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Promoting Equal Opportunities

Since July 2002, the Commissioner’s remit has been obliged to maintain the principle of selection on merit in the manner in which the Commissioner considers best calculated to promote equality of opportunity as well as economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the procedures for making public appointments within her remit. With effect from 9th October 2008 the Commissioner is obliged, in the manner she considers best calculated to promote diversity in the procedures for making public appointments, to exercise her functions with the object of maintaining the principle of selection on merit.

Equal Opportunities is one of the Seven Principles of the Commissioner’s Code of Practice. This requires that departments should sustain programmes to deliver equal opportunities’ principles.

The Commissioner promotes equal opportunities in a number of ways.  These include:-

• regularly meeting and presenting information about public appointments to targeted groups in order to encourage a wide range of people to apply to be considered for public appointments;
• conducting investigations from time to time into potential barriers which may affect particular members of society from applying for public appointments.  For example, in 2003/04 the then Commissioner established a short term working group on disability.  In 2006 the current Commissioner set up a further group to investigate the issue of age in relation to public appointments within her remit and published guidance on age and public appointments.
• collecting statistics annually in relation to appointments and reappointments within the Commissioner’s remit by reference to gender, ethnicity, age and disability.  These statistics are published in the Commissioner’s Annual Report;
• the development of a Diversity and Talent Strategy (2008-2010); and
• the provision of practical tools to those responsible for public appointments processes within the Commissioner’s remit in order to assist them in the promotion of equal opportunities and ensuring that as diverse a pool of candidates as possible apply for public appointments.