Equality & Diversity Policy

 

  

Company Name: Teachers Together Ltd (“the Company”) 

 

Use: Internal Policy

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Model Policy No.  EO1 and RE02

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Model Policy Name: Equality & Diversity Policy (inc: Recruitment of Ex-offenders Policy)

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Date: December 2024

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Version: 2.1

 

1. Overview

 

Teachers Together adopts a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination on any of the protected grounds in The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023, and this statement outlines some of the actions we will take to ensure the policy is enforced.

 

This policy applies to all staff (whether working full or part-time), employees, temporary staff, apprentices, consultants, officers, contractors, interns, volunteers, job applicants, members, agency and casual workers of all ages.

 

This policy should be made available to prospective job candidates at their request.

 

If you are a member of staff, this policy does not form part of your employment contract and we may amend it at any time.

 

2. Our Commitment

 

We are committed to providing equal opportunities to all current and prospective staff and members regardless of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.

 

We aspire to have a diverse workforce because, in our view, diversity enables better business outcomes. We also believe that a more inclusive workplace, where people of different backgrounds work together, ensures better outcomes for all staff. From application to interview, we place inclusion at the heart of all we do.

 

In particular, we strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join us at Teachers Together.

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We will take positive steps to ensure that our staff, members, partner schools and any other stakeholders can enjoy an experience that is fair, equitable and free from discrimination in their dealings with us.

 

This policy covers all aspects of how you are treated by the Company and everybody we employ. It covers (but is not limited) to:

• recruitment;

• pay and conditions of employment;

• training and continuing professional development;

• promotion;

• appraisals;

• grievances and disciplinary matters;

• ending employment;

• giving references;

• how visitors are treated;

• how clients and suppliers are treated; and

• how any other business contacts and associates are treated.

 

We will not tolerate discrimination or harassment and are committed to promoting equal opportunities in employment. Those who work for us, and anyone applying for a job with us, will receive fair and equal treatment.

 

We will never victimise anyone who makes a legitimate complaint to us about harassment or discrimination, or who supports a colleague in their complaint.

 

We are committed to observe The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023, and acknowledge Teachers Together’s mandatory duty to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace.

 

3. How the law defines discrimination 

 

The following list gives you a general description of the types of acts that may both breach this policy and be unlawful. Sometimes actions can be intentional, and sometimes unintentional.  We include examples of both types in this list:

 

• Direct discrimination:  this is when somebody is treated less favourably because of a protected characteristic than somebody else has been, or would have been, in identical circumstances.

 

Examples: rejecting a job applicant because of their race or refusing to promote someone because they are pregnant.

 

• Indirect discrimination: this is when a group of people with one of the protected characteristics (subject to a couple of exceptions) is put at a disadvantage by a provision, criterion or practice applied to all staff unless the treatment is justified for a good business reason.

 

Examples:  refusing a request to work part-time without a good business reason (which indirectly discriminates against women, who are more likely to have childcare responsibilities); insisting all staff work Saturdays without a good business reason (which indirectly discriminates against Jewish staff, who may not be able to work on the Jewish Sabbath).

 

• Associative discrimination: this is where somebody is treated less favourably because of the personal characteristics of somebody else.

 

Example:  treating a member of staff less favourably because their parents are Jehovah’s Witnesses.

 

• Perceived discrimination: this occurs where someone is treated less favourably because someone wrongly believes they have a particular protected characteristic.

 

Example: treating a member of staff less favourably because someone thinks they are gay, when in fact they are not gay.   

 

• Harassment: this is when a hostile, humiliating, degrading, intimidating or similarly offensive environment is created in relation to a protected characteristic. We also consider it harassment for a worker to be subjected to uninvited conduct related to a protected characteristic that — as an intended or unintended consequence — violates their dignity.

 

Examples:  Threats, demands, sexual demands, unwanted touching, name calling, lewd comments, excluding colleagues, making insensitive jokes, and displaying pornographic material, are all examples of harassment.

 

See the ‘Anti-harassment and Bullying Policy’ for further details.

 

• Victimisation: in a legal context, ‘victimisation’ has a much more restricted meaning than in real life. It happens when a worker has complained about harassment or discrimination, or has supported a colleague in their complaint, and is then treated less favourably as a result. 

 

Examples:  a member of staff who is ostracised after supporting one of their colleagues in a harassment investigation, or a member of staff who is dismissed under a pretext because they have complained of discrimination.

 

There are other actions which can be unlawful under equality and diversity legislation. Examples include:

• failure to make reasonable adjustments to minimise certain disadvantages suffered by a disabled member of staff (or job applicant);

• instructing another person (or applying pressure on them) to discriminate;

• knowingly assisting somebody else when they carry out a discriminatory act;

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4. How we carry out our responsibilities and duties 

 

Overall responsibility for the effective implementation and operation of the policy lies with management. Everyone working at managerial level is expected to act in full accordance with this policy, lead by example, and attain and maintain appropriate standards of behaviour within the teams they manage. However, we all have a legal responsibility to comply, and any of us — however senior or junior we are — may be personally liable for unlawful discrimination if we breach this policy.

