Equality and Diversity - What is it?
Society today is made up of diverse individuals of varying ages, sexes and sexual orientations, race and ethnic backgrounds, physical abilities and faiths.
Diversity is about recognising that people are individuals and that each person has characteristics that shape their unique identity.
Recognising the differing values and needs will ensure that we deliver equality of opportunity and that our services are accessible to all members of society.
To achieve equality and diversity we will:
- Treat people as individuals with consideration and respect for their needs;
- Provide services and opportunities that are open to everyone;
- Provide a welcoming, supportive and safe environment for both employees and Customers;
- Commit to developing an organisational culture that values everyone and the individual contributions that they make;
- Provide appropriate training and development opportunities to enable the effective delivery of our services;
- Ensure that in developing policies and procedures we inform and consult Customers, employees and their representatives;
- Encourage the recruitment of employees from diverse sections of the community;
- Influence other employers and agencies ensuring they are aware of their responsibilities under the relevant legislation and through this help to create a culture that encourages and promotes diversity;
- Regularly monitor and review the impact of Company policies and services in order to identify changes and implement improvements;
- Incorporate equality actions and targets into the operational planning across all departments and services;
- Accept our responsibilities and work within the requirements set out in all relevant legislation;
- Ensure that when consulting Customers about proposed policy and service delivery changes, written material is made available in a variety of formats and languages;
- Ensure job advertisements, job titles and person specifications are written in such a way that no applicant is deterred from applying for the position; and
- Ensure that all staff and members involved in the selection process receive appropriate training on equality & diversity issues.
