Cross-cutting themes
Cross-cutting themes, also referred to as 'horizontal themes', are issues that touch on general principles such as democracy, equality, sustainability and good governance.
They require action in multiple fields and as such need to be integrated into all areas of the European funding programmes and be addressed in the dialogue on development of the programmes.
The aim of the cross-cutting themes is to improve the quality and the legacy from each of the operations supported by the structural funds and to add value to programmes as a whole. They will require action in multiple fields and will be embedded within the design and delivery of all operations.
There are three cross-cutting themes:
- Equal opportunities, gender mainstreaming and the Welsh language
- Sustainable development
- Tackling poverty and social exclusion
The future-proofing toolkit
The future-proofing toolkit aims to help all businesses looking for support through ERDF funding contribute to the wellbeing of future generations and benefit from embedding sustainable development, equality and diversity principles and support of the Welsh language in their future aspirations in line with the cross-cutting themes.
Using the toolkit, companies will baseline their current position and, with the help of links to useful resources and case studies, identify opportunities to develop and/or improve their business and make them more resilient to changes in the future.
When a company completes their baseline, they will automatically be referred to Resource Efficiency and HR Advisors within Business Wales who will support them to make any improvements or changes identified.
If you are interested in creating an account and using the toolkit, this can be found on the Welsh Government's Business Wales website.
