Diversity Policy Effective June 2007
The Altro Group believes that excellence will be achieved through the recognition of the value of every individual. We promote an environment that respects and embraces the diversity of our employees in terms of their individual skills, knowledge, talent enables them to achieve their full potential, to contribute fully and to derive maximum benefit and enjoyment from their employment with the Company.
In order to achieve the above, we all have a responsibility to ensure:
* Employees and prospective employees are treated with respect and dignity
* Employees and prospective employees are treated fairly with regard to all procedures, assessments and choices irrespective of race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, age, and whether they have or are about to be tested for a life threatening disease.
* Everyone is encouraged to reach their full potential
What is Diversity?
Diversity encompasses a multitude of areas such as gender, race, disability, physical ability, mental capacity, education, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, values, age, personality, experiences, culture and the way each individual approaches work. This list is not exhaustive.
Embracing diversity means acknowledging, understanding, and appreciating the differences between individuals and developing an environment that enhances their value.
The Benefits of Diversity
Working in an environment where the workforce is diverse provides us with a wide range of talent, ideas, skills and view points. It enables us to think more widely, to have our ideas challenged, to be more creative and continually learn from each other. In an increasingly competitive environment and with ambitious plans for Company growth, the diversity of our people will be our differentiator.
The policy outlined below aims to ensure that we create and maintain the environment that will help us achieve our Company goals.
RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION
Advertisements
Vacant posts are advertised in a number of ways to attract a wide variety of applicants. All advertisements are individualised to focus on the key criteria required to meet the essentials of the vacancy. Role definitions and Person Specifications are designed to enable applicants to determine whether they wish to apply.
All recruitment agencies, including educational institutions, are made aware of the Company’s Diversity Policy.
Applications and Interviewing
The selection process for invitation to interview is carried out by ensuring that applicants meet the essential criteria and, if possible, the desirable criteria.
Staff responsible for selecting candidates will be:
* Clearly aware of selection criteria and the need for consistent application
* Given guidance on the effect which generalised assumptions and prejudices about colour, race, ethnic origin, religion, sex, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, age, or life threatening disease can have on selection decisions.
* Made aware of possible misunderstandings that can occur in interviewing people whose sex or cultural background is different.
Existing procedures, criteria and practices are examined and regularly reviewed to ensure that they are not actually or potentially unlawfully discriminatory.
All short listed applicants are asked to complete an Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form. This requests information about the applicant’s age, disabilities, ethnicity, marital status, religion and beliefs. This information is kept confidential and kept separate from the application form. The information is not disclosed to the interviewing panel, but it allows HR to put in place any special requirement, before, during and after the successful candidate has been selected. The information on the Monitoring Form can assist HR in a number of ways, such as: to make any special considerations for applicants with a disability; to give an applicant with a conviction an opportunity to discuss the circumstances of this conviction; and to allow consideration for employees with religious beliefs. The Monitoring Form also allows HR to collect this data for statistical and monitoring reasons and highlights opportunities to redress the balance and ensure a workforce that represents the diverse community. It also ensures that any relevant legislation is adhered to.
Selection Criteria and Tests
Where these are used, selection tests are specifically related to the job and/or career requirements and measure an individual’s actual or inherent ability to do the work or train for the career. Selection tests will not inadvertently discriminate against applicants from particular groups.
A standard of English or level of qualification will not be required that is higher than needed for the safe and effective performance of the job or clearly demonstrable career pattern.
Any particular applicants should not be disqualified because they are unable to complete an application form unassisted, unless personal completion of the form is a valid test of the standard of English required for safe and effective performance of the job.
PROMOTION AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT
The Company, where possible, will offer promotional and career development opportunities for existing employees.
Policies, agreements, rules and practices regarding selection for promotion and personal development shall avoid discrimination.
When opportunities for promotions and training are advertised, this will be done in such a way as not to discriminate against, exclude or disproportionately reduce the number of applicants from particular groups. In some circumstances such opportunities may not always be advertised, but in all cases, the selection criteria will be those required for proper performance of the job without discrimination. Criteria used in appraisal assessments will avoid discrimination and appraisers will not discriminate in their application.
TRAINING
All requests for training are considered on the basis of the need and relevance to the job being undertaken by the employee. There may be times when a request must be declined, postponed or offered on a conditional basis for legitimate business reasons. There may be occasions where the delivery method or day of training might coincide with a personal event, ie. a religious festival. Where possible, considerations will be made on the basis of any request received by the line manager.
Please refer to the Learning and Development Policy for further information.
HARASSMENT AND BULLYING
Any form of harassment or inappropriate behaviour which causes offence, whether intentional or not, will be treated seriously and may be dealt with under the Company Disciplinary Procedure.
Employees will not be subject to intimidation, victimisation or discrimination for filing a complaint or assisting in an investigation.
