Promoting equality and economic inclusion

The London Development Agency (LDA) believes that economic development should be an inclusive process, where everyone can influence the process of economic growth and have a stake in the benefits. If people are not able to access jobs or entrepreneurial opportunities or participate in our projects everyone in London is economically disadvantaged.

The LDA is committed to ensuring that public funds are targeted so that all of London's diverse communities can benefit from our work. Our vision is to sustain London's success as a thriving, dynamic and growing city in which everyone is included and can benefit.

The LDA aims to be a leader in equality and to be an example of best practise. We are proud that our progress on all equality issues was recognised in an independent audit which rated the LDA at the highest level, Level 5 of the Local Government Equality Standard. In our mainstreaming approach to equalities work we understand the importance of target setting, monitoring and training.

The LDA carries out equality impact assessments of its work to maximise opportunities to tackle discrimination, promote equality and positive community relations and these assessments are available on request.....

We are committed to ensuring the Olympics is developed and constructed in an inclusive way which promotes equality for everyone. We have appointed an Olympics Equalities Executive to lead on embedding equalities into the Olympics.

The LDA has the lead role on equalities among England's nine Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) and we coordinate the RDA Equality and Diversity Network.

The Equality and Diversity team

The LDA has an Equality and Diversity team with different specialists for our key areas of work.

Our work in equalities focuses on Ethnicity, Gender, Disability, Age, Faith, Sexual Orientation and Refugees and applies to all the work of the agency - the projects we fund, the services we commission and deliver. We also aim to be an exemplary employer of choice and embed equalities into all our internal employment processes.

We introduce briefly these key diversity topics in our current work areas, you may access our equality shemes and download them below.

Ethnicity

The Race Equality Scheme is our response to the requirements of the Race Relations Amendment Act (2000). It also forms part of our wider Framework for Equality and Diversity, which tackles discrimination and promotes equality in all its forms.

Race Equality Scheme (RES) 2005-2008

• Race Equality Scheme 2005 - 2008 PDF 1.17Mb
• Race Equality Scheme 2005 - 2008 RTF 745KB

The RES is a living document, it is reviewed on an annual basis which involves all directorates to assess and report how well they have delivered against their specific race equality objectives. Our annual reviews are available upon request.

Gender

The LDA warmly welcomed the introduction of the Gender Equality Duty and we are pleased to present our Gender Equality Scheme.

• Gender Equality Scheme 2007 - 2010 PDF 1.56Mb
• Gender Equality Scheme 2007 - 2010 RTF 216Kb

Disability Equality Scheme (DES)

The LDA is strongly committed to the Social Model of Disability which recognises that disability is created by society's physical, sensory, attitudinal, legal and behavioural barriers not particular medical conditions or impairments.

The LDA's Disability Equality Scheme is firmly grounded within the Social Model of Disability. We will be focusing on embedding the ethos of our DES into the agency’s way of working with the support of our Independent Disability Equality Group and by Disability Equality Training.

• Disability Equality Scheme RTF 55 Kb
• Disability Equality Scheme 2006-2009 PDF 1.74 Mb
• Easy read Disability Equality Scheme cover PDF 114 Kb
• Easy read Disability Equality Scheme PDF 794 Kb

Age Equality

From October 2006 the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations made it unlawful to discriminate against workers, employees, job seekers and trainees because of their age. These regulations apply to all employers, private and public sector, and to all aspects of employment and training, including recruitment, promotion, terms and conditions (including pay) and dismissals. They do not cover age protection when in receipt of goods and services and this anomaly was not taken forward by the Equality Act 2006 either. Although there is no statutory legal duty to promote age equality (unlike Race, Disability and Gender) the GLA Act gives the LDA a duty to promote age equality.

Additionally The LDA has lead responsibility for seven actions within the Mayors Older People Strategy, it provides an update of progress against those actions as at January 2007.

Faith Equality

The LDA is supporting the creation of a pan London Faith Forum to allow for better engagement with faith communities on issues related to the work of the LDA.

• Religion and Belief Engagement Strategy PDF 605Kb
• Religion and Belief Engagement Strategy RTF 515Kb

Sexual Orientation

In 2003, the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations made illegal for employers to discriminate against employees, trainees or job seekers because of their sexual orientation.

Additionally, the Equality Act 2006 enabled provision to be made for discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation in the provision of goods, facilities and services, education and the use and disposal of premises and the exercise of public functions.

The LDA has establish a LGBT Staff Network to ensure gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees have an opportunity to engage with the agency and to influence it in terms of policy and decision making.

• Terms of Reference of the LDA LGBT Staff Network RTF 57 Kb

London Refugee Economic Action (LORECA)

LORECA is a discrete unit based in the LDA's Equality and Diversity Team. LORECA provides leadership and co-ordination on issues of employment, training and enterprise related to strategy and policy that aims to maximise the economic potential of London's refugee communities.