This Policy should be read in conjunction with WVCA’s accompanying Equality and Diversity Procedures document.

1. Statement of Policy

2. The terms equality, inclusion and diversity are at the heart of this policy. ‘Equality’ means ensuring everyone has the same opportunities to fulfil their potential free from discrimination. ‘Inclusion’ means ensuring everyone feels comfortable to be themselves at work and feels the worth of their contribution. ‘Diversity’ means the celebration of individual differences amongst the workforce. We will actively support diversity and inclusion and ensure that all our employees are valued and treated with dignity and respect. We want to encourage everyone in our Charity to reach their potential.

3. We recognise that discrimination is unacceptable and although equality of opportunity has been a long standing feature of our employment practices and procedure, we have made the decision to adopt a formal policy. Breaches of the policy will lead to disciplinary proceedings and, if appropriate, disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.

4. The aim of the policy is to ensure no job applicant, employee or worker is discriminated against either directly or indirectly on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

5. We will ensure that the policy is circulated to any agencies responsible for our recruitment and a copy of the policy will be made available for all employees and made known to all applicants for employment.

6. The policy will be communicated to all private contractors reminding them of their responsibilities towards the equality of opportunity.

7. The policy will be implemented in accordance with the appropriate statutory requirements and full account will be taken of all available guidance and in particular any relevant Codes of Practice.

8. We will maintain a neutral working environment in which no employee or worker feels under threat or intimidated.

8.1. WVCA fully supports the principles of equality and diversity. We aim to encourage, value and manage diversity and we recognise that talent and potential are distributed across the population. Not only are there moral and social reasons for promoting equality of opportunity, it is also in the best
interest of this organisation to recruit and develop the best people for our jobs from as wide and diverse a pool of talent as possible.

8.2. WVCA recognises that certain groups and individuals in society are oppressed and disadvantaged due to discrimination directed against them. We aim to remove any barriers, bias (conscious or unconscious) or discrimination that prevents individuals or groups from realising their potential and contributing fully to our organisation’s performance and to develop an organisational culture that positively values diversity.

8.3. WVCA recognises that the promotion of equality, diversity and inclusion requires more than passive opposition to discrimination; we are therefore committed to taking positive action towards equality of opportunity and diversity.

9. Scope

9.1. The policy applies to employees directly employed by WVCA, to workers employed via agencies, contractors in terms of employment, trustees, volunteers and to customers in terms of service provision. The policy is committed to opposing discrimination and supporting equality, diversity and
inclusion in respect of ‘protected characteristics’ as defined in the Equalities Act 2010:

9.1.1. Age
9.1.2. Disability
9.1.3. Race
9.1.4. Sex
9.1.5. Religion or cultural beliefs
9.1.6. Gender reassignment
9.1.7. Marital status and civil partnership
9.1.8. Sexual orientation
9.1.9. Pregnancy and maternity
9.1.10. Financial
9.1.11. Social
9.1.12. Ex-offenders

9.2. The policy applies across the range of employment policies and practice, including those relating to Recruitment and Selection, Discipline, Grievance, Bullying and Harassment.

10. Responsibilities

10.1. WVCA values its staff, contractors, volunteers, trustees, and customers, and expects them to be treated in a respectful manner. All have a responsibility to treat others with dignity and respect. The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for providing advice and guidance on equality and diversity issues, and to ensure the Policy document is kept up to date.

10.1.1. Employees have a duty to co-operate with WVCA to ensure that this policy is effective in ensuring equal opportunities and in preventing discrimination. Employees should draw the attention of their line manager to suspected discriminatory acts or practices or cases of bullying or harassment.

