaken both retrospectively or predictively
  • How to prioritise policies for assessment
  • How to incorporate an impact assessment into the decision making process of a given service area
  • What action should be planned to ensure that all existing policies are reviewed to determine if an impact assessment should be undertaken
  • How do you implement policies and then monitor, review and evaluate policies post implementation.

Multiple Discrimination
Fera recognises the importance of identifying any potential impact on the different disabled and Deaf groups which make up the disabled and Deaf community. In training managers to conduct effective EIA’s we train them to recognise the differential impact on different groups for example:

  • People with physical, sensory or learning disabilities
  • Deaf people who use British Sign Language, and
  • People with mental health issues.

Priority Areas
Fera has identified key areas for equality impact assessment. These include the public facing services such as the conference facility and Inspection Services.

Completed Equality Impact Assessments

Employment

  • Fera - Homeworking Policy, 2011
  • Fera - Nursery Allocation and Allocation Criteria, 2011
  • Fera - In Year Award Scheme, 2010
  • Fera - End of Year Bonus Scheme, 2010
  • Fera - Fera Academy, 2010
  • Fera - Bicycle Scheme, 2009
  • CSL - Staff Handbook, 2009
  • CSL - Hospitality Policy, 2008
  • CSL - Development, Competencies & Training Project, 2008
  • CSL - Allowance Eligibility, 2008

Working Environment

  • Fera - Nursery Contract, 2010
  • Fera - Conference Organisation, 2009
  • Fera - Visitor and Conference Reception, 2009
  • Fera - Bee Inspection Service, 2009
  • Fera - Nursery Contract, 2009
  • CSL - Business Continuity, 2008
  • CSL - Finance Policy, 2008

Organisation Structure

  • Fera - Office Move - generic EqIA, 2011
  • Fera - Business Systems - Finance Systems, 2009
  • Fera - Business Systems - Data Storeage and Handling Systems, 2009
  • Fera - Business Systems - HR Systems, 2009
  • Fera - Quality Policy Standard, 2009
  • CSL - Accommodation Project, 2008
  • CSL - Farm Spray Records, 2008

Further Information

Our equality impact assessments are available upon request - please contact Helen Greenwood, HR team on 01904 462305