Equality Impact Assessment or Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessment

Your request was about the following information:

Here at the PIRC we carry out Equality Impact Assessments (EQIAs) for new or updated policies, procedures and projects. I would be very grateful if you would let me know if your organisation carries out EQIAs, or the extended scope of Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessments (EQHRIAs).

At Food Standards Scotland (FSS) we are committed to fairness and openness and our duty to consumers is set out in legislation. Our approach to carrying out Equality Impact Assessments (EQIA) includes the Fairer Scotland Duty (FSD). When preparing papers for our Senior Leadership Team and/or Board meetings, staff are asked to make reference to whether assessments have been considered/carried out for these duties. Most recently, these assessments were carried out in relation to our Strategy for 2021-26. The strategy sets out FSS’s purpose, its priorities, and how it will deliver over the five year period. You can view the EQIA and FSD assessments for the strategy on our website. FSS Equality Mainstreaming Report for 2022 is published on our website. The published report captures our obligations for ‘human rights thinking’ in the introduction of new services, development of policies, practices and organisational priorities as outlined in the Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessments (EQHRIAs). The report further details FSS’s compliance to the Equality Act 2010.