Equality, diversity and inclusion
The law, the barriers, and two pieces of work you have to carry out — an organisational review and an equality impact assessment.
Level 5 People Management · 9 assessment criteria
Learning outcome 1
Understand the importance of embracing equality, diversity and inclusion in organisations.
- AC1.1assess
Assess the value of equality, diversity and inclusion in organisations for employees, customers and wider stakeholders.
What that asks for: Judge the significance or extent of something. Close to evaluate, but the emphasis is on how much it matters.
- AC1.2explain
Explain the key aspects of anti-discrimination legislation and regulation associated with equality, diversity and inclusion.
What that asks for: Make it clear how or why something works. Description is enough here — you are not being asked to judge it.
- AC1.3identify
Identify the barriers to achieving equality, diversity and inclusion in organisations.
What that asks for: Name the specific ones that apply here. The lowest bar of any CIPD verb — but it still wants the actual items, not a description of the category.
Learning outcome 2
Be able to ensure equality, diversity and inclusion is reflected and promoted in the organisation.
- AC2.1conduct
Conduct an organisational review to improve equality, diversity and inclusion in an organisational context.
What that asks for: Carry out the calculation or activity and show the working. The result on its own is not the evidence.
- AC2.2conduct
Conduct an equality impact assessment (EqIA) to ensure that there are no disproportionate impacts on protected individuals or groups.
What that asks for: Carry out the calculation or activity and show the working. The result on its own is not the evidence.
- AC2.3recommend
Recommend approaches to strengthen and measure equality, diversity and inclusion within organisational policies and practices.
What that asks for: Say what should be done, and why that rather than the alternatives.
Learning outcome 3
Be able to embed best practice approaches to equality, diversity and inclusion.
- AC3.1evaluate
Evaluate the role managers and leaders play in creating an organisational culture which fully embraces equality, diversity and inclusion.
What that asks for: Weigh it up and reach a judgement. Both sides, then a position — an answer with no verdict does not meet this.
- AC3.2recommend
Recommend approaches that organisations can take to celebrate difference and engender a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion among workers and other stakeholders.
What that asks for: Say what should be done, and why that rather than the alternatives.
- AC3.3develop
Develop approaches to measure and monitor the impact of an equality diversity and inclusion organisational culture.
What that asks for: Produce the thing. A criterion that says develop wants the artefact submitted, not a description of how one is made.
Learning outcomes and assessment criteria are quoted from the CIPD CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management qualification specification, version 2.6 (February 2026), © CIPD. MarkReady is not a CIPD approved centre and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the CIPD.
- 5CO01Organisational performance and culture in practice
- 5CO02Evidence-based practice
- 5CO03Professional behaviours and valuing people
- 5HR01Employment relationship management
- 5HR02Talent management and workforce planning
- 5HR03Reward for performance and contribution
- 5OS01Specialist employment law
- 5OS02Advances in digital learning and development
- 5OS03Learning and development essentials
- 5OS04People management in an international context
- 5OS06Leadership and management development
- 5OS07Wellbeing at work
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