Surveys at New charter housing Trust group
Take part in one our surveys: Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions to help understand why New Charter records
diversity.
Q: Why does New Charter ask for ethnic origin, age, sexuality,
gender and disability?
A: Recording diversity shows whether New Charter
offers a high-quality service to all groups. The information we ask you
helps us to make changes based on facts, rather than assumptions. If
we did not record who uses our services, we could not know if everyone
gets a high-quality service, or whether certain groups find it difficult
to use our services
Discrimination, deliberate or not, could be more
likely. Diversity recording provides important information to help us
identify trends and improve continuously.
Q: Isn't keeping records of
a person's ethnic origin, age, sexuality or disability itself discriminatory?
A: Records themselves are neutral and non-discriminatory. But it is what
they are used for that is important. The information we ask you is collected
to ensure everyone can access a service and prevent bias or unfairness
Q: Isn't New Charter putting labels on people and so drawing attention
to differences between them?
A: Labelling people and looking at the differences
between them according to their disability, age, ethnic origin or other
status is already a quite common practice in society. Racial origin,
age, gender and disability are matters of fact. So it is not unlawful
to label people. However, it IS unlawful to treat people unfairly because
of that label.
Collecting information about our customers makes sure
we can check whether everyone is treated fairly by New Charter. Without
this, it would be difficult to find out the nature or extent of inequality,
the areas where we need to take action and whether actions we take to
reduce inequality are working.
Q: What does this diversity recording
provide?
A: Usually, recording itself will not prove the existence or
non-existence of discrimination. The information we collect may suggest
a pattern, or highlight areas where discrimination may be occurring.
It might need further investigation by management. For instance, an under
or over representation of ethnic minority tenants in particular neighbourhoods
does not automatically imply discrimination; but ethnic records would
highlight such disparities and allow closer scrutiny of the reasons for
them.
Recording shows us what is happening and can stimulate us to change
what we do if the outcomes are unfair and unlawful.
Further information, and/or help and advice in case of difficulty
in using the
system, including problems, can be obtained by sending an email
to the following
address. Please give as much information as possible.
Email: surveys@newcharter.co.uk