The Equality Act 2010 says that public organisations must think about equality in everything they do. This means they must:

• treat people fairly and prevent discrimination, harassment, or victimisation
• give everyone a fair chance, especially people who may face unfair barriers
• help diverse groups get along and understand each other

The law also protects people from being treated unfairly because of certain personal characteristics. These include:

1. age
2. disability
3. gender re-assignment
4. marriage and civil partnership
5. pregnancy and maternity
6. race, religion or belief
7. sex
8. sexual orientation

In Scotland, public organisations such as Revenue Scotland have extra responsibilities called the Scottish Specific Duties (SSDs).

These duties require them to report on how they build equality into everyday work. They must also publish equality goals and show the progress they are making.