Diversity and Inclusion

Shetland Islands Council is committed to promoting equality of opportunity and good community relations. Shetland’s community statement contains the following statements:

  • We’ll seek to create fulfilling, well paid jobs for all, whatever their talent
  • Foster confident, thriving communities across Shetland
  • Promote justice and equality, here and overseas
  • Expand knowledge, extend opportunities and improve access

The Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 puts responsibility on Local Authorities regarding Diversity & Inclusion.

The Equality Act came into force on 1 October 2010. It brings together over 116 separate pieces of legislation into one single Act. Combined, they make up an Act that provides a legal framework to protect the rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for all.

The Act simplifies, strengthens and harmonises legislation to provide Britain with a discrimination law which protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fair and more equal society.

Under the Act there is a single public sector duty covering nine protected characteristics. The protected characteristics are:

  • Age
  • Disability
  • Gender reassignment
  • Marriage and Civil Partnership
  • Pregnancy and maternity
  • Race
  • Religion and belief
  • Sex
  • Sexual Orientation

Equality Outcomes

The Equality Act 2010 (specific duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012, requires public authorities to develop and publish equality outcomes every 4 years and report progress made to achieve the equality outcomes every two years.

The Shetland Islands Council is committed to eliminating unlawful discrimination, advancing equality of opportunity and fostering good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

As an organisation we work towards achieving the equality outcomes identified within the mainstreaming report, whilst reflecting on progress made on the previous equality outcomes.

The Equality Outcomes for 2021-2025 are:

  • People will be accessing employment in all sectors in innovative ways designed to minimize the barriers to involvement for all;
  • People will be able to access the information they need, when they need it, in a wide range of different ways;
  • Outcomes will be improved by developing better methods to assess the impact of what we do; and
  • The number of children, young people and adults affected by gender based violence, particularly domestic abuse and sexual violence will be reduced, and the consequences will be minimised. 

The full Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming report is available to download here.

Key Documents