Diversity & Inclusion Policy

Aims of this Policy

TutumTravel recognises and values people’s differences and will assist them to use their talents to reach their full potential.

The organisation will do all it can to ensure it recruits, trains and promotes people based on qualifications, experience and abilities for all roles within the organisation.

This policy is designed to ensure that TutumTravel complies with its obligations under equality legislation and demonstrates our commitment to treating people equally and fairly.

TutumTravel is unreservedly opposed to any form of discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation (defined as Protected Characteristics).

Using fair and objective employment practices, the organisation aims to ensure that

All employees and potential employees are treated fairly and with respect at all stages of their employment.
All employees (volunteers/service users) have the right to be free from harassment and bullying of any description, or any other form of unwanted behaviour. Such behaviour may come from other employees or by people (third parties) who are not employees of (insert name of organisation), such as customers or clients.
All employees (volunteers/service users) have an equal chance to contribute and to achieve their potential, irrespective of any defining feature that may give rise to unfair discrimination.
All employees (volunteers/service users) have the right to be free from discrimination because they associate with another person who possesses a Protected Characteristic

Scope of the policy

The policy applies to (insert list of those to whom it applies)

The policy needs to state relevant groups to whom the policy applies. Some organisations may want to extend the scope of the policy to apply to their service users as well as employees and volunteers. Therefore the list could include :

Drivers and sub-contractors
Job applicants
Employees
Agency temps
Workers
Students on work experience or placements
Volunteers including trustees
Service users

You may wish to include definitions of direct and indirect discrimination in this section.

Direct discrimination is when an employee or applicant is treated less favourably than someone else because of their:

sex
marriage or civil partnership
gender reassignment
pregnancy and maternity leave
sexual orientation
disability
race
religion or belief
age

and that there is no genuine occupation requirement for it.

People also must not be discriminated against because they are on a part time or fixed term contract

Indirect discrimination

The policy applies to all stages of employment including recruitment and selection, promotion and training.

Policy statement

As an organisation, we value the variety of different views, outlooks and approaches that a diverse workforce bring. This assists us to provide improved services and increase our understanding of our service users/clients.

We will do all we can to ensure no one will receive less favourable treatment or is to be disadvantaged by requirements or conditions, which cannot be shown to be justifiable.

Responsibilities

Employees, Drivers, volunteers (including trustees) and sub-contractors of TutumTravel have a duty to act within this policy, ensure it is followed and to draw attention to any suspected discriminatory acts or practices.

Responsibility for promoting awareness of this policy and monitoring that it is being followed rests with (insert title e.g. SMT or trustees).

Breaches of the Equality and Diversity Policy by Drivers and sub-contractors, employees or volunteers
Breaches of this policy by employees may be dealt with under the disciplinary procedures.
Breaches of the Equality and Diversity Policy all aforementioned types of employee, driver, subcontractor or worker may be dealt with under the disciplinary procedures.

Drivers, sub-contractors, workers, employees and volunteers and trustees are also personally liable under equality legislation for any act of unlawful discrimination.

Equality and diversity in practice

In carrying out the policy, the organisation will carry out the following actions:

Particular attention will be placed on the following:
- Use of selection criteria that does not unlawfully discriminate in recruitment and promotion procedures
- Requiring entry to employment /volunteering or progression within it to be based on merit
- Not discriminating in opportunities for recruitment, training, promotion or transfer of employees or volunteers
- Ensuring that every individual is assessed according to his or her personal capability to carry out a given job/role
- Ensure that all employees are given equal treatment with regard to terms and conditions of employment, provided they do the same or broadly similar work, or work of equal value
- Ensure equal opportunities and non-discrimination in the operation of grievance and disciplinary procedures
- Ensure that all relevant requirements of the Equality Act in relation to disability are met and adhered to. This will include making reasonable adjustments to ensure access to employment or volunteering tasks and opportunities.
- Ensure that any amendments to any legislation relating to discrimination are met and adhered to
- Some organisations may choose to cross reference this section with other named policies- e.g. Recruitment, Learning and Development, Disciplinary and Grievance Policies.

