Equal Opportunities

 

THE NE GROUP

Reviewed  October 2008

 

1.         Key Statement

 

1.1       The NE Group (referred to as “The Company”) fully supports the principle of equal opportunities in all areas of its work to ensure that employees are given equitable and fair treatment and to oppose unlawful or unfair discrimination.  

 

2.         Policy

 

2.1       The aim of the policy is to ensure that no job applicant, employee or volunteer receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, religious beliefs, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, responsibility for dependants, age, or unrelated criminal convictions. 

 

2.2       Although the main responsibility for achieving and providing equality of opportunity rests with the employer, employees and volunteers at every level have an individual responsibility for complying with and promoting the policy.  Appendix I outlines the conduct expected of all Company employees.

 

2.3       Equal opportunity does not follow from good intentions alone, and it is important to support this policy with practical action.  Both the policy and the associated action will be implemented in accordance with the statutory requirements, see Appendix II.

 

2.4       The Company is committed to the elimination of unlawful or unfair discrimination on any grounds including those outlined in 2.1 above.  The policy refers to several forms of discrimination and these are explained in Appendix III.

 

2.5       The Company believes that all employees/volunteers/participants have the right not to be subject to any form of harassment.  Please refer to The Company Anti-Harassment policy for further information.

 

2.6       Individuals will be selected, promoted and treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities.  All employees/volunteers/participants will be afforded equal opportunity and access to training to enable them to progress within The Company.

 

2.7       Operational policies and procedures will be regularly reviewed and developed to ensure that they are consistent with the spirit of this policy.

 

3.         Implementing the Policy

 

3.1       The Company aims to maintain and extend a fair working environment for all employees and volunteers through the revision and development of policies to promote equal opportunities in employment at every stage.  The stages include: -

 

• Advertisement
• Recruitment and Selection
• Terms and Conditions of Employment
• Training and Development
• Discipline
• Grievance
• Dismissal, Redundancy or Grading

 

 

 

4.         Responsibilities

 

4.1       The Board

 

It is the responsibility of the Board to:

 

• ensure that the organisation’s Equal Opportunities policy is up-to-date, relevant to the work of the organisation, meaningful to the staff, compliant with current legislation, and implemented in full by the Chief Executive.

 

• review periodically the organisation’s Equal Opportunities, recruitment and employment policies to ensure that they promote fairness and equality, and that they are sufficiently flexible not to exclude any section of the community

 

• advise, support and monitor the Chief Executive in implementing the policy

 

4.2       Chief Executive

 

It is the responsibility of the Chief Executive to ensure that:

 

• this policy is implemented in full

 

• employees and volunteers are familiarised with the policy during their induction with the company

 

• employees and volunteers receive training periodically in the principles of equal opportunity

 

• the organisation’s Grievance Procedure is implemented for any employee/volunteer who feels they have been subject to discrimination

 

• the organisation’s Disciplinary Procedure is implemented for any employee/volunteer found to be acting in a discriminatory manner

 

• all related policies and procedures (particularly Recruitment and Selection, and Training and Development) adhere to the principles of equality of opportunity

 

• a member of staff is nominated as the Equal Opportunities Officer, to have the responsibilities listed below, and that they have sufficient resources and support to undertake those responsibilities

 

4.3       Managers

 

It is the responsibility of managers to:

 

• promote awareness of the principles of equality of opportunity within their team

 

• ensure that employees/volunteers within their team have the resources available to undertake their responsibilities as outlined in the policy

 

• provide sympathetic support in accordance with the Grievance policy for employees/volunteers within their team who feel they have been subject to discrimination
• participate in disciplinary action, in accordance with the Disciplinary Policy, where an employee/volunteer in their team has been found to be acting in a discriminatory manner

 

4.4       Employees/Volunteers

 

It is the responsibility of employees/volunteers to:

 

• acquaint themselves thoroughly with the objectives and principles outlined in this policy and to comply with them in full

 

• co-operate with measures introduced in pursuance of the aim of equality of opportunity, for example in undertaking equal opportunities training

 

• ensure that their actions and decisions are not discriminatory, contrary to the spirit and intent of this policy, for example by not harassing, abusing others, inducing or pressurising others to discriminate

 

• inform their line manager immediately if they suspect that discrimination is taking place

 

4.5       Equal Opportunities Officer

 

It is the responsibility of the Equal Opportunities Officer to:

 

• co-ordinate  the implementation of the organisation’s Equal Opportunities policy

 

