Foreword by the Permanent Secretary
In 2003 we published Realising Race Equality in the Department for Work and Pensions, which set out our commitment to race equality and fairness for all. Although we have made progress in many areas since then, we have not become complacent. The more we learn about differences in life chances within our society, the more we understand the magnitude of our task.
The Department faces many challenges. We need to transform the way we operate to meet the needs of our customers, partners and staff in a rapidly-changing environment. We need to improve our understanding of the needs of those who are most disadvantaged.
Although we have focused on race equality issues, we are mindful of our aim to be an> exemplar in our approach to diversity, and of proposed legislation in other areas of diversity. To this end, we have included in this document an indication of our progress and priorities across the other diversity strands.
All our customers have a right to expect an effective and efficient service which is fully accessible for all, and our staff are committed to achieving this. I congratulate our staff on the successes we have had, and am proud of their commitment to opportunity and security throughout life for all.
Richard Mottram
Foreword by Lord Hunt
It is now three years since the Department published its first race equality scheme as a consultation document, as a prelude to publication of the full scheme Realising Race Equality in the Department for Work and Pensions in July 2003. Since then we have worked towards our aim of embedding race equality into all of our working practices across the Department.
The first scheme presented our organisation with many challenges. The programme of work was both ambitious and far reaching, and yet we were still able to report good progress in many areas in our 2004 report.
We have expanded and enhanced our outreach programmes to ensure that groups who have not previously accessed our services receive the benefits to which they are entitled, and have developed products which will help our people to communicate with those for whom English is a second language.
This progress is continuing; we are committed to making improvements to our services for customers and staff, and we have a stretching programme of work on diversity for the next three years and beyond. One of our main priorities is the continued development of an advanced customer monitoring system, which will provide us with the information we need to ensure that all of our customers have equal access to our services.
I am pleased to introduce our latest race equality scheme, which this time, whilst focusing primarily on race, also contains a brief overview of other areas of diversity, such as disability, gender, religion and belief, sexuality and age. This reflects the wider government aim of ensuring equality for all members of our society, and reinforces our commitment to ensuring equality and opportunity for all. With the development of a Commission for Equality and Human Rights, and forthcoming legislation to cover other areas of diversity, it makes good sense for us to publish our intentions as a Department committed to ensuring equality for all groups.
This document is an overall summary of work in train, right across the Department, together with our priorities for the future. Whilst there is still much to do, we can be proud of our achievements so far. This scheme will enable us to remain focused on our overall aims and objectives. It will be a valuable tool that will help us to build upon and enhance these for the future.
I am grateful to the staff and customers of the Department for their help and commitment in developing the equality agenda.
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
Minister for Work and Pensions