Our organisation is made up of brilliant people. Each of us is unique, whether in terms of our background, personal characteristics, experience, skills or motivations. And we value our people for the differences they bring to the table. These differences - this diversity - is powerful.
Fostering an inclusive culture helps each of us to benefit from a wider range of these different perspectives, experiences and skills. We believe that this creates a happier, more productive working environment for us all.
To support this inclusive culture, this policy:
- outlines our commitment throughout the employment lifecycle to equality, diversity and inclusion and sets out how we put this commitment into practice;
- explains the behaviours we expect of our people in support of this commitment; and
- sets out the key steps we take to make our culture as inclusive as possible, including our diversity and inclusion framework and how we ensure equality of opportunity throughout the employment lifecycle.
Scope
This policy applies to anyone working for us. This includes employees, workers, contractors, volunteers, interns and apprentices. The policy also relates to job applicants, and is relevant to all stages of the employment relationship.
The policy complements our Dignity at Work policy and also the emerging work that the national Church of England is undertaking around Racial Justice and Living in Love and Faith (with regards sexuality and gender identity) and the ongoing work in gender and disability.
Our commitment to you
We believe that a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion not only benefits our organisation but supports wellbeing and enables our people to work better because they can be themselves and feel that they belong.
We are committed to promoting a working environment based on dignity, trust and respect, and one that is free from discrimination, harassment, bullying or victimisation.
We strive to ensure that we do not treat people less favourably because of their:
- disability;
- gender, gender identity or gender reassignment status;
- marital or civil partnership;
- race, racial group, ethnic or national origin, or nationality;
- religion or belief;
- sexual orientation;
- age;
- pregnancy, maternity or paternity;
- educational background;
- socio-economic background;
- caring responsibilities;
- part-time status; or
- fixed-term status.
What we expect from you
We expect you, and every one of our people, to take personal responsibility for observing, upholding, promoting and applying this policy. Our culture is made in the day-to-day working interactions between us so creating the right environment is a responsibility that we all share.
Cultivating this culture does not happen by accident but requires ongoing commitment and nurturing. The reality is that we live in a world where areas of difference (whether gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity or others) often translate to biases, challenges and barriers that may not be faced by others. And the more areas of difference a person brings, the more this effect can be compounded. In this way, the experiences of a black woman with a disability may be very different to the experiences of a black woman without a disability and also very different from the experiences of a white woman. This way of looking at diversity and inclusion through the variety of characteristics which we all identify with is known as "intersectionality".
We expect you to treat your colleagues and third parties (including those we deal with in the wider church, contractors, and consultants) fairly and with dignity, trust and respect. Sometimes, this may mean allowing for different views and viewpoints and making space for others to contribute.
By embedding such values and constructively challenging inappropriate comments or ways of working, you can help us achieve and maintain a truly inclusive workplace culture.
Any dealings that you have with colleagues or third parties must be free from any form of discrimination, harassment, victimisation or bullying.
If any of our people is found to have committed, authorised or condoned an act of discrimination, harassment, victimisation or bullying, we will take action against them including (for those to whom it applies) under our Disciplinary procedure.
You should be aware that you can be personally liable for discrimination and harassment.
Discrimination
The Equality Act 2010 prohibits discrimination because of certain protected characteristics. These are:
- disability;
- sex;
- gender identity/reassignment;
- marital or civil partnership status;
- race;
- religion or belief;
- sexual orientation;
- age; and
- pregnancy or maternity.
Discrimination can be intentional or unintentional and may occur directly, indirectly, by association, or by perception. There are also two specific types of discrimination that apply only to disability: "discrimination arising from disability" and "failing to make reasonable adjustments."
Discrimination is not always obvious and can be subtle and unconscious. This stems from a person's general assumptions about the abilities, interests and characteristics of a particular group that influences how they treat those people (known as "unconscious bias"). Such assumptions or prejudices may cause them to apply requirements or conditions that put those in particular groups at a disadvantage. Examples include:
- steering employees into particular types of work on the basis of stereotypical assumptions without considering the particular attributes and abilities of individuals;
- recruiting or promoting individuals into particular roles because of assumptions about the reactions or preferences of other employees or clients; and
- using different standards for different groups of employees to judge performance.
