Diversity impact assessment
Social Value and Design of the Built Environment, published by the Supply Chain Sustainability School in 2017, defines a Diversity Impact Assessment (DIA) as: ‘..a tool used by Network Rail and others to anticipate the likely effects of activity on people, based on the characteristics protected by the Equality Act 2010, and to enable action to be taken to manage or mitigate any negative effects. Other organisations might refer to similar tools as Equality Impact Assessments.’
High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Environmental Statement, Glossary, abbreviations and references, published by the Department for Transport in 2022, defines a equality impact assessment as: ‘A predictive assessment of the possible equality effects of the Proposed Scheme on protected characteristic groups during construction and operation.’
Engagement Overlay to the RIBA Plan of Work, published by the RIBA in January 2024, states: ‘An Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) is a systematic and objective analysis of the potential impact of policies, practices, and decisions on people with protected characteristics. By undertaking an EqIA process, project teams can identify and address any possible discrimination causing a negative impact before it happens and take relevant action to avoid and mitigate it. It helps organisations to meet their legal and ethical obligations under equality and human rights legislation and policies, such as the Equality Act 2010 in the UK. It involves collecting and analysing relevant data, consulting with stakeholders, and using the findings to inform decision-making and action planning.’
