We are an equal opportunity employer and are fully committed to a policy of treating all our employees and job applicants equally.

We will take all reasonable steps to employ, train and promote employees on the basis of their experience, abilities and qualifications without regard to race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, national origin, religion or belief, political opinion, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, age, marital or civil partnership status or disability. We will also take all reasonable steps to provide a work environment in which all employees are treated with respect and dignity, and that is free of harassment based upon an employee’s race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, national origin, religion or belief, political opinion, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, age, marital or civil partnership status or disability. We will not condone or tolerate any form of harassment, whether engaged in by employees or by outside third parties who do business with us.

All employees have a duty to co-operate with us to ensure that this policy is effective in ensuring equal opportunities and in preventing discrimination, harassment or bullying. Action will be taken under our disciplinary procedures against any employee who is found to have committed an act of improper or unlawful discrimination, harassment, bullying or intimidation. Serious breaches of this equal opportunities and dignity at work statement will be treated as potential gross misconduct, and could render an employee liable to summary dismissal. Employees should also bear in mind that they can be held personally liable for any act of unlawful discrimination. Employees who commit serious acts of harassment may also be guilty of a criminal offence.

An employee should draw the attention of his/her manager to suspected discriminatory acts or practices or suspected cases of harassment. He/she must not victimise or retaliate against an employee who has made allegations or complaints of discrimination or harassment, or who has provided information about such discrimination or harassment. Such behaviour will be treated as potential gross misconduct in accordance with our disciplinary procedures (section 15 of the employee handbook)

Recruitment, advertising and selection
The recruitment process will be conducted in such a way as to result in the selection of the most suitable person for the job in terms of relevant experience, abilities and qualifications. We are committed to applying our equal opportunities policy statement at all stages of recruitment and selection. Advertisements will encourage applications from all suitably qualified and experienced people. When advertising job vacancies, in order to attract applications from all sections of the community, we will, as far as reasonably practicable:

• Ensure advertisements are not confined to those publications which would exclude or disproportionately reduce the numbers of applicants of a particular gender, sexual orientation, age, religion or racial group or political opinion
• Avoid prescribing any unnecessary requirements which would exclude a higher proportion of a particular gender, sexual orientation, age, religion or racial group or which would exclude disabled job applicants
• Avoid prescribing any requirements as to marital or civil partnership status
• Where vacancies may be filled by promotion or transfer, they will be published to all eligible employees in such a way that they do not restrict applications from employees of any particular gender, sexual orientation, age, religion or racial group or from employees with a disability

The selection process will be carried out consistently for all jobs at all levels. All applications will be processed in the same way. The staff responsible for shortlisting, interviewing and selecting candidates will be clearly informed of the selection criteria and of the need for their consistent application. Person specifications and job descriptions will be limited to those requirements that are necessary for the effective performance of the job. Wherever possible, all applicants will be interviewed by at least two interviewers, and all questions asked of the applicants will relate to the requirements of the job. The selection of new staff will be based on the job requirements and the individual's suitability and ability to do, or to train for, the job in question.

With disabled job applicants, we will have regard to our duty to make reasonable adjustments to work provisions, criteria and practices or to work premises in order to ensure that the disabled person is not placed at a substantial disadvantage in comparison with persons who are not disabled.

If it is necessary to assess whether personal circumstances will affect the performance of the job, (for example, if the job involves unsociable hours or extensive travel), this will be discussed objectively, without detailed questions based on assumptions about race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, national origin, religion or belief, political opinion, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, age, marital or civil partnership status, disability, children and/or domestic obligations.

Training and promotion
We will make training available, if they so wish or if it is considered advisable, for all partners and managers in our policy on equal opportunities and in helping them identify discriminatory acts or practices, or acts of harassment or bullying. Directors and line managers will be responsible for ensuring that they actively promote equal opportunity within the departments for which they are responsible.

We will make training available, if they so wish or if it is considered advisable, to all employees to help them understand their rights and responsibilities in relation to dignity at work, and what they can do to create a work environment that is free of bullying and harassment.

Where a promotion system is in operation, it will not be discriminatory. When a group of workers predominantly of one race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or age group, or a worker with a disability, appears to be excluded from access to promotion, transfer and training and to other benefits, the promotion system will be reviewed to ensure there is no unlawful discrimination, if this is considered necessary.

Terms of employment, benefits, facilities and services
All terms of employment, benefits, facilities and service will be reviewed from time to time, in order to ensure that there is no unlawful discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, national origin, religion or belief, political opinion, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, age, marital or civil partnership status or disability.

Equal pay
We are committed to equal pay in employment. We believe our male and female employees should receive equal pay for like work, work rated as equivalent or work of equal value. In order to achieve this, we will endeavour to maintain a pay system that is transparent, free from bias and based on objective criteria.

Monitoring equal opportunity and dignity at work
If it is considered necessary we will regularly monitor the effects of selection decisions and personnel and pay practices and procedures, in order to assess whether equal opportunity and dignity at work are being achieved. This will also involve considering any possible indirectly discriminatory effects of its working practices. If changes are required, we will implement them. We will also make reasonable adjustments to our standard working practices to overcome barriers caused by disability.

H Allingham
February 2011

• The Equality Act 2010
• Race Relations Act 1976, 2000 Amendment and 2003 Amendment Regulations
• Equal Pay Act 1970
• Sex Discrimination Act 1975, 1986 Amendment, Employment Equality (Sex Discrimination) Regulations 2005 and Gender
• Equality Duty 2007
• Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003, Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007
• Sex Discrimination (Gender Reassignment) Regulations and Gender Recognition Act 2004
• Civil Partnership Act 2004
• Disability Discrimination Acts 1995 and 2005 and the Disability Equality Duty 2006
• Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003 and the Equality Act 2006
• Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006
• Part-time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000
• Fixed-term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002