Equality and Diversity

Procurement for Housing (PfH) is committed to Equality and Diversity, and as well as operating its own strategy, insists on compliance from all PfH suppliers. All suppliers are thoroughly checked for compliance during the Tender process as shown in the information below.

PfH Equality and Diversity Policy

In all our tender documents we have a section on Equality & Diversity, asking Tenderers to comply with their statutory obligation under the Race Relations Act 1976, Sex Discrimination Act 1975, and not to treat one group of people less favourably than others because of their colour, race, nationality, ethnic origin or sexual orientation in relation to decisions to recruit, train or promotes employees. This is question 2.1 in our tender document. PfH also requires copies of procedures/policies to confirm compliance with Equal Opportunities (question 2.2). Should a Tenderer not meet these requirements, they will not be short-listed for the Contract. PfH requires a Supplier to fully comply with these requirements.

PfH also asks other questions in the Tender document, which are listed below:-

2.3 In the last three years, has any finding of unlawful discrimination been made against your organisation, whether by any court or industrial and/or employment tribunal?

2.4 In the last three years, has your organisation been the subject of formal investigation by the Commission for Racial Equality on the grounds of alleged unlawful discrimination? If yes, please provide details and what steps you took in the consequence of that finding.

Organisations with less than five persons need not complete the following questions within this section, but must provide written assurance that they will provide an Equal Opportunities Policy should the size of the organisation increase.

2.5 Is your policy on Race Relations set out in instructions to those concerned with recruitment, training and promotion?

2.6 Is your policy on Race Relations set out in documents available to employees, recognised trade unions or other representative groups of employees?

2.7 Is your policy on Race Relations set out in recruitment advertisements or other literature?

2.8 Please supply relevant examples of the instructions, documents, recruitment advertisements or other literature. [This information may be in your Equal Opportunities Policy (Race Relations)].

2.9 Do you observe, as far as possible, the Commission for Racial Equality's Code of Practice for Employment, that provides practical advice on the elimination of racial discrimination and the promotion of equality of opportunity in employment?

2.10 What steps does your organisation take to encourage ethnic minority groups to apply for jobs or take up training opportunities?

The questions (2.3 - 2.10) are assessed and scored in PfH's next evaluation stage, provided that the Tenderer has complied with questions 2.1 and 2.2. This demonstrates that the Tenderer is committed to promoting equality and diversity in their workplace.

PfH have a separate section to monitor the ethnic background and job classification split by gender of Tenderers/Suppliers for the number of employees / % of employees working for their organisation, as PfH wishes businesses from all sections of the community to have an equal chance to trade with us. We do state that the questions will not affect the assessment of their application, but the information will help PfH to monitor the achievement of this objective.

A copy of the Commission for Racial Equality booklet 'Race Equality and Public Procurement: A guide for public authorities and contractors' can be downloaded here.