Grangemouth Industrial Just Transition Plan: Equality Impact Assessment

The Scope of the EQIA

The scope of this EQIA is to consider the impact of the JTP on individuals with protected characteristics. A just transition for Grangemouth will impact all stakeholders in the area regardless of age, ethnicity, sex, and other characteristics. To this end, actions in the JTP were assessed through the lens of each of the nine protected characteristics to identify characteristic-specific impacts. This EQIA has been informed by detailed analysis of existing and available evidence and data (both qualitative and quantitative) to draw out the potential impacts that the delivery of the JTP might have on people with protected characteristics, as set out in the Equality Act 2010. Specifically, this EQIA assesses the impacts of applying the actions of the JTP against the needs relevant to a public authority’s obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty. The needs are to:

• Eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation.
• Advance equality of opportunity; and
• Foster good relations.

Evidence gathered during the drafting of the JTP included detailed qualitative and quantitative source analysis (as outlined within Annex A of the plan) as well and further evidenced gained via one-to-one interviews, workshops, data requests and consultations with industry representatives, trade unions, local communities, charities, environmental groups, and the public to gather insights and feedback. Further to evidence gathered via a public consultation on the draft JTP between November 2024 and February 2025, CVS Falkirk and District – a third sector interface group based in Falkirk and a member of the Grangemouth Future Industry Board – coordinated a campaign to directly engage community members in Grangemouth. Their approach involved a communications and participation strategy to provide a wide range of accessible formats for responses. These included:

• Digital consultation: An online questionnaire that was accessed through an online web link and QR code. It was promoted through the CVS Falkirk & District website, weekly ebulletins, local networks and social media platforms reaching an initial 2,000 recipients. Additionally, these links were shared across partner social media platforms, local networks and contacts.
• Social media: A range of social media posts were published breaking the consultation down into specific topics and consultation questions. This increased the reach into an audience of more than 2,000 recipients. These posts were shared through local community and neighbourhood pages, increasing the visibility of the consultation further.
• Printed: Information and story boards were designed, published and available in Grangemouth for people to read more about the JTP and to gain a better understanding of the pillars that would directly impact them. 2,500 leaflets providing information and invitation to complete the consultation were made distributed throughout community spaces, libraries, local businesses and the communities of Grangemouth.
• In-person: A range of in-person consultations took place through community spaces with established community groups, in partnership with other third sector organisations, schools and college (students and staff), local retail outlets (customers and staff) and CVS Falkirk & District’s Grangemouth Hub.
• Engagement sessions: CVS Falkirk & District also held a mix of engagement sessions to increase accessibility and engagement by offering different levels of support from the staff team when completing the consultation questions. Engagement with ten community groups boosted the response rate of the consultation, highlighting the importance of providing the time, space and support in gathering community views. While not every person engaged in these sessions responded to the consultation, the sessions presented an additional benefit of enhancing awareness of the JTP in the local community.

In-person engagement coordinated by CVS Falkirk and District involved interactions with a range of demographics, including the elderly, children, parents with young families, students, and non-native English speakers. Overall, 113 respondents fully completed the consultation. CVS Falkirk and District provided a summary of this engagement, which was then used to inform the final draft of the JTP.