South Wales Police advises potential suppliers of its equality and diversity requirements at the qualification stage of procurement exercises. An equality impact assessment is carried out to decide how relevant equality and diversity issues, including sexual orientation, are to that contract. Where relevant, the bidder is asked for a robust proposal for achieving equal opportunities as part of their tender. Specific questions may be put to bidders about whether they have an equal opportunities policy, whether they provide equality training for all their staff, whether they monitor the composition of their workforce – and whether sexual orientation is specifically addressed in these policies and initiatives. Bidders may be ruled out of tenders if they cannot provide positive responses to some of these questions.
Suppliers’ continued compliance on equality, including LGB equality, is then monitored through contract monitoring meetings. If a supplier breaches the contract terms and conditions on sexual orientation equality, that contract may be terminated on the grounds of non-compliance.
To encourage LGB diversity good practice in its supplier and partner organisations, South Wales Police also invites them to the its All Wales LGBT History Month events as part of a wider awareness-raising campaign.