1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 CULTIV8 SOLUTIONS is fully committed to an Equal Opportunities policy in its responsibility as an employer and service provider.

1.2 CULTIV8 SOLUTIONS will strive to treat all staff, job candidates and clients with equal fairness.

1.3 CULTIV8 SOLUTIONS wishes to make its position on equal opportunities publicly clear through this policy statement.

2. POLICY

2.1 CULTIV8 SOLUTIONS is fully committed to a policy of providing equal employment opportunities and service to all. Employment will be based on the individuals capabilities and personal skill regardless of gender, gender reassignment, ethnic or national origin, race, colour, religion, beliefs, age, marital status or disability.

2.2 This responsibility includes equal treatment in all aspects of recruitment, skills analysis and personal development support.

CULTIV8 SOLUTIONS will abide by all the legislative requirements with respect to all equality issues, especially with respect to race, gender and disability legislation.

2.3 CULTIV8 SOLUTIONS will ensure that future staff and Board Members are fully trained in equality issues and the relevant legislative requirements. Furthermore, detailed procedures and clear guidance notes will be provided for the staff to achieve genuine and demonstrable equality in all activities.

3. DIRECTORS RESPONSIBILTIES

3.1 Responsibility for implementation of the policy is delegated to the Managing Director

3.2 The Managing Director will arrange training, as appropriate, designed to support the policy and its implementation.

3.3 Procedures and selection criteria for internal staff and job candidates will be regularly reviewed for the avoidance of the potential for direct and indirect discrimination. Reviews will have a particular focus on job descriptions, skill requirements and selection and interviewing techniques.

3.4 The organisation will not tolerate harassment of or by any staff and will take measures to handle such issues.

3.5 CULTIV8 SOLUTIONS will collect and analyse the relevant ethnic, gender, disability and other data to monitor the achievement of this policy.

3.6 The Managing Director will personally monitor the achievement of the action plan on a quarterly basis.

3.7 Reports on the data collected will be made available to clients, job candidates and stakeholders. All will be invited to feedback, offer suggestions and be given opportunity to voice concerns. Future plans will be formulated based on such information.

4. STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES

4.1 It is the responsibility of all staff to promote and observe the equal opportunities policy of CULTIV8 SOLUTIONS in respect of individuals and businesses external to the business.

4.2 Staff failing to comply with this Equal Opportunities Policy may bring the organisation into disrepute, which could result in disciplinary action or dismissal.

4.3 Staff who feel that they have been subject to harassment or discrimination should initially, wherever possible, formally ask the person responsible to stop the harassing behaviour and that it offends or makes then feel uncomfortable.

4.4 If the behaviour continues or it is not appropriate to handle the matter informally, then the staff member should instigate the formal procedure by raising a grievance with the Managing Director. If the cause of the problem is the Managing Director, then information will be made available, detailing an external mediation service.

5. HARASSMENT

5.1 CULTIV8 SOLUTIONS will not allow harassment of staff or members of the public. Harassment is a form of discrimination but it also covers a wider area.

5.2 The term means 'unwanted actions, behaviours or comments which are offensive to the recipient'. Behaviour that is unsolicited and makes the recipient feel threatened or humiliated and creates an intimidating working environment. Harassment is defined by the impact, not the intention, of the behaviour.

5.3 Harassment can take many forms of behaviour: verbal, non-verbal, physical or other.

5.4 Harassment can take a number of forms but the most common are sexual, racial and bullying.

6. SEXUAL HARASSMENT

6.1 Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination. It is unlawful behaviour contrary to the Sex Discrimination Act 1975.

6.2 The term means 'the unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, which is offensive to the recipient. It refers to behaviour that is unsolicited, personally offensive and that reflects the dignity of men and women at work'.

