The Public Sector Equality Duties place a responsibility on listed public bodies to consider how they can tackle systemic discrimination and disadvantage affecting people with particular protected characteristics. These Protected Characteristics refer to those set by the Equality Act 2010: age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, and marriage and civil partnership.

In Scotland, listed public bodies are also subject to a set of Specific Duties intended to help authorities perform the General Equality Duty. Under these duties, public sector organisations and bodies with a public function must publish specific documents outlining their compliance with the General Duty, the composition of their workforces, and the steps taken to advance equality and tackle discrimination. These are:

Mainstreaming Report (MSR)

Every two years, listed bodies are required to publish a report outlining their approach to ensuring that equality, diversity and inclusion and their legal obligations under the General Duty are at the heart of their culture and day-to-day operations. 

Equality Outcomes Progress Report (EO)

Listed authorities are also required to publish a set of Equality Outcomes every four years; these serve as targets to achieve/further the needs mentioned in the General Equality Duty. Every two years, an authority must report its progress towards these outcomes for all relevant protected characteristics.

Employee Information (EI) 

Every year, listed public bodies must gather information on the protected characteristics of their employees and use it to better perform the General Equality Duty; this includes annual statistics on the recruitment, development and retention of employees and job applicants. While gathered annually, authorities need only publish this information once every two years. 

Since May 2016, some listed authorities must also publish the number of men and women who have been members of the authority (or board of management) and report on the steps they have taken and intend to take towards ensuring diversity in relation to the protected characteristics of those members. 

Pay Gap Information (PG)

Every two years, listed authorities with at least 20 employees are required to publish information on the percentage difference between male and female employees’ average hourly pay. While not a legal requirement, some organisations publish pay gap data regarding race and disability. 

Equal Pay Statement (EP)

Every four years, listed authorities with at least 20 employees are required to publish a statement on equal pay containing an organisation’s equal pay policies and information on occupation segregation by gender, race and disability. 

Please note: many organisations choose to combine their reporting under these duties into aggregated Mainstreaming Equality documents and may not report separately under each heading.