Different types of discrimination under the Equality Act 2010
- Direct discrimination: Treating someone less favourably because of a protected characteristic compared with someone who does not have that characteristic (for example choosing not to recruit someone because they are disabled and you think they "wouldn't fit in" to the team).
- Indirect discrimination: Where a policy, procedure or way of working that applies to everyone puts people with a particular protected characteristic at a disadvantage, compared with people who do not have that characteristic, unless there is a good reason to justify it. An example is introducing a requirement for all staff to finish work at 6pm. It is arguable that female employees, who statistically bear the larger share of childcare responsibilities could be at a disadvantage if the new working hours prevent them from collecting their children from school or nursery.
- Associative discrimination: Treating someone less favourably because they are associated with someone who has a protected characteristic, for example because their partner is transgender.
- Discrimination by perception: Treating someone less favourably because you perceive them to have a protected characteristic even if they do not, for example choosing not to promote someone because you mistakenly perceive them to be gay.
- Discrimination arising from disability: Treating someone unfavourably because of something connected with that person's disability and where such treatment is not justified. Examples include:
- dismissing or failing to pay a bonus to someone because of their disability-related absence; or
- disciplining someone for losing their temper where such loss of temper was out of character and was due to severe pain caused by them having cancer.
- Failing to make reasonable adjustments: Employers are legally obliged to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that aspects of employment, or the employer's premises, do not put a disabled person at a substantial disadvantage. Failing to comply with this duty is unlawful. Examples of reasonable adjustments might include:
- allocating some of the disabled person's duties to a colleague;
- changing their working hours or place of work;
- adjusting procedures for assessing job candidates; and
- modifying disciplinary and grievance procedures.
Victimisation
Victimisation is treating another person detrimentally either because that person has made a complaint of discrimination or harassment, or because they have supported someone else who has made such a complaint, for example by giving a witness statement that supports the allegations.
Bullying
There is no legal definition of bullying. However, we regard it as conduct that is offensive, intimidating, malicious, insulting, or an abuse or misuse of power, and usually persistent, that has the effect of undermining, humiliating or injuring the recipient.
Bullying can be physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct. It is not necessarily face to face and can be done by email, phone calls, online or on social media. Bullying may occur at work or outside work.
If the bullying relates to a person's protected characteristic, it may also constitute harassment and, therefore, will be unlawful.
You should refer to our Dignity at Work policy for further information on our procedure for reporting bullying.
Awareness of Unconscious Bias
All of our staff are required to undertake training in Unconscious Bias Awareness in order that they might explore thesubtle and “unconscious” assumptions that we all make about the abilities, interests and characteristics of those different from us that influences how we treat others.
Recruitment
We take reasonable and appropriate steps to encourage job applications from as diverse a range of people as possible and may have to use Positive Action in order to specifically encourage applications from under-represented groups and we make reasonable adjustments to recruitments processes where this can help bring equity.
Anyone making a decision about recruitment must not discriminate in any way and must have attended training in Unconscious Bias and for come roles, Safer Recruitment.
Every decision-maker should challenge themselves, and other members of the recruitment selection panel, to make sure that any stereotypes, unconscious bias or prejudice do not play any part in recruitment decisions.
We review the data from applicants, when provided, so that we can see the characteristics of those who we are recruiting (or not) and take appropriate action.
Reasonable adjustments
If you have a disability, you do not have to tell us. However, we would encourage you to let us know so that we can support you, for example by making reasonable adjustments to our premises or to aspects of your role, or to our working practices.
If you are experiencing difficulties at work because of your disability, please contact your line manager or the HR team to discuss potential reasonable adjustments that may alleviate or minimise such difficulties, to help us get the right support in place.
Support
If you need emotional support or help with practical issues relating to a characteristic, please contact our employee assistance programme for free, confidential advice. Details of how to access this service are at the beginning of the Staff Handbook.