The Company is committed to being an equal opportunity employer and firmly believes in treating all employees and job applicants fairly and equally.
Commitment
As such the Company will do its best to only evaluate employees and job applicants on the basis of their ability, competencies, experience and qualifications when making decisions regarding promotions, training and employment. At no point will factors (known as protected characteristics) regarding race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, national origin, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, age, pregnancy, maternity, marital or civil partnership status or disability be a part of any such decisions.
The Company will do its best to ensure that the working environment is free from bullying and harassment of any kind. Particularly in relation to factors regarding race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, national origin, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, age, pregnancy, maternity, marital or civil partnership status or disability.
Employees, associated service providers and all visitors to the Company’s premises or those attending training or activities arranged by or facilitated by the Company are obliged to uphold the elements of this policy in order to play their part in making sure that the workplace is free from discrimination, bullying or harassment.
The Company will not tolerate any act of bullying or harassment from its employees, clients, suppliers or other parties who interact with the business.
Consequences of action
If an employee is found to have bullied, harassed or discriminated against an employee or potential employee the matter will be treated seriously and dealt with as potential gross misconduct under the disciplinary procedure. Service providers found to have breached this policy will have their service provision suspended further to investigation by the Company. Visitors or those attending Company staged events or training who have been found to breach this policy will be suspended and removed from the specified provision that they are attending.
You should also be aware that committing an act of discrimination or harassment might result in a civil case being brought against you and that acts of serious harassment can also be regarded as a criminal offence.
You have a responsibility to report any issue of suspected discrimination, bullying or harassment to the office. It is not appropriate to become involved in the situation or to discriminate against a fellow employee who has made an allegation or had allegations made against them. Management will deal with it appropriately.
There are 2 types of discrimination
Direct discrimination
Is where someone’s employment, promotion or training is put at a disadvantage based on one or more of the factors listed above. This may happen intentionally or unintentionally.
This also applies if the discrimination is in relation to a protected characteristic of a third party who is connected to the individual and if it a perception that the individual has a protected characteristic – whether or not they do or don’t.
Indirect discrimination
Is where someone’s employment is subject to unjustified provision, criteria or practices which e.g. someone with a disability would find more difficult to meet.
Such provision, criteria or practice may appear to be fair but a lot of thought must go into each area to ensure that you don’t unwittingly discriminate.
Action
You have a responsibility to do your utmost to uphold the non-discriminatory practices of the Company and, on the other hand, if you believe that you may have been discriminated against you should raise the matter through the Company’s grievance procedure.