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EDI: Equality Vs Equity
When asked what EDI stands for, is your go-to response Equality, Diversity and Inclusion? Or is it Equity, Diversity and Inclusion?
These terms are often used interchangeably, and while they both focus on the concept of fairness, there is a distinction between them. In the context of EDI within your business, it’s important to understand the difference between equality and equity. So, let’s start by cutting through the confusion…
Equality and equity – what’s the difference?
Equality is about ensuring that everyone has the same resources, rights and opportunities. In practice, it’s often about treating people the same, irrespective of their circumstances. On the surface this sounds fair, right? But equality in itself overlooks individual needs and circumstances, and that can result in unequal outcomes.
This is where equity comes in. In Liquid Friday’s EDI policy we define equity as “recognising that each person has different circumstances and allocating the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome”.
Unlike equality, equity takes into account that people come from different starting points. Equity acknowledges these disparities and works to eliminate them by tailoring support to those who need it most.
Equity in action
We’ve established that equality starts by assuming that everyone is starting from the same place and needs the same level of support. Equity, on the other hand, aims to give everyone what they need to be successful; it focuses on the equality of the outcome.
But what does equity in a business actually look like? Here’s a few examples:
Targeted recruitment practices: To create a more diverse workforce, businesses may implement recruitment policies aimed at underrepresented groups, ensuring that hiring processes address systemic inequalities. In reality this might include offering internships, apprenticeships or graduate schemes targeted at marginalised groups.
Pay equity audits and adjustments: Conducting regular pay equity audits can help identify and correct any wage gaps based on factors including gender, race or disability, ensuring everyone is fairly compensated for their work.
Flexible work arrangements: Employees all have individual personal circumstances, a business might offer flexible working hours or remote working options for those who need to care for children, elderly relatives or manage health conditions. This ensures that everyone can contribute effectively, regardless of personal challenges.
Customised PDPs: Rather than offering the same training for all employees, a business might tailor Personal Development Programmes that cater to the specific skills, circumstances and goals of each person. This could also involve mentorship, to help individuals navigate barriers that others may not face.
This isn’t an exhaustive list, but by implementing these types of equitable practices, businesses can support employees from all backgrounds, creating a genuinely inclusive environment where everyone has a fair chance to succeed.
“E” is for Equity at Liquid Friday
In the course of putting together our EDI strategy here at Liquid Friday, we spent considerable time whiteboarding “Equality V Equity” to really understand the difference between the two!
We came to the conclusion that what we want is for everyone within the business to be able to bring their best selves to the table.
For that reason, our “E” in the EDI acronym stands for equity, and the sense that fairness is not a one-size-fits-all approach, but a truly level playing field where everyone has access to the same opportunities, regardless of where they’re starting from.