Equality outcomes 2025-2029

Outcome 1: Equality Evidence

By 2029, the collection, analysis and publication of equality and intersectional evidence will be strengthened as a result of identifying and filling gaps. There will be better, and more consistent, use of equality and intersectional evidence in public and corporate policy design, monitoring and evaluation.

Scottish public bodies’ will be more aware of the Equality Evidence Finder (EEF) and make better use of its evidence.

Why We Choose This Outcome

We are selecting equality evidence as an equality outcome to further strengthen the profile and status given by the government to driving improvement. This will help us make much needed system change; and will complement other efforts to improve this aspect of policy making.

A commitment to fulfilling the PSED means policies and practices must be based on equality evidence. While some areas of government have a strong equality evidence base, we recognise there is room for improvement. Better use of equality and intersectional data and evidence will help us, and the public bodies we work with, to make better policy decisions, and to evaluate their impact, to tackle inequalities.

Context

Scotland’s Equality Evidence Strategy 2023-2025 sets out a vision to strengthen the equality evidence base, ensuring it is more accessible, wide-ranging, and robust. This is essential for developing inclusive policies and services that are informed by quantitative, qualitative, and lived experience evidence. An Interim Review, published in December 2024, highlighted progress across the Strategy’s 45 actions and identified lessons for the final year. Stakeholders, including the Equality Data Improvement Programme (EDIP) Project Board, will continue to shape the improvement of equality and intersectional evidence.

Equality evidence is critical throughout the policy cycle, aligning with the requirements of the PSED and the Scottish Specific Duty on assessing equality impact. The 45 actions within the Strategy demonstrate the integration of equality evidence across government. A strong link exists between this work and Equality Outcome 3 on impact assessments, as equality evidence should be central to high-quality Equality Impact Assessments.

There is growing recognition of the value of intersectional evidence in understanding differential outcomes and addressing inequalities. Capacity building is ongoing, such as improving Policy Profession Level 1 training for Scottish Government officials. The December 2024 Intersectional Evidence Review on Minority ethnic women’s experiences in Scotland underscored both opportunities and challenges in enhancing intersectional data.

The Diversity and Inclusion employer strategy also informs workplace equality within the Scottish Government, underpinned by the most comprehensive workforce data to date. It builds on past action plans focused on disability, race, and socio-economic diversity. Using a theory of change model, it targets key “gamechanger” themes in the employee journey where equality data highlights poorer experiences for certain groups. A rolling cycle of monitoring and evaluation ensures sustained progress.

Measuring Success

Success in improving equality evidence will be measured through several key indicators, including:

• Progress will be tracked via quarterly reports to the EDIP Project Board, updates to the Equality Evidence Finder with more detailed evidence, and improved intersectional analysis.
• The final evaluation of the Equality Evidence Strategy 2023-25 and subsequent strategies will assess improvements in data coverage and usage in policymaking. This will be reflected in policies that better address inequalities, supported by robust evidence.
• Additional methods for reviewing equality outcomes are being developed in coordination with the Mainstreaming Unit as part of its expansion.
• Examples will demonstrate how quantitative, qualitative, and lived experience evidence has influenced policy design, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Baseline awareness of the Equality Evidence Finder (EEF) will be measured in 2025, with follow-ups through 2029. Efforts will focus on increasing public bodies’ usage, ensuring the tool is referenced in stakeholder engagements.
• Progress will be evidenced through mainstreaming reports published every two years, showcasing enhanced experiences and outcomes across equality groups, including intersectional analysis where possible.

Our success measures above describe our initial proposals for measuring success. Further work will refine this and ensure it is aligned with the finalised set of contributing actions.

Meeting the Public Sector Equality Duty

Our policy approach integrates the three needs of the equality duty—advancing equality of opportunity, eliminating discrimination, and fostering good relations—by embedding equality evidence into decision-making across government.

By strengthening the availability, quality, and use of equality and intersectional data we will ensure that policies are informed by robust evidence, helping to address systemic inequalities and deliver better outcomes for all equality groups. We will prioritise the most significant evidence gaps, to focus efforts on tackling the inequalities that have the greatest impact.

We are improving our understanding of the barriers faced by different groups through an intersectional lens. This approach ensures that policies reflect the lived experiences of people with overlapping protected characteristics, allowing for targeted interventions that address structural inequalities. The Analytical Community of Practice will support this by building the capacity and skills of government analysts to apply equality considerations consistently.

