Equality analysis form

If the activity you are planning to analyse is covered by an existing Equality Analysis or a relevant former Equality Impact Assessment, please use Section 2 of the form to highlight any updated information. The updated form should be sent through to the Equality and Diversity Unit for feedback, the start of the online consultation process and publication.

Section 1

Equality Analysis Screening

The following questions will identify whether a full Equality Analysis will be required. Please read the Equality Analysis guidance prior to completing the screening.

  1. Name of the activity (strategy, policy, practice etc)

UWE Bristol Design Guide
  1. Will this activity have the potential to deliver positive outcomes forstudents, staff and/or visitors from equality groups? Please provide evidence for your answer.

Yes.
  • The Design Guide has been written to help enhance awareness of designers about the needs of UWE Bristol staff, students and visitors so that these needs can be catered for in design. This is achieved by measures such as directing designers to review the ‘wheelchair challenge’ and explaining at various, relevant points how specific design features can impact (positively or negatively) on students with different disabilities.
  • Therefore, issues of accessibility and inclusivity are not confined to a standalone section (which risks them being seen as a ‘bolt on’ or a special interest subject). Instead, these matters are addressed throughout. Where possible, photographs have been used to illustrate the issues to further help designers understand UWE Bristol expectations.
  • To inform the content and structure of the design guide, Estates engaged the Centre for Accessible Environments (CAE) to re-draft the EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY section of the Design Guide. The project co-ordinator then engaged in an email exchange with a core group of stakeholders proposed by the EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY team during January and Feburary, taking feedback on and altering the wording proposed by the CAE. He also facilitated two sessions at the Equality Engagement Event on 22/02/17.
  • Where UWE Bristol core requirements go beyond Part M of the Building Regulations or BS 8300 the design guide explains what is needed e.g. in relation to the provision/design of gender neutral toilets. In addition, lessons learned on recent projects have been incorporated e.g. hardlandscaping design.
  • The guide establishes the processes that projects teams and designers need to go through in order to effectively engage stakeholders and consult on proposed designs. This includes the need to engage an access consultant on larger projects (valued at £2.5m exc. VAT).
  • The guide explains UWE Bristol’s overarching requirements and design principles but gives flexibility, as far as is reasonable, to project teams to respond to the needs of users rather than enforcing a single, standardised design solution on the Estate.

  1. Will this activity have the potential to create negative impacts on students, staff and/or visitors from equality groups? Please provide evidence for your answer.

No. The design guide is striving to create a positive and inclusive experience for all.
The design guide is aiming to provide reasonable solutions and this will sometimes involve adjustments in work organisation rather than the built environment.
  1. Does the activity have the potential to impact equality groups in the following ways:
  • Access to or participation in UWE Bristol Faculties or Professional Services?
  • Levels of representation across the UWE Bristol workforce?
  • Student experience, attainment or withdrawal?
  • Staff experience?

Please indicate YES or NO. If the answer is YES then a full analysis must be carried out. If the answer is NO, please provide a justification.

Yes – A positive impact.

Equality analysis screening sign off:

Faculty Dean or Head of Service
Faculty / service
Date

Please return the completed form back to the Equality and Diversity Unit for feedback and publication

Section 2: Full Equality Analysis

1. Name of the activity (strategy, policy or practice etc): UWE Bristol Design Guide

2. What is the aim of the activity (objective or purpose)?

To set out the principles, standards and expectations which designers (both internal and external to UWE Bristol) must be aware of and comply with in the preparation of their designs in order to deliver a functional, attractive and inclusive estate that meets users’ needs and UWE Bristol’s aspirations set out in Strategy 2020 and supporting strategies.

3. If amending a current activity, what changes are proposed?

This activity represents a complete reworking of the existing Design Guide and while it is theoretically an amendment, the changes are so extensive it is best to see it as a fresh start.

4. Who is responsible for developing and delivering the activity?

Nick Bell, UWE Bristol Estates, acted as project co-ordinator. Contributors included Estates and the wider Facilities team and stakeholders/consultants from within and outside UWE Bristol.
In terms of implementing the design guide, the Estates team must review/create and implement project management processes in order to:
  • Select capable designers/lead designers,who are able to implement the design guide, to frameworks/projects.
  • Brief internal designers and project managers.
  • Issue the design guide to external designers and brief them on the relevance.
  • Consult with users and the Equality and Diversity team as detailed in the guide.
  • Allocate technical staff to:
  • Monitor the development of designs, including changes during the construction phase, to determine whether there are unauthorised deviations.
  • Manage ‘derogations’ (i.e. requests to deviate from the guide).
  • Undertaking post-occupancy evaluations to determine whether the design guide is helping to deliver an estate that meets the aims set out in 2) above.
  • Reviewing the design guide in light of changes in University strategy/student expectations, learning lessons from projects and any further feedback/consultations.

