Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy: June 2024 - June 2025
POLICY TITLE: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy
DOCUMENT NUMBER: 3.4
GROUPING POLICY: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
AUTHOR / REVISOR / OWNER: Assistant Principal (Performance)
DATE OF CURRENT VERSION: June 2024
REVIEW DATE: June 2024
IMPACT ASSESSED: Yes
APPROVED BY: CMG
DATE: 03/07/2024
APPROVED BY: The Board of Governors
DATE: 11/07/2024
SCOPE
This policy applies to all those connected with the College including attention to the employment practices of the college. This includes but is not restricted to employees, contractors, visitors and students, sub-contractors, stakeholders, and any others that work for the College or visit our premises e.g., community representatives. All those connected with the College have a responsibility to ensure equity of opportunity and human rights are promoted, to create a culture of mutual respect in which all contributions to society as a whole and this organisation are valued. The college promotes positive behaviour and tolerance by all the college community and stakeholders.
PURPOSE
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Equity & Belief Statement The College is committed to a policy and the practice of equity of opportunity. This commitment applies to all aspects of the College’s work and to all members of the College community regardless of gender, age, race and nationality, sex, religion and belief, civil partnerships and marriage, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, political beliefs, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, or any other identifiable discriminating cause, and any other characteristic which may not be covered by legislation that we deem inappropriate. All those (staff, students, stakeholders, customers, customers and suppliers, and members of the public) connected with East Durham College are expected to take responsibility for ensuring that equity of opportunity and human rights are promoted, to create a culture of mutual respect in which all contributions to society as a whole, and to this organisation, are valued. For example, ensuring that our customers and suppliers who are sub-contractors, also promote diversity by responding to learners and staff needs from different groups. Comment This policy underpins all College policies and procedures relating to staff and students including the staff Code of Conduct. Definitions Equal Opportunities is concerned with the prevention of less favourable treatment of individuals or a group of people. Discrimination can be direct, indirect, intentional, or unintentional. Below are the legal definitions of discrimination. Direct Discrimination This is where an employee or prospective employee is unjustifiably less favourably treated because of their race (including colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origins), sex, marital status, religion, sexual orientation, or gender reassignment. Racist abuse and sexual harassment are forms of direct discrimination. The absence of a motive is irrelevant if the discriminator commits an act of discrimination. Indirect Discrimination This is the application of a requirement, condition, or procedure which has a disproportionately adverse impact on a particular group. This normally occurs where the condition or practice can be met by a considerably smaller proportion of one group and therefore creates a detriment to that group, which cannot otherwise be justified. Disability Discrimination It is discriminatory for an employer to fail to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled persons are not substantially disadvantaged or to fail to make their services reasonably accessible to disabled people. Victimisation This occurs if someone is treated less favourably because they have complained about discrimination or supported someone else who has complained. Compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty (2011) “may involve treating some persons more favourably than others” (Public Sector Equality Duty 2011: 149 (6)). |
Policy Statement
Aims
The aims of this policy are:
To comply with all relevant legislation, which includes the nine protected Characteristics of the Equality Act (2010). The characteristics include gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, sex, age, religion and belief, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, civil partnership, and marriage.
This College upholds its Public Sector Equality Duty (2011) which replaces the existing race, disability, and gender duties and extends to cover all of the protected characteristics by:
- Eliminating discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and any other prohibited conduct,
- Advancing equity of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it,
- Fostering good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.
Promoting equity regardless of sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, age, religion, belief, status, Civil partnership and marriage, Pregnancy and maternity, lifestyle, social background, country of origin or any other group definition in our society by having due regard to “advance equity of opportunity, and fostering good relationships” by:
- Removing or minimising disadvantages,
- Taking steps to meet the needs of the persons,
- Tackling prejudice,
- Promoting understanding.
To ensure an environment free from harassment, and unfair or unlawful discrimination.
To develop the ethos of equity of opportunity and to take positive steps to promote it.
Objectives
The objectives of this policy are:
- To regularly review the policy and procedures that promote and protect equity of opportunity.
