One of the tasks of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is to review the equality information to be published by public authorities and businesses. Part of this review is to determine if the format, accessibility and completeness of the information comply with the requirements set by the specific duties. If they do not or do so only partially, the Commission will alert the respective authorities of their failures and, in the absence of response and/or self-correction, may take legal action against the authorities.

The information to be published serves to document the adherence to the general equality duty. The data is meant to provide information about the composition of service users and employees, present concrete measures to improve equality within the authority, and track whether and how these improvements are made. Publishing this information creates transparency and makes it easier for the authorities to be held accountable if their actions are inadequate and inconsistent with their duty.

The collection of information and reliable data is the responsibility of the authorities and certain businesses, which only in this way can guarantee the implementation of equality schemes and action plans. The Commission provides sufficient material to inform authorities and businesses on how to prepare the reports. It is important that the collection and publication of data is a first step, but by no means enough to ensure the implementation of the duty.

It is the responsibility of the authorities and respective businesses to use the data to identify the need for action and to take action to remedy, or at least gradually reduce, the deficiencies.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission regularly publishes reports on England, Wales and Scotland with regard to the implementation of the general equality duty and the special duties. In Northern Ireland, reporting and feedback are part of equality duties in the public sector.