This policy and procedure do not form part of an employee’s contract of employment and may be updated from time to time by Emmaus Norfolk and Waveney (ENW).
- Policy Statement
ENW is committed to the principles and development of equity, diversity and inclusion in the community and workplace. We are committed to the fair treatment of staff, potential staff, companions, volunteers and trustees, encouraging all to achieve their full potential regardless of gender, marital and civil partnership status, age, race, colour, nationality, national origin, ethnic background, religion or belief, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, family or other care responsibilities, trade union membership, disability, sexual orientation, working hours or contractual arrangements.
We are also committed to an environment which is free from any form of discrimination, harassment or bullying and within which all individuals are treated with respect, fairness and courtesy.
These principles also apply to our interaction with external visitors, organisations, individuals, suppliers and former staff and companions.
This policy and its associated principles underpin all areas of our work, policies and procedures.
- Policy Scope
The CEO has overall responsibility for ensuring the effective implementation of this EDI Policy. However, all employees, companions, volunteers and trustees are expected to observe and adhere to the principles of this policy in the course of their work.
In addition, the principles this policy apply in the way in which all staff and companions treat each other, visitors, suppliers and former staff members.
- Responsibilities
Everyone associated with ENW are expected to adhere to our EDI policy. It is therefore the responsibility of all employees, trustees, companions and volunteers to ensure the policy is implemented. Any breach of this policy may be treated as a serious offence resulting, if appropriate, in proportionate formal action.
In addition, all managers have particular responsibilities to ensure that this policy is implemented in the management of staff; ensuring that this policy is put into practice by challenging any behaviours, actions or decisions which breach the policy.
- Definitions
ENW acknowledges that many different definitions of inequity, discrimination and lack of inclusion exist. Therefore, for the purposes of this policy ENW adopts the following definitions provided in employment legislation:
- Direct discrimination:
Direct discrimination is where a person is treated less favourably than another in the same or comparable circumstances on the grounds of the prohibited reasons listed earlier, i.e., although a job applicant has all the skills and competences required for the job, the organisation decides not to offer him/her the job because he/she is a Hindu. This would be direct religious discrimination.
- Indirect discrimination:
Indirect discrimination occurs where someone is disadvantaged by an unjustified provision, criterion or practice that also puts other people with the same protected characteristic at a particular disadvantage, e.g., a requirement for all employees to work full time could adversely affect a higher proportion of women than men. This could therefore, be indirect sex discrimination.
- Harassment:
Harassment occurs where there is unwanted conduct relating to one of the prohibited grounds which violates a person’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that person i.e., an employee has a son who is gay and people in the employee’s workplace often tell jokes about gay people and tease the employee about his son’s sexual orientation. This could be grounds for a complaint of harassment on the grounds of sexual orientation.
Harassment is dealt with in full under the Bullying and Harassment Policy and Procedure.
- Victimisation:
Victimisation is less favourable treatment of someone who has complained or given information about discrimination or harassment or supports someone else’s complaint. i.e., an employee gives evidence in support of a colleague’s complaint of discrimination on the grounds of race and their subsequent application for promotion is rejected because they are labelled as a troublemaker.
- Our Commitments
5.1 Recruitment and selection:
ENW will aim to ensure that all our recruitment, selection practices and procedures are fair and free from discrimination and adhere to the requirements of the equality act 2010. For example, recruitment and selection decisions will be on the basis of aptitude and ability, and therefore no applicants will receive less favourable treatment on the grounds referred to in the policy statement. In addition, job advertisements will avoid stereotyping or using wording that may be deemed discriminatory or discourage particular groups with a particular protected characteristic (i.e., those listed in the policy statement) from applying. Advertisements will also be advertised as widely as possible to attract a diverse labour market.
ENW is required by law to ensure that all employees, volunteers and trustees are entitled to work in the UK and therefore all potential recruits, regardless of nationality will be asked to provide original documents before employment, volunteering or trusteeship commences in order to satisfy current immigration legislation. As such, assumptions will not be made regarding an individual’s immigration status and will not and should not be made based upon appearance or apparent nationality.
5.2 Induction, training and development:
We will ensure that induction, training, development, and progression opportunities are available to all, and that individuals are helped and encouraged to develop their full potential and contribute to the achievements of ENW.
5.3 Terms and conditions:
With regards to employment, ENW will ensure to offer employment terms and conditions that reflect current legislation, good practice and equity. This will include:
- Appoint staff within an agreed framework of terms and conditions.
- Make staff aware of the policies which encourage flexible ways of working.
- Consider new ways to promote flexible ways of working and work/life balance.
- Be aware at all times of equity, diversity and inclusion and the range of staff needs when designing and introducing new terms and conditions.
5.4 Complaints and grievance procedures:
Staff and companions have a right to work in an environment free from prejudice and harassment. Therefore, any individual who feels that they have been treated unequally will be taken seriously and may raise the issue via the following route:
Companions/volunteers/trustees – Should follow their complaints policy.
Employees – Should follow the Grievance Policy
5.5 Disability:
Where possible and reasonable, adjustments will be made to accommodate individual needs in respect of disability, whether in relation to the recruitment and selection process, or to ongoing employment / volunteering. Therefore, we encourage members of staff and companions who are disabled or who become disabled to inform ENW about their condition so that appropriate support can be provided.
Adjustments may also be made to physical features of ENW premises, where reasonable and where they place the disabled person at a substantial disadvantage to others.
- Liability and Remedy
ENW individual employees, companions, volunteers and trustees can be held liable for acts of discrimination that they commit, authorise or condone.
All employees, companions, volunteers and trustees are expected to inform the CEO about any acts or practices that they become aware of and believe could be discriminatory or contravene the EDI policy.
Any employee who believes that they have suffered any form of discrimination should refer to the grievance procedure. Companions, volunteers and trustees should refer to their complaints procedure in the handbook.
The bullying and harassment policy should be referred to where an individual believes that they have been/are a victim or bullying or harassment.
The potential consequences for breaching this policy may result in appropriate action being taken against the individual concerned. In the case of employees, disciplinary action may result up to and including summary dismissal. Trustees/volunteers may be asked to withdraw their services, and companions may be subject to action in line with the companion disciplinary procedures.
Staff and companions who make allegations regarding potential breaches of this policy in good faith will not be victimised or treated less favourably. However, individuals who make false allegations will be dealt with via an appropriate formal procedure.
- Monitoring
Job applicants for paid, voluntary and trustee roles will be asked to complete an equal opportunities monitoring form. The information obtained via the equal opportunities form will be used solely as one tool for monitoring the effectiveness of the ENW EDI policy.
Equity
ENW recognises that whilst equality ensures that groups and individuals will be given the same resources or opportunities, equity recognises that each person has different circumstances and therefore may need different allocation of resources and opportunity to reach an equal outcome.