Implementation of the policy

In carrying out the policy, the organisation will carry out the following actions:

Anyone in contact with TutumTravel (Drivers, workers, sub-contractors, volunteers or trustees) who feels that they have suffered any form of discrimination should raise the issue through the following means: contact the line manager at info.tutum-travel.co.uk and they will follow the HR grievance procedure.

Service users who feel that they have suffered any form of discrimination should contact TutumTravel at info.tutum-travel.co.uk and senior management will follow the HR grievance procedure.

Anyone in contact with TutumTravel (Drivers, workers, sub-contractors, volunteers, trustees or service users) should also use this approach if they feel that they been the subject of harassment from someone who is not an employee of TutumTravel will not tolerate any harassment from third parties towards its employees/volunteers/service users and will take appropriate action to prevent it happening again.

If anyone in contact with TutumTravel (Drivers, workers, sub-contractors, volunteers, trustees or service users) witnesses behaviour that they find offensive in relation to age, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation, even if it is not directed at them they should also use this procedure.

Particular attention will be placed on the following:

Use of selection criteria that does not unlawfully discriminate in recruitment and promotion procedures
Requiring entry to employment /volunteering or progression within it to be based on merit
Not discriminating in opportunities for recruitment, training, promotion or transfer of employees or volunteers
Ensuring that every individual is assessed according to his or her personal capability to carry out a given job/role
Ensure that all employees are given equal treatment with regard to terms and conditions of employment, provided they do the same or broadly similar work, or work of equal value
Ensure equal opportunities and non-discrimination in the operation of grievance and disciplinary procedures
Ensure that all relevant requirements of the Equality Act in relation to disability are met and adhered to. This will include making reasonable adjustments to ensure access to employment or volunteering tasks and opportunities.
Ensure that any amendments to any legislation relating to discrimination are met and adhered to
Some organisations may choose to cross reference this section with other named policies- e.g. Recruitment, Learning and Development, Disciplinary and Grievance Policies.

Some typical activities to ensure that your services are accessible include:

Considering formats for promotional material
Appropriate use of language/ formats / fonts/ size
Considering whether information should be available in alternative formats e.g. easy read /other languages
Considering locations where the organisation’s services are promoted /advertised (these could be named)
Considering accessibility of locations from which the service is provided
Considering the diverse make up of our staff/ volunteers in relation to your service users
Considering the impact of proposed new services on the user group
Monitoring arrangements will vary according to the size of organisation and type of service provided.
For employees and volunteers, it may be appropriate to capture diversity data against recruitment/ promotion/ training/ leavers. You should state who will consider the information (e.g. trustees/ SMT). In a small organisation the information can simply be discussed at a standard management meeting. The data will need to be anonymised to comply with Data Protection legislation.

A variety of methods can be used to capture information about accessibility of your service for potential users. Methods may include:

Information of location of service users
Information on how they heard of your service/ accessed your service
Elements of the service used by people
The information gathered can be considered in relation to e.g. baseline population statistics for catchment areas/other service users/other similar organisations.
Some organisations may conduct Equality Impact Assessments on their activities which will be considered by SMT/ trustees

Reporting discrimination / potential discrimination

In the first instance, any reports by employees or volunteers should be made to their line manager (or where the line manager is implicated, to their peer). Employees will be entitled to follow the organisation’s grievance procedure. There may be reference to raising issues of concern in a volunteer agreement.

For service users, the key policy will be the complaint policy so if your organisation has a policy, refer to it in this section.

All complaints will be treated seriously, promptly and confidentiality.

Review

This policy will be reviewed every year by TutumTravel to ensure that it remains up to date and reflects the needs and practices of the organisation. The policy may also be reviewed if legislation changes or if monitoring information suggests that policy or practices should be altered.

Call

01202 022241

info@tutum-travel.co.uk