Hi Lesley,

You may have see this graphic do the rounds on the socials from time to time...

Also just sharing this from an internal CIPD blog post.

Equality versus equity

Equality and equity are sometimes used interchangeably to talk about fairness but have different meanings.

Equality, according to the Equality and Human Rights Commission is: “Ensuring that every individual has an equal opportunity to make the most of their lives and talents.”

So, equality means ensuring that everyone has the same opportunities and receives the same treatment and support. The Equality Act 2010 brought together many separate pieces of legislation into one single Act, providing a legal framework to protect the rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for all. It provides Britain with a discrimination law that protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fair and more equal society.

Equity acknowledges the challenge that people often have different starting places, and is linked to justice and proportional fairness. Equity is about providing various levels of support and assistance depending on specific needs or abilities to help achieve justice and fairness.

Although both promote fairness, equality treats everyone the same regardless of need, while equity treats people differently dependent on need – and this different treatment may also be important to reaching equality.