Equity vs. Equality

I was recently challenged on my passion for and commitment to supporting organisations to create Equity for all of their employees. The view was that Equity would somehow require dominant cultures to lose something in order for marginalised communities to progress. That view is exactly why I think we continue to receive pushback in our work as EDI professionals and active allies in our communities.

We’ve talked about Equality for a long time, so I feel like most are familiar with it at this stage, but for anyone who isn’t. When we talk about Equality, we mean equal distribution and treatment to create fairness. Providing all with the same resources, opportunities, or support irrespective of their individual needs or circumstances. While this creates a spirit of fairness, it doesn’t address underlying systematic disadvantages or barriers that certain groups face.

That’s where ‘Equity’ came in. Equity goes beyond equality. It involves acknowledging and addressing the specific needs of different people or groups, appreciating that sometimes true fairness demands unequal treatment to enable marginalised communities to progress. Equity aims to level the playing field in some way, with a focus on provision and opportunities tailored to the needs of those who require them most. Identifying and dismantling barriers to equal participation.

I know some people reading this, are cringing at the idea of a level playing field, but I hope that most are excited by that prospect. Equity matters, and understanding the distinction between Equality and equity is so important, and embracing it is even more crucial, as only in doing that can we look to recognise and fix historic disparities, systematic biases, and the current emphasis placed on individual differences.

As we work our way towards a more inclusive world, let’s champion Equity as the cornerstone of our journey towards true inclusion.

The utopia, I imagine, is that babies, somewhere in the future, enter this world with exactly the same opportunities as all other babies. Regardless of their race, sex, or other differences. Does that resonate with you? Do you have any thoughts on how we get there? And particularly how we get more people on board?