- To make all employees aware of their personal obligations to avoid discrimination in accordance with this Equal Opportunities Policy.
- To organise or access opportunities that foster a culture of quality on both staff and students.
- To discourage and/or actively oppose any unfair or unlawful discrimination.
- To monitor procedures and activities to ensure effectiveness.
- To take account of needs, particularly those that create barriers to participation.
- To take positive action to redress unjustified disparities in education and/or employment.
- To tackle inappropriate behaviour from staff and students.
The Strategy
The College regards the promotion and maintenance of equity of opportunity as essential.
The strategy to ensure equity of opportunity will have a number of areas:
- The curriculum
- All documentation
- Recruitment and selection
- Behaviour
- Marketing
- Services
- Access
- Continuous Professional Development
Within each of these aspects is the understanding that each individual has responsibility for equal opportunities.
Code of Practice
All members of the College Community have a responsibility to ensure that all students and staff are free from any form of harassment. Discriminating comments are not acceptable, even if intended to be friendly or humorous.
Conduct or remarks which have the effect of interfering with an individual’s work or education, or which create an intimidating, hostile or offensive atmosphere are not acceptable.
All staff should monitor their conduct and language to eliminate discriminating remarks or practices and should actively counter such behaviour amongst students and colleagues. Students and staff must never be given the impression that discriminatory attitudes and practices are acceptable.
Where any particular group is in a minority staff should be alert to any power structures or tension that may infringe on equity of opportunity. Students should be made aware of the College Rule that they should refrain from any remark or action, that may be offensive to another person of any gender, age, race, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, political beliefs, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, or any other identifiable discriminating cause.
All students and staff should be aware of the procedure for complaints about breaches of equity of opportunity, such as harassment. Teaching staff should make these procedures clear to students. Management must ensure that all complaints of personal harassment are dealt with in a consistent manner. Such complaints must be treated seriously and not resolved at the expense of the person subjected to harassment. The objectives are to end the harassment promptly and provide protection from further distress. All complaints raised in relation to equity of opportunity must be investigated and resolved.
Performance Indicators
- The College has an effective monitoring system that measures progress towards its equity of opportunity objectives.
- Staff can demonstrate a good understanding of the main equal opportunities issues and have clear responsibilities in implementing the College Policy.
- Student surveys demonstrate good student understanding of the College’s policy and procedures.
- External surveys show good awareness of the College’s commitment to equity of opportunity and the relevant policies.
- College’s services are inclusive and accessible to everyone in the College Community, and its visitors.
- Publicity and marketing materials demonstrate the College’s commitment to equity of opportunity.
- Where appropriate and permissible by law, under-represented and minority groups are specifically targeted and recruited.
- Participation rates for under-represented and minority groups are measured and show improvement.
- Local employers who work with us are required to show commitment to equity of opportunity.
- Work experience placements are actively monitored to ensure that appropriate policies and practices are in place to ensure compliance with the Equality Act.
- Attendance and early leaving figures are monitored by protected characteristics and appropriate action is taken if this is not in line with peers.
- Grievances and complaints, including those relating to equity of opportunity and those from the nine protected characteristics consistently decrease.
- Services exist to support individuals with specific difficulties including those from under-represented or disadvantaged groups and including assistance with admissions procedures.
- Monitoring of the protected characteristics of candidates and leaving employees is undertaken through the College’s application form and leavers process.
- Uphold the guidelines of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) in order to protect individuals and their privacy.
Multi-Faith Room
A room can be made available at each college campus as a ‘quiet’ space that can be used by all faith groups, beliefs and for those whom religion has no particular significance in their lives. The rooms may equally be used as a quiet space for people to sit and contemplate, to pray, to take a few moments to de-stress from a busy day, or to recover from a traumatic life event, such as bereavement. The rooms provided are small and only capable of being used by low numbers of people at a time.
Where students request time out to observe religious or cultural festivals and customs, curriculum areas should be sympathetic to their needs and requirements.
All requests to use the rooms must be made through Reception, who will ensure a space is available. At the Technical Academy, Reception or the Progression Coach will allocate a room upon request.