• undertake training to ensure familiarisation with current legislation and employment practice

 

• periodically review recruitment and employment procedures and practices and suggest revisions to the management team and the Board as appropriate

 

• review and advise on revisions to this policy document as necessary, taking into account changes in legislation, codes of practice and personnel practices

 

• participate in staff induction by issuing new employees/volunteers with a copy of the policy and helping them to become familiar with it; ensure new employees/volunteers sign to say that they have received the policy and agree to abide by it

 

• co-ordinate the provision of guidance and training for employees/volunteers on equal opportunity

 

• develop and maintain systems for monitoring the composition of the workforce and job applicants

 

• participate in the recruitment procedure, including advising on Equal Opportunities issues, ensuring the Equal Opportunities and recruitment policies are observed; attend interviews at the request of the line manager in the capacity of Equal Opportunities officer

 

5.         Training, Development and Communication

 

5.1       The Company recognises that discrimination and prejudice will not end as a result of this document, and that adopting an Equal Opportunities policy has implications for training, since all employees/volunteers will need their understanding of Equal Opportunities enhanced and will need help in adopting good working practices.  Equal Opportunities training is an important part of strategies to change behaviour and procedures.  The organisation will strive to inform employees/volunteers on the principles of Equal Opportunities, in order that they may learn why an Equal Opportunities policy is necessary and what it is intended to achieve.  This will be done in the following ways:

 

§           During induction, employees/volunteers covered by this policy will receive a copy of it; they will be required to read it and to sign to say that they agree to abide by it.  There will be opportunity for them to query anything that they do not immediately understand.

 

§           Equal Opportunities training will be part of the development and training programme of the organisation’s employees/volunteers.

 

5.2       The policy will also be communicated in the following ways:

 

§         Recruitment advertising will demonstrate to potential applicants and the community that the organisation is aiming to be an equal opportunity employer.

 

§         Reference to the Equal Opportunities Policy will be made in the Staff Handbook

 

 

6.         Who the policy covers

 

6.1       This policy covers:

 

§           the Board of directors

§           employees

§           job applicants

§           consultants

§           volunteers

§           trainees/participants (including those on government training schemes)

 

6.2       It does not cover:

 

§         partners

§         suppliers

§         customers

§         contractors

 

However employees are discouraged from working with any individual or organisation who does not uphold the principles of equality of opportunity or who knowingly discriminates.

 

7.         Grievance

 

7.1       If anyone covered by the policy feels they have been the subject of direct or indirect discrimination or harassment, they should refer to The Company Anti-Harassment policy and Grievance procedure which documents the steps to be taken.

 

8.         Disciplinary

 

8.1       Anyone covered by the policy who wilfully discriminates against or harasses another employee, fails to co-operate with measures designed to promote equal opportunity, or induces others to practice unlawful discrimination, will be subject to disciplinary action.

 

9.         Monitoring and Review

 

9.1       All job applicants will be asked to complete a form denoting their sex, race, ethnic origin, and any disabilities.  The organisation guarantees that this form will be used for the purpose of monitoring the effectiveness of its Equal Opportunities policy only.

 

9.2       The Equal Opportunities policy is not a static document.  It is essential that it is monitored, reviewed and modified as necessary.  The Equal Opportunities Officer will periodically review and advise on revisions to this policy document in the light of changes in legislation, codes of practice and personnel practices.  Suggestions arising from this review will be presented to the Board of Directors and, subject to their approval, incorporated into the policy.

 

9.3       The organisation’s related systems, policies and procedures will be regularly reviewed (especially recruitment and selection, training and development) to ensure that they meet the requirements of the Equal Opportunities policy.

 

10.       Promotion of best Equal Opportunities practices

 

10.1     The NE Group  will take a proactive role in the promotion of Equal Opportunities practice throughout the Nottinghamshire area including:

 

• Encouraging employers to develop positive recruitment, staff development, training and promotion policies that uphold good practice and take full account of the need for appropriate representation of disadvantaged groups in the workforce.
• Persuading employers to adopt flexible working practices.
• Persuading employers to support the provision of good quality, affordable and accessible childcare.
• Encouraging partnership approaches particularly including employers to sustain existing childcare provision and develop new initiatives.
• Encouraging positive measures to overcome traditional/stereotyped attitudes towards training and career choices amongst participants and the teachers, careers advisors, employers, parents and influencers who advise them.

 

THIS POLICY WAS ADOPTED BY THE NE GROUP ON :  21 December 2004