Single Equality Scheme

This is the first single equality scheme to be produced by Dale & Valley Homes.  It builds on the success of our earlier corporate equality scheme. The single equality scheme complements our equality and diversity strategy to promote equality with our customers and employees for the period 2009-10. During this period we will be constantly collecting views and opinions and at the end of 2010 we will produce an updated scheme covering a 3 year period.

As the largest social housing provider in Wear Valley, our customers' experience is central to everything we do. We must act fairly at all times and in the interests of all our customers and the wider community.  It is important for us to be trusted and to make fair decisions in all our areas of responsibility.

We are also an employer as well as a service provider. As such we take our responsibilities extremely seriously making sure that our work force is reflective of the community and can work in an environment that is free from discrimination, harassment and bullying

This single equality scheme has been prepared under the requirements of a number of statutory duties to promote equality.  The duties we work to consist of two types; general duties - the fundamental cornerstones of equality legislation and specific duties. These duties provide the mechanism by which we can test whether or not we are meeting the fundamental cornerstones of equality law. The purpose of the duties is to help public bodies like us address institutional and systemic inequalities that some groups face.