 

We encourage everyone who works for us to help promote equality and diversity across the Company. Please contact your manager if you have any ideas about how we could do this better, or you would like to be more involved in achieving this policy's aims.

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5. How we recruit, promote, and make other selections 

 

We carry out all recruitment, promotion and other types of selection procedures, such as redundancy selection processes, on the basis of merit, using non-discriminatory and, as far as possible, objective criteria. Career opportunities are available to all people and every practical effort will be made to cater for the needs of staff, candidates and clients and make any reasonable adjustments possible.

 

Advertisements for vacancies must not include wording that may discourage some groups of people from applying, or stereotype in any way, and they must be placed where they can reach as wide and diverse a pool of potential candidates as possible.

 

Nobody applying for a job with the Company may be asked about their health, attendance record, or whether they have a disability, before a job offer is made, except in very limited situations. It may, for example, be justifiable to ask whether the applicant needs any disability-related measures put in place for the interview, or to check that they are capable of carrying out a key part of the job.

 

It is unlawful to ask job applicants anything that might suggest an intention to discriminate on the grounds of a protected characteristic. Asking an applicant about their religion when they are applying for a job that involves weekend working would not, for example, be allowed. Neither would asking an applicant whether they have childcare responsibilities be allowed, as that suggests you might be intending to indirectly discriminate on grounds of sex or marital status.

 

It is fine to include certain health or disability questions in equality and diversity monitoring exercises, but the data gathered must not be used for selecting someone for a role, or in making other employment-related decisions.

 

6. Reasonable Adjustments

 

Reasonable adjustments in recruiting could include but is not limited to: 

• modifying testing and assessment procedures;  

• meeting the candidate at alternative premises which are more easily accessible;  

• having flexibility in the timing of interviews;  

• modifying application procedures and application forms;  

• providing a reader or interpreter.  

• make reasonable adjustments where possible to hallways, passages and doors in order to provide and improve means of access for disabled staff and applicants.

 

Some adjustments may not always be feasible and to render such adjustments may be beyond what is reasonable in some circumstances. 

 

7. Gender Reassignment Policy 

 

Teachers Together recognises that a member of staff may wish to change their gender during the course of their employment with the Company and Teachers Together will support any member of staff through the reassignment.   

 

The Company will make every effort to try to protect a member of staff who has undergone, is undergoing or intends to undergo gender reassignment, from discrimination or harassment within the workplace.  

 

Where a member of staff is engaged in work where the gender change imposes genuine problems, Teachers Together will make every effort to reassign the member of staff to an alternative role in the Company, if so desired by the staff member. 

 

Any member of staff suffering discrimination on the grounds of gender reassignment should have recourse to the Company’s grievance procedure.

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8. Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy

 

Staff who are involved in the recruitment process will be suitably trained to identify and assess the relevance and circumstances of offences.

 

Teachers Together will ask all candidates to provide details of convictions and cautions and we will enhance check all suitable applicants though the Disclosure Barring Service (DBS).

 

We will follow the DBS Code of Practice and consider the suitability of all applicants, which includes the recruitment of ex-offenders.

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The DBS Code of Practice should be made available to all applicants:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-code-of-practice

 

Teachers Together undertakes not to discriminate unfairly against any subject of a criminal record check on the basis of a conviction or other information revealed.

 

Due to the nature of the work being with or around children and / or vulnerable adults, where appropriate we will refer to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020) and / or The Police (Amendment) Regulations 2020.

 

At interview, or in a separate discussion, Teachers Together will ensure that an open and measured discussion takes place about any offences or other matter that might be relevant to the position.

 

Failure to reveal information that is directly relevant to the position sought could lead to withdrawal of an offer of employment.

 

Teachers Together undertakes to discuss any matter revealed on a DBS certificate with the individual seeking the position before withdrawing a conditional offer of employment.

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9.How we enforce this policy and handle breaches 

 

We will investigate any complaint or allegation you raise regarding a potential breach of this policy. If you believe you have been harassed or discriminated against you should contact your manager as soon as possible.

 

You will face disciplinary action if we find you have harassed or discriminated against anyone else in breach of this policy. Sometimes this type of behaviour may amount to gross misconduct, in which case you may be dismissed without notice.

 

Occasionally, people make complaints knowing they’re not true. We view any complaint made in bad faith as an act of misconduct and this will normally lead to disciplinary action. In some cases, bad faith complaints may lead to summary dismissal for gross misconduct.

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10. Complaints Procedure & Whistleblowing

 

This is available from the Managing Director, Oliver Gosden.

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Any discrimination complaint will be investigated fully.

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See our ‘Complaints Procedure Policy’ and ‘Whistleblowing Policy’ for further information.

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11. How we monitor whether this policy is working 

 

We may record and analyse information about equality and diversity within the workplace, and when you join the Company you give us consent to gather and process this data about you. We use the information to make sure this policy is working properly and to refine it where that’s needed. We also use the information to review the composition of our workforce, and to promote workplace equality.