Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Outcomes and Reports
UWS is committed to ensuring that equality is at the heart of everything we do in order to raise aspirations, increase opportunities and inspire achievement. This page contains details of our key equality related reports. These include the following:
- Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) Mainstreaming & Equality Outcomes Reports
- UWS British Sign Language (BSL) Plan 2018-2024
- Equality Diversity and Inclusion Committee Annual Reports
The reports are designed to be accessible, however if you require the report in an alternative format or have any other feedback please contact Equality@UWS.ac.uk
Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) Mainstreaming & Equality Outcomes Report 2021
Please note that this is a revised version of the PSED Mainstreaming & Equality Outcomes Report 2021 which has been updated since initial publication.
The PSED Mainstreaming & Equality Outcomes Report is published every two years with refreshed Equality Outcomes every four years. The purpose of the report is to review progress made by UWS in relation to meeting the general and specific duties of the Equality Act 2010 and the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012.
The report is divided into 3 distinct chapters:
- Mainstreaming Equality: This reviews our progress made in relation to mainstreaming equality within our institution
- Review of Current Equality Outcomes: This reviews our progress made in relation to our current equality outcomes 2017-21
- Refreshed Equality Outcomes 2021-2025: This provides our evidence base and refreshed equality outcomes for 2021-2025
To ensure the PSED Mainstreaming and Equality Outcomes Report is accessible, the statistical data and action plan information are in Appendices, as follows:
- Legislative Background
- Mainstreaming Action Plan Summary Progress Update 2021
- Equal Pay and Occupational Segregation Reporting (this includes gender and ethnicity pay gap reviews)
- Court, Staff and Student Equalities Monitoring
- Equality Outcomes Action Plan 2021-2025
The Scottish Funding Council have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Commission to become the regulator of this report. This is to create greater synergy between our Outcome Agreements and Public Sector Equality Duty Reporting in order to progress equality, diversity and inclusion for staff and students.
Previous Public Sector Equality Duty, Mainstreaming & Equality Outcomes Reports
Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) Bi-annual Mainstreaming & Equality Outcomes Report 2019
This report is an interim update on the progress of University of the West of Scotland’s Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Actions as identified in the UWS PSED Report published in April 2017.
Download PSED Bi-annual Mainstreaming & Equality Report 2019 (pdf)
UWS Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) - Mainstreaming & Equality Outcomes Report 2017
This report sets out the measures, activities and successes that have been achieved at UWS in our commitment to embed equality and diversity across all Schools, Departments and in the way we conduct business.
UWS British Sign Language (BSL) Plan 2018-2024

UWS shares the vison of the Scottish Government to make Scotland the best place in the world for BSL users to live, work, study and visit. This means that people whose first or preferred language is BSL will be fully involved in daily and public life in Scotland, as active, healthy citizens, and will be able to make informed choices about every aspect of their lives. The BSL (Scotland) Act 2015 requires public bodies in Scotland to publish plans every six years, showing how they will promote and support BSL. This is the final version of the UWS British Sign Language (BSL) Plan, as required by the BSL (Scotland) Act 2015. It sets out draft actions that UWS will take over the period 2018-2024.
DOWNLOAD BRITISH SIGN LANGUAGE (BSL) PLAN 2018-2024 (PDF)UWS British Sign Language (BSL) Plan 2018-2024
Videos of UWS British Sign Language (BSL) Plan 2018-2024.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee Annual Reports
The Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Committee is responsible for supporting the strategic direction and monitoring inclusion within the University. The EDI Committee ensures equality, diversity and inclusion practices are being managed and implemented effectively at all levels of the University.
EDI COMMITTEE REPORTS
EDI COMMITTEE REPORT: 2019-2020
This report provides a summary of the work supported by the EDI Committee during 2019-20.
EDI Annual Review 2022
EDI Legislation, Guidance and Procedures
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion and Human Rights Code
The University’s purpose is to change lives, transform communities and encourage enterprise through outstanding, distinctive and progressive higher education. At UWS we strive to create the structures, leadership and support to embed equality, diversity and human rights into everything we do.
UWS is committed to advancing and promoting equality and diversity in all of its activities and aims to establish an inclusive culture free from discrimination and based upon the values of fairness, dignity and respect. The elements included in the Code are central to all UWS activities. The EDI & HR Code applies to all who represent UWS, both staff and students.
Visit our Policies, Procedures and Guidelines webpage and click on the Equality & Diversity link to view our:
UWS Equality, Diversity and Humans Rights Code
Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) Toolkit
Since the introduction of the Equality Act 2010, public sector organisations have had a legal requirement to assess the impact of their decisions, policies and practices on groups who share the same “protected characteristics”, namely age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
Our EIA Toolkit provides guidance in order to understand and complete an effective EIA.
Visit our Policies, Procedures and Guidelines webpage and click on the Equality & Diversity link to view our:
EQUALITY LEGISLATION - USEFUL LINKS
Equality Act 2010
The Equality Act came into force from October 2010 providing a modern, single legal framework with clear law to better tackle disadvantage and discrimination.
The Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012
Human Rights Act 1998
The Human Rights Act 1998 sets out the fundamental rights and freedoms that everyone in the UK is entitled to. It incorporates the rights set out in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) into domestic British law. The Human Rights Act came into force in the UK in October 2000.