Equality Policy - Innov8 Workshops, Bury St Edmunds

innov8 workshops

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion policy

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion policy – July 2023

Our Commitment at innov8 Workshops to Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion

innov8 Workshops and its Trustees are totally committed to the principle of equality of opportunity for all of its service users, staff, volunteers and trustees. We are opposed to all forms of discrimination on the grounds of race, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, gender, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, age, class, immigration status, language, appearance, caring responsibilities, or other unjustifiable discrimination. See Appendix A.

This policy document spells out how we will endeavour to make our organisation accessible and welcoming to service users, staff, volunteers and trustees.

innov8 Workshops will work to promote this policy in all matters of staff recruitment, training, employment and selection of both staff and volunteers.

To emphasise our commitment to the delivery of this policy the Trustees of innov8 Workshops will monitor the effectiveness of our Equal Opportunity’s Policy and publish key information to evidence adherence to it. All staff, volunteers and trustees are committed to implementing this policy.

We hope that all service users will take time to read this policy and let the Senior Management Team have any further suggestions or comments. They will be given urgent and serious consideration and a full response.

Our Statement of Principles at innov8 Workshops

Equality of opportunity for all sections of our workforce and the communities we serve is a core value of innov8 Workshops. We exist to provide one-to-one mentoring alongside the opportunity to learn practical skills for the hardest to reach young people and our core desire is to do this for “Every child, Every Opportunity, Every Time”.

Everyone associated with us has a role to play in the promotion of equal opportunities through their work with colleagues and clients as well as all other stakeholders.

We recognise that certain groups face discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, gender identity, age, disability, sexuality, religious beliefs and other unjustified reasons. This discrimination can arise from the practices of organisations and social institutions or the prejudices and negative attitudes of individuals. Discrimination leads to social exclusion of some people in these groups. To address these issues we all have a duty to ensure we act to remove discrimination from our policies, structures and practices and to promote equality in all areas of our work and influence. We are committed to a fair deal for disabled people, members of ethnic minority communities, elderly people, young people, women, lesbians, gay men, by ensuring that our structures, policies, procedures, and the behavior of our employees are appropriate to the needs of all sections of the community. We will actively work to tackle discrimination in all its forms by promoting diversity, inclusion and equality.

At a time of dramatic change and increasing pressure on scarce resources, seeking and achieving equality of opportunity is of fundamental importance. Through its service users, staff, volunteers and trustees, innov8 Workshops will try to meet the challenges in the workplace, in service delivery and all other areas we can influence whilst ensuring equality of opportunity.

The Law

We will comply with and, where it is reasonable, practical and proportionate to do so, go beyond the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.

The Equality Act 2010 replaces the Equal Pay Act 1970, the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, much of the Equality Act 2006, the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003, the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003, the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006, and the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 (where applicable, as subsequently amended), plus other ancillary pieces of legislation.

The Act defines nine protected characteristics –

Age

Disability

Gender reassignment

Marriage and civil partnership

Pregnancy and maternity

Race

Religion and belief

Sex

Sexual orientation

See Appendix A for definitions.

We are also committed to meeting our statutory obligations under the following legislation and codes of practice:

Humans Rights Act 1998

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

This is a mandatory policy and should be known by everyone connected with innov8 Workshops.

The policy’s purpose is to:

provide equality, fairness and respect for all in our employment, whether temporary, part-time or full-time
not unlawfully discriminate because of the Equality Act 2010 protected characteristics of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation
oppose and avoid all forms of unlawful discrimination. This includes in pay and benefits, terms and conditions of employment, dealing with grievances and discipline, dismissal, redundancy, leave for

parents, requests for flexible working, and selection for employment, promotion, training or other developmental opportunities.