5. What measures will be used to assess whether the activity is successful?

Feedback from post-occupancy evaluations will be used to determine whether projects have met the requirements of users. Satisfaction levels with the physical environment will be measured. Note that this design guide will only impact on projects where design is procured from August 2017 onwards. Projects will generate a range of other data e.g. derogation scedules, change management records etc. These data will provide evidence of the adequacy of the DG and its’ effectiveness in helping manage the design process.

6. Does the activity have a potentially adverse impact on equality groups,in terms of employment issues and/or service delivery for students and/or staff?In the table below, please give evidence to support your yes or no answers. If the answer is not known, indicate how you will source evidence.

Meeting the public sector equality duty

Please also use the table below to demonstrate whether the activity has the potential to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations. Please use the ‘no’ column to highlight your responses.

Yes / No / Not known
Women and men / The design guide expects designers to produce designs that comply with building Regulations, British Standards and legislation to create equitable provision for men and women. The most overt example of this is ensuring there is adequate welfare provision for all. Potentially, images or graphics displayed around the estate could create an impression of bias, stereotyping etc. but signage is not addressed in detail in this high level design guide (other than providing a symbol for gender neutral toilets). Photographs within the guide are typically of buildings etc. and contains few images of the University population.
Trans people / A new standard for gender neutral toilets has been established.
Black and minority ethnic groups / The religious needs of different ethnic groups are discussed below. See comments above about imagery and graphics.
Disabled people / The design guide explains the process for ensuring that issues of accessibility and inclusivity are managed through the design and planning of a project, including the appointment of an access consultant on larger projects. Examples are embedded in relevant chapters of standards that designs must comply with (e.g. BS 8300) and details of UWE Bristol requirements and lessons learned that either clarify or go beyond these minimum standards.
Younger or older people / The very first chapter discusses the need for effective consultation with teaching staff – and, through them, consultation with user groups – to determine how best to meet the learning needs of their students. The guide recognises that student expectations and learning styles change over time: an estate that only supports traditional forms of learning could disadvantage some learners.
People of different religion and beliefs / The University Chaplain was consulted and, as a result, the design guide highlight the need for project teams to consider the requirements ofdifferent beliefs and undertake project-specific consultations. The requirement in the design guide for wellbeing spaces will help meet a range of needs e.g. providing space for personal reflection
Lesbian, gay, bisexual people / See comments above about imagery and graphics.

Marriage, civil partnership

/ See comments above about imagery and graphics.
Pregnancy and maternity / Wellbeing spaces (mentioned above) are being proposed as places where pregnant women or new mothers can rest and express/store milk.

7.Please give evidence of how you have engaged equality groups in the equality analysis process. Is further engagement required?

To inform the content and structure of the design guide, Estates engaged the Centre for Accessible Environments (CAE) to re-draft the Equality and Diversity section of the Design Guide. The project co-ordinator then engaged in an email exchange with a core group of stakeholders proposed by the Equality and Diversityteam during January and Feburary, taking feedback on and altering the wording proposed by the CAE. He also facilitated two sessions at the Equality Engagement Event on 22/02/17.
No further consultation is proposed at this stage: Consultation with occur on a project-by-project basis.

8. What action can be taken to mitigate any potential negative impactsoraddress different needs? Please comment and then complete an action plan (see appendix 1).

9. Please indicate the level of equality relevance: High

10. Equality analysissign off:

Faculty Dean or Head of Service
Faculty / service
Date

Please return this form to the Equality and Diversity Unit for feedback, the start of the consultation process and publication.

1

E and D Unit – November2013

Equality analysis - action planAppendix 1

Name of activity: Design Guide

Plan completed by:Nick BellService/ faculty: Estates

Issues / Actions
required / Responsible
Person / Resources required / Target date / Success Indicators / What progress has been made?
Information/data required
Consultation
Monitoring and review arrangements
Publication
Other actions

Please return form to the Equality and Diversity Unit

1

E and D Unit – November2013