At Southway, we’re committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment for our colleagues, customers and communities. Our Equalities Scheme underpins our vision and is central to how we work with our customers to ensure that we are both inclusive and accessible. In December 2023, the Southway Board approved a new Equalities Scheme for the period 2023 to 2028. Whether it’s providing age-friendly services, offering welfare rights support, or promoting digital inclusion, we strive to create an environment where everyone can access and benefit from our services.
Read the Equalities Scheme 2023-2028
The scheme was created to help Southway:
- To understand the diverse needs of customers and communities and provide fully accessible and inclusive services.
- To foster a diverse workforce with a wide range of experiences and skills where difference is respected and valued.
- Ensure that Governance structures fully reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.
- To promote equality, diversity and inclusion and take a zero-tolerance stance against active discrimination.
Alongside the nine protected characteristics listed in The Equality Act 2010, Southway has adopted four additional protected characteristics within the Equalities Scheme:
- Armed Forces Veterans
- Carers
- Socio-economic status
- Care Leavers
Socio-economic status was added as a response to the levels of poverty, health inequality and disadvantage that can be found in the South Manchester area where Southway has most of its homes.
We are proud of our commitment to Armed Forces Veterans and have achieved Silver status for our work through the Armed Forces Covenant.
For Care Leavers we have signed up to the Greater Manchester Housing Providers Care Leavers Pledge.
Action in this area
In support of the commitments made in the Equalities Scheme we:
- Are reviewing the customer data that is collected to ensure accuracy and using this data to determine where service adjustments are required.
- Are working with Greater Manchester Housing Providers and have committed to at least 20% of our colleagues being social housing tenants (and at least 10% of these living in our own homes).
- Are an approved third-party reporting centre for hate crime reporting. Southway staff have been trained to help support victims, submit police reports, help prevent escalation and better understand hate crime, incidents and behaviour in our communities.
- Proudly marched in the Manchester Pride parade in the summer of 2023 and 2024 with a group of colleagues and residents standing together to demonstrate the important part we play in promoting equality and acceptance.
- Commissioned the Breakthrough Disability Discovery Project to get a better understanding of the low satisfaction levels amongst disabled staff and customers those living with a long-term health condition. This has resulted in an Action Plan to take forward the recommendations made by Breakthrough; the Manchester based Disability charity.
- Have delivered EDI training to all staff to ensure they understand the diverse nature of our customer base and treat all customers with compassion, respect and empathy.
- Have signed a pledge to be part of Houseproud. Houseproud is a regional network for social housing providers to improve the way that they engage, support & deliver services to our LGBTQ+ communities and colleagues.
We would love to hear your thoughts and feedback in this area. Contact us by emailing human.resources@southwayhousing.co.uk
