Celebrating Employers Newly Accredited by Close the Gap’s Equally Safe at Work

That the Parliament celebrates the recent success of Equally Safe at Work, the world-leading employer accreditation programme delivered by Close the Gap, which it considers to be Scotland’s women and labour market expert; understands that 14 Scottish employers have achieved accreditation, taking the total number of accredited employers to 18; further understands that it is part of the implementation of Equally Safe, Scotland’s strategy to prevent and eradicate all forms of violence against women and girls; congratulates the eight local authorities, including Angus, East Ayrshire, Fife, Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Perth and Kinross and West Dunbartonshire councils, four NHS health boards, including NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, NHS Healthcare Improvement Scotland and Public Health Scotland, and two third sector organisations, including Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire and Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland, on gaining accreditation; notes that these employers have developed improved gender-sensitive employment practices to better support victim-survivor employees and tackle gender inequalities in the workplace; believes that the programme is crucial in enabling Scottish employers to advance gender equality; considers that addressing women’s labour market inequality is an essential step in preventing violence against women and girls, which, it believes, is both a cause and consequence of gender inequality, and wishes Close the Gap every success with Equally Safe at Work as the programme expands.