Commissioners Equality and Human Rights Commission – Cabinet OfficeOpen 

The Minister for Women and Equalities wishes to appoint at least four Commissioners to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

These appointments fulfil the requirements of the Equality Act 2006, that there must be between 10 and 15 EHRC Commissioners.

The roles and responsibilities of EHRC Commissioners are set out in the Commission’s Governance Manual.

Public Appointments to the EHRC are normally for 4 years dependent on the requirements of the Board.

The Commissioners have responsibility for:

• Agreeing the strategic direction and maintaining oversight of the Commission;

• Ensuring the Commission discharges its statutory duties under the Equality Acts and obligations under the Paris Principles within the policy and resources framework (i.e. the Framework Document) agreed with its Sponsor Department and in accordance with high standards of corporate governance and principles of public law;

• Ensuring the Commission effectively fulfils its statutory duties and operates within its statutory and delegated authority, including any conditions relating to the use of its grant-in-aid, specifically the use of public funds more generally in compliance with Treasury Guidance on ‘Managing Public Money’;

• Ensuring that effective arrangements are in place to provide assurance on risk management, good governance and internal control;

• Determining the Commission’s performance metrics and monitoring performance against them; and ensuring it demonstrates resources are being used to good effect, with propriety, and without grounds for criticism that public funds are being used for private, partisan or party political purposes;

• Holding the Chief Executive to account for the performance and delivery against strategic and business plan priorities; objectives and budgets including follow-up actions on its decisions;

• Formulating a strategy for ensuring the Commission is open and transparent in all that it does, providing Parliament and the public with as full information as may be requested concerning its policy decisions and actions. This includes full compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Data Protection Act 1998, as amended and its adopted complaints procedures;

• Making publicly available annual reports, and, where practical and appropriate, hold open Board meetings, release summary reports of meetings and invite evidence from members of the public on matters of public concern;

• Promoting and protecting the Commission’s position, values, mission, vision, integrity, image and reputation, and

• Ensuring high standards of corporate governance that command the confidence of the Commission’s stakeholders are observed at all times.

The EHRC is Great Britain’s national equality body and has been awarded an ‘A’ status as a National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) by the United Nations. Its role is to help make Britain fairer and it achieves this by safeguarding and enforcing the laws that protect people’s rights to fairness, dignity and respect.

As a statutory non-departmental public body established by the Equality Act 2006, the EHRC operates independently. It has a unique role in enforcing anti-discrimination law and helping individuals who are bringing claims of discrimination, harassment or victimisation under the Act. It aims to be a centre of excellence for evidence, analysis and equality and human rights law and an essential point of contact for policy makers, public bodies and business.

The EHRC uses its unique powers to challenge discrimination, promote equality of opportunity and protect human rights.

For further information about the Commission, please visit its website at www.equalityhumanrights.com

The Board of Commissioners is the highest level decision-making body in the organisation, responsible for the strategic oversight of the Commission.

The current Board Members are listed below and biographical information for each Board Member can be found on the EHRC’s website.

• Chair: Baroness Kishwer Falkner (term ends 30 November 2025)

• Lesley Sawers, Deputy Chair and Scotland Commissioner (term ends 30 November 2025)

• John Kirkpatrick, Chief Executive

• Keith Richards, Commissioner

• Akua Reindorf KC, Commissioner

• Alasdair Henderson, Commissioner

• Kunle Olulode MBE, Commissioner

• Joanne Cash, Commissioner (term ends 30 November 2025)

Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson will begin her term as the incoming Chair of the Commission on 1 December 2025.

The Board has a strategic oversight role. It does not directly manage the Commission’s operations, but delegates that role to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Commission’s staff. It holds the CEO and the staff to account by monitoring performance against the Commission’s strategic priorities and ensuring that resources are being used to good effect.

Further information on the EHRC and its activities, including its most recent annual report, can be found on the EHRC’s website.

Location

The Commission has offices in Cardiff, Glasgow, Manchester and London. Board meeting locations may vary, and so some travel may be required. The Commission supports flexible working practices. As a national organisation, video conferencing is available for day-to-day communication. It will be at the Board’s discretion to decide member working patterns