Accreditation of DWP Providers of Contracted Employment Services –
Equality and Diversity legislation
Part of the provider accreditation includes ensuring that our suppliers comply
with government legislation, including the recently introduced Equality and
Diversity legislation.
From May 2006 DWP Commercial Employment Provision (DWP CEP)
introduced new Terms and Conditions for all new contracts and this new
legislation was outlined within schedule 8 of these new Terms and Conditions.
DWP CEP needs to ensure that ALL providers comply with this new
legislation. This will include providers whose contracts were awarded before
May 2006, as well as those providers whose contracts were awarded after
May 2006.
This new legislation will require all Providers of Contracted Employment
Services to have Equality and Diversity policies. These policies are as follows:
• Agreed Harassment Policy
• Agreed Equality Plan
• Agreed Training Plan
• Agreed Supplier Diversity Plan
This is in addition to the existing requirement for providers to submit their
Equal Opportunities policy, which is still required.
Guidance on the contents of these policies is give in Annex 1 as well as being
included in schedule 8 of the latest Terms and Conditions.
Providers with Contracts awarded after May 2006
Providers with contracts awarded after May 2006 will be aware that these
polices are required and this note is to remind you that you have until
November 2006 to submit your Equality and Diversity policies.
Providers with Contracts awarded before May 2006
The accreditation process means that providers with contracts awarded
before May 2006 will also be required to comply with these new requirements.
Any provider who already has these policies in place should submit them at
the earliest opportunity. Those providers without these policies in place should
now be working on developing them. Providers will be given time to develop
their Equality and Diversity policies, although an update on pr