Employment equity reporting

What to hand an EE consultant so the submission is right

Prepare your headcount, recruitment, payroll and training records clearly so your EE consultant can file an accurate, timely employment equity report.

Many companies hand their EE consultant incomplete or disorganised records and then wonder why the submission gets flagged or delayed. You've hired someone to do the heavy lifting, yet the weight of pulling together your own data often falls back on your shoulders — and when the consultant asks for something you can't find, suddenly the clock is ticking and panic sets in.

The truth is simpler: giving your consultant the right information upfront doesn't require you to do their job. It means knowing what matters to them and preparing it properly so they can focus on analysis and compliance, not chasing you for basics.

What a consultant actually needs before they start

Your EE consultant will ask for your organisational structure and headcount data, but "asking" and "receiving it in usable form" are different things. They need your workforce snapshot — ideally a spreadsheet or HR system extract showing employee names (or anonymised IDs if you prefer), job titles, departments, salary bands, race designation (as declared or recorded), gender, and employment type (permanent, fixed-term, contract). The data should reflect your reporting date; if you're reporting in June, the snapshot is June 30.

Beyond headcount, gather your recruitment and promotion records from the past year. Your consultant needs to see who applied, who was hired, and who moved up — not to judge your decisions, but to identify whether your processes have created or closed opportunity gaps. If you use an applicant tracking system, ask your IT or HR team to extract this. If you use spreadsheets or email folders, organise them by hire or promotion date so the consultant can verify your pipeline was diverse.

Payroll data matters too. Your consultant will need to cross-check salary against role, seniority and designation to spot whether pay equity issues exist. This doesn't mean handing over everyone's salary in full detail; your consultant can work with summary tables showing salary ranges by job level and designation.

The paperwork your consultant will ask for next

Once they have the people data, they'll want proof of your equity efforts. Bring any training records — internal and external, mandatory and development — showing who attended what. Bring any mentoring or skills development programmes you run. Bring any designated group internship or learnership initiatives, with numbers and outcomes. Bring your recruitment policy, promotion criteria, and any diversity or accessibility policies you have in place.

If you've had equity audits, previous reports or consultation notes, hand those over too. They show your trajectory and help the consultant spot patterns or recurring gaps rather than starting blind. Similarly, if you've had complaints, grievances or performance issues linked to equity concerns, your consultant should know (in broad terms, anonymised) so they can advise on whether reporting thresholds or patterns are relevant.

How to organise it so nothing gets lost

Create a single folder — physical or digital — with labelled subfolders: headcount, recruitment, promotions, payroll, training, policies, prior reports. Use consistent date formats and file names. If your consultant asks for something by email, reply with a summary of what you're sending and where to find it. If they ask for access to your HR system instead, set them up with read-only credentials and confirm what they can see.

The cleaner your handover, the faster they work and the less they need to circle back. You'll also reduce the risk of errors caused by missing data or misinterpretation. A good EE consultant will ask you to confirm the data is complete and accurate before they begin analysis — take that seriously. If you're unsure whether records are up to date or if someone's designation needs checking, flag it now, not when they're halfway through.

When you're ready to engage, look for a consultant who explains upfront what they need and by when, and who confirms receipt and completeness before starting. That clarity is a sign they're organised and know the reporting landscape. Strove's verified HR consultants include those with employment equity expertise; check profiles for their specific experience with designated employer reporting and ask what data format works best for them.

Common questions

Can I hand my consultant raw data from my payroll system, or does it need to be cleaned first?: Raw export is fine, but flag any gaps, inconsistencies or fields you're unsure about. Your consultant will clean and verify it, but they work faster if you give them a heads-up about what might need correction — for example, if some race designations are missing or if salary figures include bonuses you want separated. A quick email note saves back-and-forth.
What if I don't have organised recruitment records from the past year?: Tell your consultant immediately. They'll help you figure out what's retrievable — email folders, job board archives, interview notes, even email confirmations of hires. The earlier you flag this, the more time they have to help reconstruct the picture. Incomplete records can affect accuracy, so honesty here matters.
Do I need to hand over employee names and personal details, or can I anonymise the data?: Ask your consultant their preference. Some work with anonymised data (ID numbers linked to role, level, salary band, designation); others prefer names to cross-check against your HR system or spot errors. Either way, they're bound by confidentiality and data protection rules — check they're clear on POPIA compliance in how they handle your records.
How far back should my training and development records go?: Bring the past 12 months minimum, aligned to your reporting year. If you've run multi-year programmes (apprenticeships, leadership pipelines), include those too so your consultant can show cumulative impact. They'll tell you what adds value to your narrative beyond the core reporting numbers.

Find a verified provider on Strove

Compare vetted employment equity reporting providers, check their credentials, and book or request a quote — all in one place.

Find a Business

More on Employment equity reporting

What a consultant actually needs before they start

The paperwork your consultant will ask for next

How to organise it so nothing gets lost

Common questions

Can I hand my consultant raw data from my payroll system, or does it need to be cleaned first?

Raw export is fine, but flag any gaps, inconsistencies or fields you're unsure about. Your consultant will clean and verify it, but they work faster if you give them a heads-up about what might need correction — for example, if some race designations are missing or if salary figures include bonuses you want separated. A quick email note saves back-and-forth.

What if I don't have organised recruitment records from the past year?

Tell your consultant immediately. They'll help you figure out what's retrievable — email folders, job board archives, interview notes, even email confirmations of hires. The earlier you flag this, the more time they have to help reconstruct the picture. Incomplete records can affect accuracy, so honesty here matters.

Do I need to hand over employee names and personal details, or can I anonymise the data?

Ask your consultant their preference. Some work with anonymised data (ID numbers linked to role, level, salary band, designation); others prefer names to cross-check against your HR system or spot errors. Either way, they're bound by confidentiality and data protection rules — check they're clear on POPIA compliance in how they handle your records.

How far back should my training and development records go?

Bring the past 12 months minimum, aligned to your reporting year. If you've run multi-year programmes (apprenticeships, leadership pipelines), include those too so your consultant can show cumulative impact. They'll tell you what adds value to your narrative beyond the core reporting numbers.