6.3 Examples of sexual harassment include but are not exclusive to:

  • Verbal propositions, innuendo, suggestive remarks, unwanted continued suggestions for social activity outside work;
  • Non-verbal: display of sexually offensive pictures (male or female), sexually suggestive gestures, written material;
  • Physical, touching, pinching, brushing against another staff member's body; or
  • Other - offensive or unwanted comments about appearance, dress of personal characteristics.

7. RACIAL HARASSMENT

7.1 Racial harassment is a form of race discrimination. It is unlawful behaviour contrary to the Race Relations Act 1976.

7.2 The term means ' the unwanted conduct aimed at racial origin, ethnic or national origin, religion or beliefs of staff, candidates and clients. Racial discrimination denigrates a person of their racial origin, national or ethnic background, beliefs or religious convictions'.

7.3 Examples of racial harassment include but are not exclusive to:

  • Verbal: abusive remarks, racist jokes
  • Non-verbal: graffiti, gestures; or
  • Physical: physical threats, assaults

8. WORKPLACE BULLYING

8.1 There is no legislation in the UK, which specifically deals with bullying in the workplace. However such behaviour does have a similar impact to an individual and staff can redress under breach of contract claims, health & safety legislation, common law duty of care, and in extreme cases criminal liability.

8.2 The organisation considers bullying to be 'intentional intimidation or belittling of an individual which makes the recipient feel upset, threatened, humiliated or vulnerable and undermines their self-confidence'.

8.3 Examples of workplace bullying include but are not exclusive to:

  • Shouting or swearing at people in public and private
  • Persistent unwarranted criticism
  • Gossip or slander
  • Ignoring or deliberately excluding people
  • Picking on one person when there is a common problem
  • Spreading malicious rumours
  • Constantly undervaluing effort
  • Dispensing disciplinary action, which is totally unjustified

8.4 In some instances, the following may also contribute to actions which constitute bullying:

  • Withholding information or supplying incorrect information
  • Deliberately sabotaging or impeding work performance
  • Removing areas of responsibility without explanation
  • Imposing inappropriate menial tasks
  • Consistently imposing excessively demanding tasks with the expectation of failure
  • Blocking applications for holiday without a valid business reason

9. HARASSMENT PROCEDURE

Informal Action

9.1 Staff who believe that they have been subject to harassment or discrimination should initially, wherever possible, formally ask the person responsible to stop the harassing behaviour and that it offends or makes then feel uncomfortable, and it is interfering with their work. In most cases this will be enough to stop the harassment.

9.2 No further informal action will be taken without the consent of the staff member making the complaint unless there is a legal requirement to do so.

9.3 In some circumstances, it may be too difficult or embarrassing for an individual to do this. If the behaviour continues or it is not appropriate to resolve the problem informally, the next stage in the procedure should be followed.

Formal Action

9.4 If a staff member considers that they have been harassed an informal approach has not been effective or is not appropriate they should complain to their Divisional manager. If the complaint is being made about the Divisional manager, they should complain to the Managing Director. The person receiving the complaint will be referred to as the investigating officer. The complaint should be made in writing in the form of a signed and dated statement.

9.5 The complaint will be investigated under the disciplinary procedure.

9.6 The staff member making the complaint will be interviewed within 10 working days of the receipt of the complaint by the investigating officer and will receive a detailed response within 10 working days of the interviews being complete.

9.7 The staff member about whom the complaint has been made will have the right to raise a grievance about the processing of the complaint but not the outcome within 5 working days of the formal outcome

9.8 Where the complaint is upheld, there will be no element of penalty whatsoever towards the complainant.

9.9 Where the complaint is upheld but does not result in a dismissal, the situation will be carefully monitored to ensure that the harassment has stopped.

9.10 Where a complaint is not upheld, consideration will be given to transferring or rescheduling the work of the staff(s) concerned rather than requiring them to work together against the wishes of either party

9.11 In these circumstances, consideration will also be given to disciplinary action against the complainant if the claim is considered to be spurious. This disciplinary action may result in dismissal.