Wales innovates: creating a stronger, fairer, greener Wales: addendum to equality impact assessment

The original Equality Impact Assessment (2023) committed to collecting demographic data from individuals receiving SMART FIS support, specifically covering seven protected characteristics: sex, gender, age, disability, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and religion or belief, and to gathering demographic information from all individuals involved in each SMART FIS project rather than only from the lead applicant. 

Since publication of the Equality Impact Assessment, further operational and digital delivery decisions have been taken that affect the feasibility of implementing this approach as originally intended. This addendum sets out the updated position, the rationale for the revised approach, and the mitigations in place.

Under the revised approach, demographic data will be collected in line with Business Wales, which captures five protected characteristics: sex, gender, age, ethnicity, and disability.

SMART FIS operates as part of the wider Business Wales service ecosystem. To ensure an efficient and consistent experience for clients, demographic data will be collected through the shared Business Wales registration system on a secure online platform. Aligning with this system provides: 

• a coherent and unified customer journey,
• reduced duplication and administrative burden for clients,
• streamlined and efficient internal processes, and
• consistent monitoring across Business Wales programmes.

The demographic data collected through the online platform will be used to monitor participation in SMART FIS and to identify any potential inequalities in access or uptake by different groups. While the dataset is more limited than originally planned, it will still help identify any indications of unequal access or engagement. Where gaps or concerns emerge, these will be explored further through existing monitoring and governance processes.