Introduction

Application of Policy

Relate London North West has an obligation to Relate, as a condition of membership, to ensure the effective implementation of this policy.

This policy should be provided to Centre trustees, who hold overall responsibility for ensuring effective operation of the policy in the Centre and should also be brought to the attention of all Relate employees and all other individuals working for Relate such as agency staff, consultants and volunteers who are not Relate employees. This policy does not form part of individual contracts of employment or engagement or individual volunteer agreements. However, the policy has been formally adopted by the Relate Federation and all Relate personnel must comply with it.

This policy applies to all Relate employees, whether permanent, temporary or casual, part-time or on fixed-term contracts, to ex-employees, to job applicants and to individuals (such as agency staff, consultants and volunteers) who are not Relate employees (referred to collectively as “workers”).

All workers have a duty to act in accordance with this policy and therefore to treat colleagues with dignity at all times, and not to discriminate against, or harass, other workers, whether junior or senior to them. In some situations, Relate may be at risk of being held responsible for the acts of individual workers and we will not therefore tolerate any discriminatory practices or behaviour. This applies equally to the treatment of service users by workers.

Responsibility for Implementation of Policy

The Board of Trustees of Relate London North West has overall responsibility for the effective operation of this policy and for ensuring compliance with the relevant statutory framework prohibiting discrimination. The Trustees shall delegate day-to-day responsibility for operating this policy and ensuring its maintenance and review to the Chief Executive.

Those working at a management level have a specific responsibility to set an appropriate standard of behaviour, to lead by example and to ensure that those they manage adhere to this policy and promote Relate’s aims and objectives. To facilitate this process, managers will be given training as appropriate on equal opportunities awareness and equal opportunities recruitment and selection best practice.

All workers are responsible for the success of this policy and must ensure that they familiarise themselves with the policy and act in accordance with its aims and objectives.

Definition of equality and diversity

Relate’s understanding of equality and diversity is set out in paragraph 1 of the policy.

Policy

 

1. Relate recognises, respects and values equal opportunity and diversity. All members of Relate will strive in all the services we offer to meet the needs and expectations of people from all sections of society. We will also strive to become an organisation that reflects more fully the diversity of the society we serve, and truly values the contribution which people from allsections of society can make to our work.
2. We will apply Relate’s principles of non-discrimination, equality of opportunity and diversity equally to the treatment of members of Relate’s workforce, of visitors, and of service users.
3. We will ensure that all strategies, plans, policies and best practice guidelines promote equal opportunities and diversity among service users and workers. To do this we will consult with those who have particular knowledge or experience of equality and diversity issues.
4. We will maintain appropriate equality and diversity records about service users and workers in order to inform service and organisational development.
5. We will set ourselves goals with measurable outcomes to assess our progress towards becoming a more diverse organisation and will hold ourselves accountable for their achievement
6. We will share our commitment to valuing the diversity of society with others with whom we work, or from whom we purchase goods and services.

Procedure

Services

1. Operating within the law, our services will encompass differing cultural understandings of marriage and other committed family and adult relationships.
2. We will seek to avoid discrimination in people’s ability to access services, including providing services, within available resources, to people who cannot pay the full cost.
3. We will actively seek to identify and respond to variations in need.

Personnel

1. We will provide real equality of opportunity in the advertising of jobs, recruitment and selection, training and development, opportunities for  promotion, conditions of service, benefits and facilities and termination of employment/ engagement  of all our workers and will ensure that no prospective or existing worker is treated less favourably than another or is unlawfully discriminated against on the grounds of gender, sexual orientation, marital status, any gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, trade union membership or the fact that they are a part-time worker or fixed-term employee.
2. We will actively seek ways to increase the diversity of trustees and workers particularly focusing on those sections of our communities which are under-represented. This will include implementing family friendly working practices as appropriate.
3. We will work to develop all our workers to their maximum potential and make best use of their different talents
4. We will consult workers, including workers from minority groups, about how we can improve equality of opportunity and support diversity
5. We will not tolerate abuse, harassment or victimisation of workers and will invoke the Disciplinary procedures, where appropriate, to address such discriminatory practices.
6. If an individual is disabled or becomes disabled in the course of employment or engagement by us, the line manager will discuss with the individual what special needs they may have. This is to enable us to support the individual as much as possible and to consider what, if any, reasonable adjustments can be made to his or her role.
7. In accordance with the provisions of Part 3 of the Disability Discrimination Act, 1995 (as amended), we will monitor the physical features of our premises to consider whether they place disabled workers, job applicants or service users, at a substantial disadvantage when compared to other workers, job applicants or service users. Where possible and proportionate, we will make reasonable adjustments to improve access for disabled workers, job applicants and service users.

Breaches of the policy

1. If a service user believes that they may have been discriminated against, the Client Complaints procedure will be followed.
2. If a worker believes that they may have been disadvantaged on any of the unlawful grounds listed at paragraph 10, he or she is encouraged to raise the matter with his or her line manager. The Disciplinary and Grievance procedures will then be followed, as appropriate, in relation to instances where there is an alleged infringement of this policy.
3. Allegations regarding potential breaches of this policy will be treated in confidence and investigated in accordance with the relevant procedure. Workers who make such allegations in good faith will not be victimised or treated less favourably as a result. However, false allegations of a breach of this policy which are found to have been made in bad faith will be dealt with under the Disciplinary procedure.
4. If, after investigation, a worker is found to have discriminated against, or harassed, any other worker on one of the unlawful grounds listed at paragraph 10, he or she will be subject to disciplinary action. In serious cases, such behaviour may constitute gross misconduct and, as such, may result in summary dismissal.
5. Since this policy applies equally to our relations with service users and suppliers, if after investigation, a worker if found to have discriminated against, or harassed, a service user or supplier, he or she will also be subject to disciplinary action.

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