The better use of equality evidence in policy design and evaluation, should strengthen transparency and inclusivity. This builds trust between government and communities by demonstrating a commitment to evidence-based decision-making that reflects diverse experiences. Tools such as Equality Impact Assessments ensure that equality considerations are actively integrated into policy development, supporting fairer and more inclusive outcomes.

As an employer, the Scottish Government meets the three needs of the equality duty through its Diversity and Inclusion Employer Strategy.

Creating equality of opportunity and experience across the employee journey is a key priority. Strengthening workforce diversity data, refining recruitment processes, and offering targeted support for underrepresented groups helps to reduce differential experiences and improve workplace inclusion. Progress is continuously monitored through regular diversity data reviews, ensuring actions are informed by evidence. Addressing workplace barriers requires a data-driven approach to tackling discrimination. Insights from employee surveys, enhanced exit interview processes, and encouraging line managers to use available equality data to build a clearer understanding of the challenges employees face. An intersectional lens ensures that the compound effects of multiple protected characteristics are recognised, allowing for tailored interventions.

Building an inclusive culture is essential to fostering good relations. Engagement initiatives, leadership development, and the sharing of lived experiences promote understanding and encourage open conversations about equality. The Diversity and Inclusion Employer Strategy “gamechanger” themes, shaped by staff input, focus on key workplace challenges and drive cultural change. Through this collective effort, the organisation strengthens relationships, reinforces a shared commitment to inclusion, and cultivates a positive and supportive working environment.

Actions

Short Term Actions (12 months)

Policy:

1. Implement the findings and lessons learnt from the Equality Evidence Strategy Interim Review, plus input from the EDIP Project Board, to deliver the final year of the current Equality Evidence Strategy.

2. In the final evaluation of the Equality Evidence Strategy 2023-25, identify the impact of the 45 individual actions and overarching strategy.

3. Produce and launch Policy Profession Level 2 materials on Intersectionality, to support improved capability in applying intersectional approaches to policy making. Identify suitable targets for measuring this action, e.g. the number of policy professionals accessing and using Level 2 training and materials.

4. Improve the accessibility and useability of the Equality Evidence Finder; reflecting that this is a key tool for sharing equality data within Scottish Government and across the public sector.

5. Promote the new, internal Analytical Community of Practice for Equality Variables – which aims to support those analysts progressing the use of, and engagement with, equality variables and protected characteristics data/evidence.

6. Carry out baseline research with EDI leads in public bodies, e.g. through the NDPB Equality Forum and the Scottish Councils’ Equality Network, about their awareness and usage of the Equality Evidence Finder; and plan for repeating that at intervals throughout 2025–2029.

7. Assess the links between this outcome and other emergent stakeholder requests on evidence usage, e.g. the NACWG recommendation of an Intersectional Evidence Gaps Action Plan, to inform the medium- and longer-term actions.

Employer:

1. Deliver Diversity and Inclusion Employer Strategy action plan priorities to improve the evidence base and its use, including by:

• increasing the transparency and use of aggregated diversity and inclusion data both internally and externally
• exploring new sources of information relevant to diversity and inclusion, such as exit interview feedback data.

2. Embed routine consideration of the diversity and inclusion evidence base into our employer governance and reporting:

• rebuilding levels of diversity declarations following HR system change
• regular reporting of the diversity and inclusion dashboard to Executive Team and key governance groups
• demographic analysis of diversity data, including intersectional analysis of People Survey.

Longer Term Actions (1–4 years)

Policy:

1. Collaboratively develop the next iteration of the Equality Evidence Strategy with a focus on filling gaps in intersectional evidence, by drawing on expertise of Scottish Government analysts and policy teams, the EDIP Project Board and other equality stakeholders.

2. Identify critical gaps in the equality evidence base, including intersectional evidence, and prioritise filling the most impactful.

3. Ensure the data on the Equality Evidence Finder is updated regularly and promote its use widely across PSED duty bearers, measuring usage/awareness and comparing with baseline measures, actively seeking to increase usage.

4. Advance the practical application of intersectional approaches in policy making.

5. The NPF will draw on the improvements in equality and intersectional evidence to provide equality and intersectional information, where possible, as part of the reporting on progress towards the National Outcomes.

Employer:

1. Through delivering the Diversity and Inclusion Employer Strategy action plan increase the diversity and inclusion capability, develop further diversity and inclusion competency and integrate and embed good diversity and inclusion practice into roles, business and corporate functions that are central to delivery of the Strategy outcomes.

2. Update our diversity data packs with new evidence, including intersectional insights, using these to inform the refresh of the Diversity and Inclusion Employer Strategy action plan.

The above actions have been identified as initial actions to support this outcome. Further work is planned to confirm the final set of contributing actions.