EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND VALUING DIVERSITY POLICY
Introduction
We are committed to Equal Opportunities for all individuals or groups, whilst also, being committed to promoting a positive attitude towards diversity within our Company. We aim to ensure that all employees have the opportunity to maximise their potential and enhance their self-development and their contribution to the Company.
The aim of our Company is to embrace the differences that various cultures bring into our Company and we also recognise that people from different backgrounds can bring fresh ideas and perceptions, which ultimately can improve our products and services, and our working environment. Managing diversity successfully will help our Company to nurture creativity and innovation, thereby allowing us to tap hidden capacity for growth and improved competitiveness.
Valuing diversity is an effective way of dealing with equal opportunities issues. It emphasises the business and personal benefits that accrue from valuing the differences between people, rather than just complying with the law. We believe that organisations that grasp the additional business opportunities generated by managing diversity effectively are far more likely to enjoy a sustained competitive advantage than those who do not.
The aim of this non contractual policy is to ensure that every member of staff feels valued at work and is not discriminated against, harassed or bullied, or made to feel under threat or intimidated, either directly, by association or indirectly, on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil company, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, or perceived sexual orientation.
We recognise our duty of care to all members of staff and are committed to treating every individual equally in line with this policy and the Equality and Human Rights Commission Code of Practice.
Where necessary, the Company will consider reasonable adjustments to ensure that any individual with a disability is not at a disadvantage. In all relevant cases the Company will consult with the individual and the decision whether or not to make reasonable adjustments will take into account all relevant factors, including, where necessary, referrals to outside organisations.
Recruitment and Selection
We will uphold equal opportunities for all during our recruitment process. Candidates will be recruited solely on their own merits and their ability to carry out the job role. Interview questions and selection processes will be relevant to the job and will not be of a discriminatory nature.
Recruitment and selection will be made by matching the best person to the job role.
We will aim to take steps to ensure that knowledge of vacancies reaches a wide labour market and, where relevant, groups under-represented in the Company. Where appropriate, use may be made of lawful exemptions to recruit suitably-qualified people to cater for the special needs of particular groups.
Short listing and interviewing of candidates will be carried out by more than one person where possible.
Training and Promotion
Any opportunities for training within the Company will normally be made known to all employees.
Selection for training will be made in line with this policy and will be made solely on the merits of the particular situation.
Vacancies will be advertised internally and individuals given the opportunity to apply for any posts. Selection for interview will be in line with the recruitment and selection details above.
Monitoring
We aim to monitor all applications from both internal and external candidates with a view to ensuring the effectiveness of our procedures. Such monitoring will not be used as part of the selection criteria for selection of new staff or for selection of existing staff for training or promotion opportunities, or any other decision related to your employment with us. All information gathered is stored separate from your personnel file and application forms.
