Equality Data Improvement Programme Project Board: terms of reference 2026

Context

Robust and comprehensive equality evidence is vital for the design and delivery of inclusive policies and services. Scottish Government understands there are deep-rooted structural inequalities in our society, which exacerbate the disproportionate impact on individuals and groups who already experience disadvantage. Going forward, there is a clear collective need and desire for better equality evidence to monitor and improve outcomes across Scotland.

Following the conclusion of the Equality Evidence Strategy 2017 to 2021, the Equality Data Improvement Programme (EDIP) was launched in April 2021 to lay the groundwork for the development of an ambitious cross-professional data improvement plan for the future. The EDIP is focused on strengthening Scotland’s equality evidence base to support the development of inclusive policy that improves service delivery and outcomes for all people in Scotland. 

Key components of Scottish Government’s EDIP include:

• the Equality Data Improvement Programme Board which acts as the governance board to EDIP
• work following the Equality Evidence Strategy 2017 to 2021 and 2019 interim report
• the Equality Evidence Strategy 2023 to 2025 and 2024 interim review
• the final evaluation of the Equality Evidence Strategy 2023 to 2025 (TBC - spring 2026)
• the third Equality Evidence Strategy (TBC - spring 2027)

Since the launch of Scotland’s first Equality Evidence Strategy in 2017, progress has been made by the Scottish Government to strengthen the equality evidence base. This complements improvement work undertaken across the wider public sector.

The EDIP will adopt an Open Government approach, which will include publishing regular progress updates and making key outputs publicly-available (including minutes from EDIP Project Board meetings). 

The first phase - April 2021 to March 2023 

Following the completion of Scotland’s first Equality Evidence Strategy, the first phase of the EDIP commenced in April 2021, and comprised a series of projects led by the Scottish Government that were undertaken over a two year period. The purpose of this preparatory phase of the EDIP was to focus on the core elements of equality data collection. It considered quantitative and qualitative data in relation to the nine protected characteristics, and intersectionality.

The first phase of the EDIP aimed to understand barriers to equality data collection and to develop good practice guidance and case study examples. It also allowed public bodies to input their views of how we can best support the data element of the further roll-out of mainstreaming work in the public sector.

The first phase also included actions to progress data development in priority areas, including data linkage work. The first phase of the EDIP also linked into, showcased and learnt from data development already underway across the Scottish Government and wider public sector.

The first phase of the EDIP concluded in March 2023 with the publication of Scotland’s Equality Evidence Strategy 2023 to 2025.

The second phase: March 2023 to December 2025

The second phase of the EDIP was focused on implementing the three year programme of work published in the Equality Evidence Strategy 2023 to 2025. 

The strategy set out the Scottish Government’s approach to improving and strengthening Scotland’s equality evidence base up to the end of 2025. The strategy presented 45 actions identified by the Scottish Government and NRS across a number of key themes. These actions covered improvements to the data on a range of equality variables, including data on all nine of the protected characteristics. Many of the actions focused on improvements to routinely-used datasets and statistical outputs to ensure investment in evidence sources known already to inform significant decision making. 

An interim review of this strategy was published in December 2024 and a final evaluation is due for publication in summer 2026. This evaluation will provide an assessment of improvements to the equality evidence base and identify areas for improvement to take forward as part of the next strategy.

The third phase: January 2026 to March 2027

The third phase of EDIP will focus on overseeing any ongoing actions from the Equality Evidence Strategy 2023 to 2025 and developing the third Equality Evidence Strategy. 

The next strategy will continue to prioritise and support improvements to equality and intersectional evidence across Scottish Government. The development of the next strategy will include considerations of learnings from the Evaluation of the Equality Evidence Strategy 2023 to 2025, a data audit to understand the current data landscape and identify remaining data gaps, and engagement with the EDIP Project Board, Scottish Government analysts, policymakers and external organisations to prioritise and agree on future actions.

We expect a draft of the strategy will be ready for consultation by winter 2026, with a view to publishing the final strategy by spring 2027. 

The project board

To support the first phase of the EDIP, the Scottish Government established a project board, which was a key forum for external stakeholder input into the overarching programme. 

The project board will continue to support the third phase of the EDIP, primarily to oversee the development and running of Scotland’s third Equality Evidence Strategy. While the third Equality Evidence Strategy will continue to focus on improvement to a range of equality variables (sex, gender, age, disability, race (including ethnicity), gender reassignment (including trans status), sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership), its scope beyond this will be agreed throughout the development of the strategy. 

In addition to the project board, input across the life of the strategy will continue to be sought from internal analysts, policy teams and a range of relevant external stakeholders, including public sector bodies, equality advocacy organisations and data experts (e.g. academics), on a project-specific basis. 

Purpose

The project board brings together stakeholders from a range of public sector organisations, with representatives from the Scottish Government. The purpose of the project board is to:

• oversee the delivery of actions continuing beyond the Equality Evidence Strategy 2023 to 2025, providing feedback where insights may be useful to lead analysts as required
• identify and suggest priority data gaps in policy areas
• support the development of the third Equality Evidence Strategy by providing advice and feedback to activities that will inform future improvement activity. This includes promoting engagement activities among external networks and attending relevant engagement events where necessary
• facilitate the join-up and alignment of the EDIP with ongoing and upcoming work in the board’s membership organisations. In particular, providing insights on expertise and experience of practical, evidence-based solutions to barriers and sharing examples of good practice
• support identification of practical expertise, new members, and guidance in equality data analysis to share with the EDIP Board and stakeholders involved in EDIP

Any decision making required will be as far as possible by consensus, or by majority if consensus is not reached.

The project board will support the third phase of the EDIP (as outlined in point 4) until the publication of the next Equality Evidence Strategy in March 2027. At this point, the remit of the board will be updated to reflect its role in overseeing and supporting actions and activities being taken forward as part of the new strategy.    

Frequency

The project board will meet quarterly. Where it is considered beneficial, sub-groups will be established to support with the delivery of specific actions.

Membership

The project board will be co-chaired by the Scottish Government Chief Social Researcher and Chief Statistician.

Membership is focused on individuals or organisations interested in improvement to equality data across a broad range of characteristics. See the full membership list.

Membership will be kept under review by the EDIP Board as the third Equality Evidence Strategy develops.

External organisations representing singular or intersectional characteristics will be consulted at relevant stages throughout EDIP activities. 

Previous terms of reference

• 2023 to 2025