Tailored Services for All

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1 Symphony Housing Group Vauing Difference Framework 2012

2 Purpose of the Framework This framework has been deveoped by ead officers for Equaity and Diversity from across Symphony Housing Group. It sets out the Group s strategic aims whie sti aowing member organisations the fexibiity to Vaue the Difference ocay and continue to meet our ega obigations.deveoped from the Singe Equaity Statement the framework provides information and guidance to staff, tenants and partners about Symphony Housing Group s approach to equaity and diversity. The principes of this framework wi be appied to everyone working (paid or vountary) with us incuding our staff, our customer and our partners. It wi aow us to meet our ega obigations to the nine protected characteristics of the Equaity Act 2010 and our statutory obigation to the genera Pubic Sector Equaity Duty under the same Act; this duty requires us to give due regard to the need to eiminate discrimination, advance equaity of opportunity and foster good reations between peope, in a our services and activities. As we engage with some of the most disadvantaged sections of the community we aso recognise that we have both a service ed and a mora obigation to respond to both socio-economic and the wider socia diversity needs of today s society. We wi achieve this by meeting the objectives under the 5 Strategic Equaity aims: Beyond Compiance Beyond Compiance We aim to ensure we meet and where possibe surpass our ega and statutory responsibiities incuding our commitment under the Equaity Act 2010 to eiminate discrimination, advance equaity of opportunity and foster good reations. 2 Taiored Services for a Taiored Services for A We aim to provide, wherever possibe, taiored services to meet the needs of oca residents and deiver exceent service standards wherever we work. Compy with egisation, statutory and reguatory requirements Chaenge, identify and respond to key risks regarding deivering equaity and diversity We wi positivey promote the diversity of our communities and foster good reations Adapt service provision to meet the identified needs of customers, service users and their communities Proactive gathering and use of up to date customer information Deveop community initiatives to improve residents quaity of ife

3 Promotion & Knowedge Promotion and Knowedge We aim to increase awareness and support residents, staff and contractors by deveoping skis and sharing good practice and earning. Shape what we do based on best practice A commitment to earning throughout the Symphony Housing Group We wi understand and respond to the diverse communication needs of our customers Incusive Workpace Incusive Workpace We aim to ensure our working practices and environment support our diverse workforce and our staff fee vaued, incuded and supported. This incudes access to opportunities to maximise their individua and coective potentia and supporting work-ife baance initiatives. To recruit, promote and retain a diverse workforce which ensures that the right peope are in the right jobs at the right time To nurture a earning organisation that improves overa performance thus heping the Group achieve its goas and heps everyone to reaise their fu potentia To promote an open and incusive cuture where a staff are consuted and invoved Better In Partnership Better in Partnership We aim to work better with our residents, partners, consutants and contractors with whom we do business to reduce inequaity within the communities we serve. The Board and our Senior Managers wi champion and chaenge the deivery of this framework To invove a diverse range of customers so they can infuence what we do Work with our partners, suppiers and contractors to ensure they deiver services to our customers in the spirit of the Vauing Difference Framework 3

4 Achieving Vauing Difference Equaity Act 2010/ PSED Action panning Customer access & Service standards Community initiatives Equaity Anaysis techniques (EQUATE) Socia housing reguator standards Taioring Team Tenant profiing Beyond Compiance Taiored Services for a Better in Partnership Vauing Difference Promotion & Knowedge Work with Contractors & Suppiers Raise Group & Board E&D awareness Incusive Workpace SHG Equaity Task Group Benchmarking & Sharing Best Practice Invove the wider Neighbourhood Ensure opportunities for Resident Invovement Consut with Critica Friend Aternative Communications Provision Staff Survey and E&D Profiing Info Training & Deveopment Recruitment & Retention HR Working Practice, Poicies & Procedures 4

5 Deivery We wi use this Framework to: Enabe each member and service area to deveop their own approach and pans to meet the 5 strategic aims Inform and promote the use of the Vauing Difference tookit Embed the equaity anaysis (EQUATE) process across Symphony Housing Group Focus on outcomes and not outputs for stakehoders Monitoring our Performance Each member organisation is responsibe for monitoring their own progress and performance in reation to the Framework, to ensure tangibe outcomes to services are achieved for residents, staff, partners and other stakehoders. These outcomes wi be reguary communicated and reported to staff, residents, partners, Senior Management Teams and member organisation Boards. As part of this framework an annua update on outcomes wi be submitted to the Group Management Team and Group Board to highight how the aims and objectives have been met by the Symphony Housing Group member organisations. Who is responsibe? A empoyees have a responsibiity to ensure that equaity considerations are centra to a aspects of service provision in the organisation. Every member of staff shoud be famiiar with this Framework so that they are abe to provide services in a way that does not directy or indirecty discriminate or create disadvantage; and to ensure that strategic aims and oca objectives are met for residents, partners and other stakehoders. Managers wi work to increase awareness of equaity and diversity issues throughout Symphony Housing Group, incuding ensuring that appropriate personne receive the correct support and that training is provided. The Symphony Housing Group Equaity and Diversity task group exists to ensure that each member organisation meets the aims and objectives of the Framework. The task group consists of member organisation representatives, who meet on a reguar basis to monitor the impementation of the Framework, chaenge and determine future actions and work together in supporting and sharing best practice within Symphony Housing Group. Whie oca Senior Management Teams and Boards have a responsibiity to ensure a member organisations are meeting the Framework aims, it is the Group Chief Executive and Symphony Housing Group Board who are utimatey responsibe for ensuring that we meet our ega and statutory obigations in this area. 5