The organisation commits to:

Encourage equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
Create a working environment free of unlawful discrimination, promoting dignity and respect for all, and where individual differences and the contributions of all staff are recognised and valued. This commitment includes training managers and all other employees about their rights and responsibilities under the equality, diversity and inclusion policy. Responsibilities include staff conducting themselves to help the organisation provide equal opportunities in employment, and prevent bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination.
All staff should understand they, as well as their employer, can be held liable for acts of unlawful discrimination, in the course of their employment, against fellow employees, customers, suppliers and the public.
Take seriously complaints of discrimination by fellow employees, customers, suppliers, visitors, the public and any others in the course of the organisation’s work activities. Such acts will be dealt with as misconduct under the organisation’s grievance and/or disciplinary procedures, and appropriate action will be taken. Particularly serious complaints could amount to gross misconduct and lead to dismissal.
Make opportunities for training, development and progress available to all staff, who will be helped and encouraged to develop their full potential, so their talents and resources can be fully utilised to maximise the efficiency of the organisation.
Make decisions concerning staff being based entirely on merit

Procedures

Trustees

1.1 Trustees are responsible for ensuring that innov8 Workshops meets its legal responsibilities, including those relating to Equalities legislation. All trustees accept and work to the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy and monitor its implementation by receiving and analysing regular reports.

1.2 Trustees will review employment practices and procedures at least annually to ensure fairness, and also update them and the policy to take account of changes in the law.

1.3 Trustees will monitor the make-up of the workforce regarding age, sex, ethnic background, sexual orientation, religion or belief, and disability in encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion, and in meeting the aims and commitments set out in the equality, diversity and inclusion policy. Appropriate metrics will be published as part of innov8 Workshops annual report. Monitoring will also include assessing how the equality, diversity and inclusion policy, and any supporting action

plan, are working in practice, reviewing them annually, and considering and taking action to address any issues. The equality, diversity and inclusion policy is fully supported by senior management.

Employment practices

Recruitment and selection

2.1 All job advertisements and job descriptions state that innov8 Workshops is committed to equal opportunities.

2.2 Job descriptions, person specifications and application forms are reviewed as each vacancy arises to ensure they are directly relevant to the post. Consideration is given as to whether the job can be shared and whether working hours can be flexible.

2.3 Application forms ask only for information relevant to the post.

2.4 All vacant posts are advertised widely including through local community networks and forums in order to encourage applications from all sections of the community.

2.5 Information sent to applicants includes a job description, person specification detailing essential and desirable attributes.

2.7 Participants in any interview process have appropriate training and/or experience and reflect as far as possible the communities innov8 Workshops serves.

2.8 Short-listing and selection for the post is carried out objectively on job related criteria, specified in the job description and person specification. Trustees or staff with knowledge of a candidate will use only the applicant’s application form to judge suitability for short-listing.

2.9 The person specification indicates which requirements are essential and which are desirable. Only essential criteria are considered in the first round of short-listing.

2.10 Interview questions relate directly to the person specification, job description and application forms. Questions are not varied according to the age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy & maternity, race, religion & belief, sex, sexual orientation or circumstances of any applicant.

2.11 Decisions taken at short-listing and interviewing are recorded. Feedback is made available to unsuccessful interviewees on request.

2.12 DBS checks are an essential part of the recruitment process. innov8 Workshops’ DBS policy included in its Safer Recruitment Policy guides this process and takes into account the rehabilitation of offenders Act

2.13 Acceptance of this Policy is a condition of employment, and all employees must work to this policy.

Employment

2.14 innov8 Workshops terms and conditions of employment are set out in the employee handbook, with reference to equalities they include:

2.15 All new staff members receive a planned induction. The induction process is designed to meet the needs of the staff member and the post.

2.16 All staff have regular supervision and a standard format and guidance for these sessions is provided to all line managers. This format involves a section where staff can raise equalities and diversity issues. All staff have an annual appraisal, line managers are accountable to the Chief Executive for the conduct of staff appraisals.

2.17 All staff are informed of the Grievance and Disciplinary Procedure during induction.

2.18 innov8 Workshops will ensure all staff receive equal and fair access to learning and development opportunities. We do this through our supervision and training request and evaluation systems. innov8 Workshops will strive to meet training and development needs as appropriate within the capacity of our resources.

2.19 innov8 Workshops will consider will the individual circumstances of a member of staff within the scope of the Equality Act, providing the needs of our service are met. This may include actions such as reasonable adjustment to the employee’s working environment or flexible working patterns.

2.20 innov8 Workshops is committed to ensuring that all employees and volunteers have a workplace free from victimisation, bullying and harassment, the relevant policies and procedures and how to report incidents are contained in our employee handbook and are regularly reviewed and updated.

Appendix A – Protected Characteristics – The Equality Act 2010

Age

An age group includes people of the same age and people of a particular range of ages. The Act protects people of all ages.

