Equality and equity - both concepts we are probably familiar with, and possibly make reference to fairly regularly as part of discussions on EDI. To many of us, the concepts look and even sound alike. Yet, perhaps we need to afford more consideration to the complexities and distinctions between them? This is significant not just on a conceptual level in terms of their relevance to policy and strategy.
I take some comfort in the realisation that I am not the only one who may have failed to fully appreciate the need to break down what we really mean by equality and equity. According to Espinosa (2007) “most of the definitions of ‘equity’ and ‘equality’ are frequently used by many researchers, evaluators, policy-makers, policy analysts, scholars and educators as if they were interchangeable.”
But the concepts are not actually the same. Along with David T Takeuchi et al (Summer 2018), Espinosa (2007) examines a range of definitions of the two concepts. He contends that, whilst there certainly are no clear, universally shared definitions of either equality or equity, there is a broad consensus that the ideas are separate and should not be conflated.
Of the two terms, equality is probably the most commonly used, especially in regard to EDI strategies and policies. The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s website defines equality as: “Ensuring that every individual has an equal opportunity to make the most of their lives and talents.”
