Equality and diversity at the LGA

The Local Government Association (LGA) is committed to promoting and valuing diversity in every aspect of the work we carry out.

We will strive to ensure that we:

• treat all individuals fairly, with dignity and respect
• opportunities we provide are open to all
• benefit from the skills, talents and experience offered by a diverse workforce reflecting all sections of our communities
• build a working environment based on inclusiveness and merit

Discrimination 

We are opposed to all forms of discrimination on the grounds of race, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, HIV status, disability, religion or belief, or the imposition of any conditions or requirements that do not accord with the principles of fairness and natural justice.

We are committed to monitoring our employment practice through various means (workforce monitoring, perceptions surveys, etc) to identify and address any issues related to equality and diversity and to eliminate any potentially discriminatory practices.

We will develop and promote specific policies or initiatives eg race equality and disability equality, through dedicated schemes and action plans with the aim of ensuring an environment free from discrimination or to improve the diversity of the workforce in any under-represented areas.

Scope

This applies to all those who carry out work on behalf of the LGA, whether directly employed or otherwise.

Corporate and individual responsibilities

Corporate responsibility for ensuring that the LGA meets its obligations rests with the senior management team of the organisation. They will be responsible for putting into place mechanisms and procedures to achieve a culture and environment within the organisation that accords with their statutory obligations and commitment to diversity and equality.

It is the individual responsibility of all who carry out work on behalf of the LGA, whether directly employed or otherwise to:

• comply with Equality and Diversity
• be sensitive to the potential impact of their own behaviour on colleagues, customers and job applicants
• cooperate in the elimination of any discriminatory practices which may be identified.

Recruitment, selection and induction

Our recruitment processes are designed to attract applications from all sections of society and to ensure fair treatment throughout the recruitment and selection process. These include:

• carrying out diversity monitoring of all applicants for jobs and reviewing such information regularly to identify any diversity issues that should be addressed
• checking that job and candidate specifications are relevant and non-discriminatory
• ensuring that the wording and images used in job adverts reflect and appeal to all sections of society
• ensuring that jobs are advertised to reach the appropriate audiences without disadvantaging or excluding certain sections of society
• communicating our commitment to equality and diversity to recruitment and employment agencies
• anonymous applications and short-listing only those people whose skills and qualifications most closely match the job specification, although all applicants with a disability who meet the essential requirements for the job will be guaranteed an interview
• using fair and consistent selection methods based on assessment of skills and competencies
• keeping records of the recruitment and selection process, including interview notes and assessments
• monitoring recruitment and selection to ensure equality of opportunity throughout the process and, if necessary, taking steps to eliminate any potentially discriminatory practices
• offering effective induction and training to all recruits and make reasonable adjustments to the working environment or work arrangements to assist people with disabilities to secure their integration into the workplace.

Our community

At the LGA we have a number of staff groups, such as the Women’s Network, Disabilities Network, LGBTQIA+, BAME Network, groups are set up by staff to build a sense of community, have a collective voice on any issues and offer a listening ear for employees by providing peer support.