The Auditor General for Wales' report detailing the Wales Audit Office's progress towards compliance with the Equality Act, published today, sets out the steps taken to meet the statutory equality duties and embed equality principles into the way the WAO works.

Among the year's notable achievements were the launch of the Equality Compliance project to assist the Auditor General in the delivery of his obligations under the general duty, and the establishment of an Equality Steering Group to oversee the overall direction of the Equality Compliance Project. In addition the WAO have positively engaged with staff and trade union partners to raise awareness of the Equality Act, receiving a positive response both from staff and externally with the internal communication campaign designed to help increase  awareness of the requirements for staff being shortlisted as a finalist in the Chartered institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Cymru Awards in November 2012.

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First annual report highlights positive steps towards a more fair environment for staff and stakeholders.

The Auditor General for Wales' report detailing the Wales Audit Office's progress towards compliance with the Equality Act, published today, sets out the steps taken to meet the statutory equality duties and embed equality principles into the way the WAO works.

Among the year's notable achievements were the launch of the Equality Compliance project to assist the Auditor General in the delivery of his obligations under the general duty, and the establishment of an Equality Steering Group to oversee the overall direction of the Equality Compliance Project. In addition the WAO have positively engaged with staff and trade union partners to raise awareness of the Equality Act, receiving a positive response both from staff and externally with the internal communication campaign designed to help increase  awareness of the requirements for staff being shortlisted as a finalist in the Chartered institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Cymru Awards in November 2012.

The Wales Audit Office is just one of a number of Welsh public bodies who are building equality considerations into the design of their policies and practices as a result of the a new Public Sector Equality Duty which came into force on the 5th April 2011.

The duty was introduced to ensure that public authorities and those who carry out a public function consider how they can positively contribute to a fairer society. It is intended that this will be achieved by eliminating discrimination, advancing equality of opportunity and fostering good relations in day-to-day activites.

 Auditor General for Wales, Huw Vaughan Thomas, said today:

I am pleased that this review is able to report on so many areas of change. We are making real progress towards embedding the values and principles set out in the duty into the culture of the Wales Audit Office and I am encouraged by how staff have responded to these new duties.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

• The Auditor General and the auditors he appoints in local government are the independent statutory external auditors of most of the Welsh public sector. They are responsible for the annual audit of the majority of public money spent in Wales, including the £14 billion of funds that are voted to Wales annually by the Westminster Parliament. Elements of this funding are passed by the Welsh Government to the NHS in Wales (over £5 billion) and to local government (nearly £4 billion).
• The Wales Audit Office mission is to promote improvement, so that people in Wales benefit from accountable, well-managed public services that offer the best possible value for money. It is also committed to identify and spreading good practice across the Welsh public sector.