11. Aims

11.1. WVCA aims to:
11.1.1. Promote equality of opportunity and inclusion
11.1.2. Celebrate and value diversity
11.1.3. Eliminate unlawful direct and indirect discrimination

11.2. WVCA will provide equality of opportunity and promotion of diversity as an integral part of good practice. The organisation is committed to a working environment in which the contribution and needs of everyone are fully valued and recognised. We will support our staff, volunteers, trustees and contractors in not tolerating any inappropriate, violent or abusive behaviour from colleagues, other organisations or customers.
11.3. WVCA’s practices will ensure that staff, volunteers, trustees, and customers will not be discriminated against on any grounds including age, disability, race, sex, religion or cultural beliefs, gender reassignment, marital status and civil partnership, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity.

12. Anti-discriminatory practice

12.1. WVCA’s commitment to anti-discriminatory practice relates to all kinds of discrimination, as set out below:

12.1.1. Direct discrimination – where someone is treated less favourably than another because they have a protected characteristic

12.1.2. Indirect discrimination – when a requirement or a condition is applied which has a detrimental effect on a particular group or individual. This applies even if there was not a deliberate intention to discriminate.
12.1.3. Associative discrimination – direct discrimination against someone because they associate with another person who has a protected characteristic.
12.1.4. Perceptive discrimination – direct discrimination against someone because others think they have a protected characteristic even if they do not possess that characteristic.
12.1.5. Harassment – unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic which violates a person’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading,
humiliating or offensive environment for them. This applies even if the conduct is not directed at the individual or if they do not have the protected characteristic.
12.1.6. Victimisation – when someone is treated badly because they have made or supported a complaint under the Equalities Act 2010 or it is thought that they have done so.

1. Glossary

1.1. Protected Characteristics: The protected characteristics as listed in the Equality Act 2010 are sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership,
gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, age, disability, pregnancy and maternity.
1.1.1. Disability: Under the Equality Act 2010, a person is disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse affect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
1.1.2. Gender reassignment: A transsexual person is someone who proposes to, starts or has completed a process to change his or her gender. The person does not have to be under medical supervision.
1.1.3. Race: Race includes colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins. A racial group can be made up of two or more different racial groups (eg Black Britons).
1.1.4. Religion or belief: Under the Equality Act 2010, religion includes any religion. It also includes lack of religion, in other words employees or jobseekers are protected if they do not follow a certain religion or have no religion at all. Additionally, a religion must have a clear structure and belief system. Belief means any religious or philosophical belief or a lack of such belief. To be protected, a belief must satisfy various criteria, including that it is a weighty and substantial aspect of human life and behaviour.
1.1.5. Sexual orientation: Includes bisexual, gay, heterosexual, and lesbian people.

1.2. Types of discrimination

1.2.1. Direct discrimination: Direct discrimination occurs when someone is treated less favourably than another person because of a protected characteristic they have or are thought to have (see perceptive discrimination below), or because they associate with someone who has a protected characteristic (see associative discrimination below).
1.2.2. Associative discrimination: This is direct discrimination against someone because they are linked or associated with another person who possesses a protected characteristic.
1.2.3. Perceptive discrimination: This is direct discrimination against an individual because others think they possess a particular protected characteristic. It applies even if the person does not actually possess that characteristic.
1.2.4. Indirect discrimination: Indirect discrimination can occur when you have a condition, rule, policy or even a practice in your company that applies to everyone but particularly disadvantages people who share a protected characteristic and which cannot be justified in relation to the job.
1.2.5. Harassment: Harassment is “unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic, which has the purpose or effect of violating an individual’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that individual”.
1.2.6. Victimisation: Victimisation occurs when an employee is treated badly because they have made or supported a complaint about discrimination or harassment, or raised a grievance under the Equality Act; or because they are suspected of doing so. An employee is not protected from victimisation if
they have maliciously made or supported an untrue complaint.
1.2.7. Positive action: Some people with protected characteristics are disadvantaged or under-represented in some areas of life, or have particular needs linked to their characteristic. They may need extra help or encouragement if they are to have the same chances as everyone else. The positive action provisions held within the Equalities Act 2010 enable service providers to take proportionate steps to help people overcome their disadvantages or to meet their needs.