The Evaluation of the Equality Evidence Strategy 2023-2025

5. Equality Data Improvement Programme Board

During the evaluation process, the EDIP Project Board were asked for their reflections on the work of the Equality Evidence Strategy. The EDIP Project Board consists of members from Scottish Government and external organisations interested in strategic improvement to the equality evidence base. External representatives include, the Scottish Council’s Equality Network (SCEN), Non-Departmental Public Bodies Equality Forum (NDPB), Public Health Scotland (PHS), Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), Scottish Human Rights Commission, and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA).

Six anonymous responses were received and analysed to produce the following key points:

5.1 Reporting Mechanisms

As the Secretariat for EDIP, the Equality Analysis Team gathered quarterly updates from the lead analysts delivering the 45 actions, shared summarised updates with Board Members (via highlight reports), and more detailed spreadsheets of updates per individual action over the last quarter. The quarterly meetings largely consisted of summaries of the highlight reports, spotlight sessions (action analysts delivering on the 45 actions presenting updates on their actions or Equality Analysts leading discussion about the Strategy - both offering opportunities for the EDIP members to provide feedback), and round-table updates from EDIP Board members. The highlight reports and minutes for each EDIP meeting can be found on the Equality Data Improvement Programme webpage.

Most respondents found that the updates during highlight reports produced for the EDIP meetings were very useful and provided the right level of detail to understand progress and key developments. In particular, they liked that the highlight reports included a summary of progress to date across the whole Strategy in addition to the updates since the last quarter. One respondent noted that this was particularly useful for attendees that joined EDIP later in the process or had missed a few meetings. One person suggested that updates were somewhat useful but felt that they missed key information needed for a fuller understanding, in particular for people who were new to EDIP.

The Equality Analysis team also produced progress spreadsheets for each quarterly meeting. These display individual updates for all 45 actions. The majority of respondents found these progress spreadsheets to be very useful. In particular, the spreadsheet allowed the EDIP board members to access more detail about each action than produced in the highlight report, examine different priorities and interests, ask about specific actions during the meeting, and see individual progress against each action. Areas of suggested improvement included introducing a system to flag what is new or has been changed particularly for members who have missed meetings.

The majority of respondents found the quarterly meetings very useful. Reported benefits included hearing individual examples of progress, opportunities for discussion where individual contributions felt welcomed and valued, facilitating a clearer understanding of how the Strategy was taking shape through a range of updates. Areas of suggested improvement included the pace of meeting (one respondent felt that there was not enough time to have a deeper discussion), having clearer asks and expectations of attendees and organisations, and assessing whether a meeting is required every quarter.

Respondents were asked about suggested improvements to any of the above reporting mechanisms, recommendations included:

• More regular discussions on the bigger picture including trajectory and achieving principles of the Equality Evidence Strategy through a mix of progress reporting, discussion of developments across government, and horizon scanning.
• To maintain focus on building confidence in the value of equality data for use in the public sector (ensuring adequate buy-in and commitment).
• Clearly highlighting what has changed since the last quarter in reporting to ensure members can stay aligned.
• Clearer asks and expectations of EDIP members.

5.2 The Role of EDIP

The majority of respondents felt that the role of the EDIP board, as set out in terms of reference to support the Equality Evidence Strategy 2023-2025, accurately described the role of the Board^[3]. In addition, the majority also felt that the EDIP board membership was representative of the right mix of skills and perspectives to oversee the Strategy. The current membership of the Board can be found on the Equality Data Improvement Programme project board webpage.

Nearly all of the respondents commented on the benefits of connecting with other organisations to discuss and collaborate on ideas as well as understand the challenges related to equality data improvement together in one space. One respondent commented on enjoying being a representative of a smaller organisation on the EDIP Board.

Respondents highlighted things that they would like to change going forward:

• Check in on progress against the principles (feeding into that broader Strategic progress as above).
• The role in facilitating join up between work and sectors could be more impactful (for example, aligning equality data improvement with human rights monitoring).
• Involvement in more stakeholder engagement to support building confidence and capacity across the public sector.
• Clearer understanding of the individual roles of members.

5.3 Improvements to The Equality Evidence Strategy

In relation to improvements to the next Equality Evidence Strategy, the EDIP Board raised the following key points during meetings and in response to the evaluation survey.

On priorities, the Board would like to see:

• increasing use of qualitative & lived experience evidence
• mainstreaming intersectionality across SG equality consideration and use of equality data in policymaking
• increasing confidence and capabilities (for SG and public authorities, academic, and 3^rd sector)
• and identifying and prioritising evidence gaps.

On structure and functionality of the Strategy, the Board would like to see:

• More clarity on operationalising the vision and verifying it
• Clearer statement how equality data will reduce inequality via a theory of change
• Clearer alignment between different strands of government work
• Stronger link to human rights duties
• More concrete examples and case studies linked to Principle 3 (Good practice will be shared and promoted to support increased confidence and competence in the production and use of robust equality evidence).
• Continuation of the EDIP Board as a valuable and important mechanism to ensure Scottish Government hears a wide range of views and challenges.