Human Resource Management
The College will seek to promote best practices in relation to equity, diversity and inclusion and appropriate provisions are incorporated into all Human Resources Policies.
Recruitment and Selection
This policy should be read in conjunction with the College Recruitment and Selection Policy.
Human Resources Policies and Procedures
The following Policies should also be consulted – please note that this is not exhaustive, and all HR Policies are available on the College extranet:
Attendance Management Policy
Dignity at Work Policy
Family Friendly Policy
Flexible Working Policy
Staff Training & Development Policy
Monitoring
This involves collecting information and data, of both a quantitative and qualitative nature, to review the progress made in implementing equal opportunities.
Good practice in this area constitutes:
Student enrolment by course:
- Gender
- Sex
- Age profiles
- Ethnic minorities
Number of disabled staff/students.
General total student percentages in terms of:
- Age
- Gender
- Sex
- Ethnic minority
% Of staff teaching/working in certain areas in terms of:
- Gender
- Sex
- Ethnic minority
Report on action plans and questionnaire results regarding the effectiveness of the action planning/implementation process for that given period.
Average salary distributions by group.
Recruitment monitoring information for staff and students.
Compliance
The College will seek to ensure that its policy is implemented efficiently and effectively. Compliance involves ensuring that the Equal Opportunities policy is implemented and that there are clear procedures for dealing with incidents of discrimination and harassment on grounds of gender, age, race, religion, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, political beliefs, disability, gender reassignment or any other identifiable discriminating cause.
a) Failure to Implement Policy
- It is the responsibility of each member of the College staff in their role, where failure to implement policy is felt to have occurred, to take action to rectify the matter.
- Where appropriate action does not lie within the designated role of the member of staff concerned, the matter should be taken to the member of college staff whose role involves responsibility for such a matter.
- If such action does not bring about a satisfactory result, the matter should be referred to the College’s Equity and Diversity Group.
General Incidents
General incidents of a discriminatory nature would include those related to age, race, gender, disability, and sexual orientation, e.g. producing insulting graffiti or other written material.
- Attempting to recruit students to racist organisations or bringing material produced by such organisations, (e.g. leaflets, badges, comics) into college
- Derogatory remarks directed against particular minority or disadvantaged groups’ e.g. racist or sexist jokes, insulting references to people with disabilities. Where discrimination has been carried out by a student the incident should be dealt with by the member of staff observing it or having it referred to them. Members of staff with pastoral responsibilities for the student(s) involved should also play a part in the process of dealing with the incident or remark.
Where this procedure is felt to be insufficient or ineffective, the matter should be referred to the Assistant Principal.
Where this procedure is felt to be sufficient or ineffective, the matter should be referred to the appropriate Line Manager.
Where incidents involve staff members, Human Resources should be consulted for advice and action may be taken in accordance with the relevant procedure.
b) Instances of Harassment
- Harassment consists of any unwanted behaviour that has the effect of violating dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment.
- Harassment can take many forms and occur for a variety of reasons. It may be related to age, sex, race, disability, religion, sexuality, or any personal characteristic of an individual.
- It may be directed at one person or many people. Often, it takes place when there are no observers who can witness the behaviour, but not always. It can be persistent behaviour over a period of time, but a one-off act, providing it is serious, may also amount to harassment (Dignity at Work Policy)
- The College considers such harassment of staff, students, or members of the public to be a serious offence and will not tolerate such behaviour from any member of its staff or from any of its students.
Breach of this policy may lead to action being taken under the College’s formal Disciplinary Procedure. Any employee, who feels they have been treated in a manner contrary to the spirit of this policy, should seek recourse in accordance with the College’s Grievance or Dignity at Work procedures.
Document Control
This document is issued and controlled by Quality & Standards and may only be modified by the designated group after proposed modifications have been accepted by the College Management Group. The latest version of the policy will be maintained on the College Extranet.
Please feedback to Quality & Standards any constructive suggestions on how any aspect of the policy may be clarified or improved.