Definition
There is no hard and fast definition of harassment, but it includes any conduct that has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.
Documented forms of harassment include sexual and racial. However, harassment can also relate to a person’s age, disability, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.
It can also take the form of bullying or victimisation.
Employees’ Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of all employees to ensure that their behaviour is appropriate to the workplace and does not contribute to the creation of an environment in which harassment is condoned or encouraged. Employees should challenge offensive behaviour or bring it to the notice of management as appropriate and support any colleague who is being harassed.
Managers’ Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of all managers, supervisors and team leaders to eliminate harassment and to take the appropriate action when necessary.
Examples of Harassment
The following list is not exhaustive, but is an indication of behaviours this policy seeks to prevent.
Sexual Harassment
* Unwelcome sexual remarks, such as jokes, innuendo, teasing and verbal abuse.
* The display of pin-ups, pornographic pictures or sexually suggestive subject matter.
* Unwelcome remarks about a person’s dress, appearance or marital status.
* Behaviour which condemns or ridicules a person because of their sexuality.
* Unwelcome physical contact or demands for sexual favours.
Racial Harassment
* Racially derogatory remarks or racist jokes.
* The display of racially offensive material or graffiti.
* Insulting behaviour, threats or physical assault.
* Deliberate isolation or non co-operation at work.
Age Discrimination
* Ridiculing or demeaning behaviour focused towards people because of their age.
Discrimination against people with disabilities
* Harassment, undignified treatment, ridicule or exclusion of people, because of their disability or vulnerability.
Religious Discrimination
* Discriminatory behaviour, which fails to acknowledge the rights or needs of people with different beliefs or practices.
Bullying
* The intentional intimidation or belittling of someone through the misuse of power or position, which leaves them feeling hurt, upset, vulnerable or helpless.
Victimisation
* Where a person is treated less favourably than other people because for example, that person has brought proceedings, given evidence, or complained about the behaviour of someone who has been harassing or discriminating against them.
Procedure
Harassment cases will, where possible, be dealt with on an informal, confidential basis between the parties themselves – for example by one employee asking another to refrain from a particular type of offensive behaviour.
If such a request is not complied with or if a more serious form of harassment is involved, the situation should normally be brought to the attention of the appropriate manager through the Grievance Procedure. However, there will be circumstances where this is not possible or desirable. In these cases employees may contact a Dignity at Work coach to discuss the matter in complete confidence to establish the best way forward. The names of Dignity at Work coaches are displayed on Company noticeboards.
The Dignity at Work coach’s role is to provide support and assistance to the complainant before, during and after a complaint is made. Counselling will also be available to the alleged harasser, if requested.
Grievances/Disciplinary
Employees, who, in good faith, raise complaints in relation to discrimination shall not be discriminated against by disciplinary measures, victimisation, bullying or harassment.
The Company will not ignore or treat lightly grievances from members of particular groups on the assumption that they are over-sensitive to discrimination.
In applying disciplinary procedures, consideration should be given to the possible effect on employee’s behaviour of the following:
* Sexual or racial abuse
* Communication and comprehension difficulties
* Differences in cultural background
Members of particular groups should not be disciplined or dismissed for behaviour which would be overlooked or condoned in other groups.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT, BENEFITS, FACILITIES AND SERVICES
All terms of employment, benefits, facilities and services will ensure that there is no unlawful discrimination on the grounds of colour, race, ethnic origin, religion, sex, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, age, or life threatening disease.
Where extended leave arrangements apply for visiting relations in countries of origin or who have migrated to other distant countries, these policies should be applied consistently without discrimination.
MONITORING
The effects of selection decisions and human resources practices and procedures will be monitored regularly to assess whether there is an environment of equal opportunity for all.
Analyses will be carried out of:
i) The composition of ethnic group, sex and age of the workforce of each unit and changes in distribution over periods of time.
ii) Selection decisions for recruitment, promotion, transfer and training, according to the group of candidates, and reasons for these decisions.
Except in cases where there are large numbers of applicants and the burden on resources would be excessive, reasons for selection and rejection will be recorded at each stage of the selection process, e.g. initial shortlisting and final decisions.
This information will be carefully and regularly analysed and, in order to identify areas which may need particular attention, the following questions will be asked:
Is there evidence that individuals from any particular group which is representative of the population within the unit’s catchment area or of the unit’s workforce.
i) Do not apply for employment or promotion, or that fewer apply than might be expected?
ii) Are not recruited or promoted at all, or are appointed in significantly lower proportion than their rate of application?
iii) Are under-represented in training or in jobs carrying higher pay, status or authority?
iv) Are concentrated in certain shifts, sections or departments?
SOURCES OF HELP AND INFORMATION
There are a number of options available for employees if they wish to talk to someone. Some of these include: Line Manager; Human Resources, Dignity at Work Coaches, ICAS, Occupational Health or colleagues.