We have recently updated our Equality Strategy, at a time of great change for Croydon. In doing so we have been informed by the Mayor’s Business Plan 2022-2026, the Council’s main strategic document, the progress that we have made, and new equality initiatives. We are also giving effect to the Chief Executives London Committee’s (CELC) Tackling Racial Inequality Standard. Equality Impact Assessments in Croydon will consider anti-racism and gender in addition to protected characteristics specified by the Equality Act 2010. Key to delivering this strategy will be the allocation of limited resources to deliver positive outcomes, as far as is practicable at a time when the organisation is under significant financial pressure.

​

This strategy supports the following objectives of the Mayor’s Business Plan:

​

• Become a council which listens to, respects and works in partnership with Croydon’s diverse communities through committing to work with residents to better understand our communities by increasing our network across seldom heard groups; to use data about local communities to inform decisions and improve services; and to ensure services proactively target groups that have accessibility issues as a result of age, mental health, disability, language, digital and or physical barriers. We will also develop our understanding of the intersectionality between protected characteristics.

• Develop our workforce to deliver in a manner that respects the diversity of our communities through ensuring it reflects our diverse communities at all levels and receives regular, updated equality training, holding ourselves to account and tackling systemic issues concerning equality issues and becoming an anti-racist organisation.

• Deliver a vibrant London Borough of Culture which showcases local talent and supports Croydon’s recovery through a programme that reflects the borough authentically and shines a light on our diverse communities.

• Support the local economy and enable residents to upskill and access job opportunities through ensuring that people with protected characteristics are able to benefit.

• Ensure children and young people have opportunities to learn, develop and fulfil their potential through enabling better education outcomes by groups who need support and addressing inequalities that lead to school exclusions and young people entering the criminal justice system.

• Tackle anti-social behaviour, knife crime and violence against women and girls so that Croydon feels safer through committing to the development of a strategy to tackle violence against women and girls.

​

Find out more about our Equality Strategy below. 

​