Disability

This protected characteristic defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. The social rather than the medical model of disability is used in considerations around making a reasonable adjustment.

Marriage and civil partnership

The Act protects employees who are married or in a civil partnership against discrimination in employment because they are married or in a civil partnership.

Pregnancy and maternity

Pregnancy is the condition of being pregnant or expecting a baby. Maternity refers to the period after the birth and is linked to maternity leave in the employment context. In the non-work context, protection against maternity discrimination is for 26 weeks after giving birth, and this includes treating a woman unfavourably because she is breastfeeding.

Gender Reassignment

The protected characteristic of gender reassignment for the purposes of law is where a person has proposed, started or completed a process to change his or her sex. A transsexual person has the protected characteristic of gender reassignment. A woman making the transition to being a man and a man making the transition to being a woman, both share the characteristic of gender reassignment, as does a person who has only just started out on the process of changing his or her sex, and a person who has completed the process.

Race

People who have or share characteristics of colour* (sic), nationality or ethnic or national origins, can be described as belonging to a particular racial group. A racial group can be made up of two or more different racial groups. A Minister of the Crown can amend the Act by order so as to add ‘caste’ to the current definition of ‘race’. The term ‘caste’ denotes a hereditary, endogamous (marrying within the group) community associated with a traditional occupation and ranked accordingly on a perceived scale of ritual purity. It is generally (but not exclusively) associated with South Asia, particularly India. *Colour includes being black or white.

Religion or Belief

This is the protected characteristic of religion or religious or philosophical belief, which is stated to include for this purpose a lack of religion or belief. It is a broad definition in line with the freedom of thought, conscience and religion guaranteed by Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The main limitation for the purposes of Article 9 is that the religion must have a clear structure and belief system. Denominations or sects within a religion can be considered to be a religion or belief, such as Protestants and Catholics within Christianity. The criteria for determining what is a ‘philosophical belief’ are that it must be genuinely held; be a belief and not an opinion or viewpoint based on the present state of information available; be a belief as to a weighty and substantial aspect of human life and behaviour; attain a certain level of cogency, seriousness, cohesion and importance; and be worthy of respect in a democratic society, compatible with human dignity and not in conflict with the fundamental rights of others. So, for example, any cult involved in illegal activities would not satisfy these criteria.

Sex

References in the Act to people having the protected characteristic of sex mean being a man or a woman, and that men share this characteristic with other men, and women with other women. The Act protects both men and women.

Sexual Orientation

The protected characteristic of sexual orientation is defined as being a person’s sexual orientation towards people of the same sex as him or her (in other words the person is a gay man or a lesbian), people of the opposite sex from him or her (the person is heterosexual), or people of both sexes (the person is bisexual).

Definitions of discrimination

Direct Discrimination

Treating someone less favourably on prohibited grounds (gender/gender identity/race/disability/sexual orientation/religion or belief/age/socio-economic status) than another would be treated in comparable circumstances, where the treatment cannot be objectively justified (e.g. by a genuine occupational requirement). Direct discrimination is unlawful under all anti-discrimination law. Example: Failing to offer a man a job because he is gay.

Indirect Discrimination

Applying a provision, criterion or practice which disadvantages people of a particular group unjustifiably or disproportionately (where that group is by defined by sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief or age). Example: Requiring job applicants to have a set number of years’ experience may indirectly discriminate against women who have taken a career break.

Discrimination by Association

Discrimination by association is the form of discrimination that occurs when the discriminatory ground applies to a person, but another person is detrimentally treated in consequence. Sometimes, the phrase “transferred discrimination” has been preferred as a way of describing more accurately what has taken place within certain situations.

Discrimination by Perception

Discrimination by perception is discrimination against someone because he or she is wrongly perceived to have a certain protected characteristic, for example where an employer believes an employee is gay, or is of a particular race, and treats him or her less favourably as a result. This is unlawful discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.

Appendix B – Sources of External Information and Support

The Commission for Equality and Human Rights – CEHR

0845 604 6610 – England main number
0845 604 6620 – England text phone
0845 604 6630 – England fax

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/

ACAS

http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1461

Employers Forum on Disability

http://www.efd.org.uk/

Age Positive

http://www.agepositive.gov.uk/

Employers Forum on Religion and Belief

http://www.efbelief.org.uk/