Preference for Diversity
Robin Lynn
Umbrella
14 July 2009

Equally Professional
• To maximise their members’
awareness
• To carry out effective diversity
monitoring
• To be aware of the implications
• To work to understand and
address low diversity
• To maximise their potential to
contribute to equality of
opportunity.

Equally Professional
• Liaison with key stakeholders
including government
• Informing other professional
organisations of the role they may
play
• Ensuring government and other
bodies pay due regard to the
professions as stakeholder interests.

Current Legislation
• 35 Acts of Parliament
• 52 statutory instruments
• 13 codes of practice and
• 16 EC directives

Equality Bill: key elements
• Age
• Equal Pay
• Socioeconomic duty

Public Sector Duty
• Currently: race, gender and disability
New:
• age,
• religion and belief,
• maternity and pregnancy,
• sexual orientation and
• extending the protection on gender
reassignment.

“have due regard” to the need to
• eliminate unlawful discrimination,
• advance equality of opportunity and
• foster good relations between people
who share a protected characteristic
and those who do not.

Statutory Guidance
• Employment
• Goods, facilities and services
• Education, and
• The Public Sector Duty

“the distinctive contribution of library
and information professionals to
developing a society where:
• All groups are empowered
• Attitudes and prejudices that hinder the
progress of individuals and groups are confronted
and tackled
• Cultural, racial, and societal diversity is
respected and celebrated
• Individuals and communities live together in
mutual respect and tolerance
• Discrimination is challenged and tackled
robustly.”
CILIP Equal Opportunities & Diversity Statement

Robin Lynn
Policy Manager
Policy & Strategy Directorate
Equality and Human Rights Commission
Cardiff Office
3 Callaghan Square
Cardiff CF10 5BT
Tel 029 2044 7750
email Robin.Lynn@equalityhumanrights.com