The Company is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in employment.

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 in 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 business to reach their full potential.

We value people as individuals with diverse opinions, cultures, lifestyles and circumstances. All job applicants, employees and workers (including agency workers) are covered by this policy and it applies to all areas of employment including recruitment, selection, training, career development and promotion. These areas are monitored and policies and practices are amended if necessary to ensure that no unfair or unlawful discrimination, intentional, unintentional, direct or indirect, overt or latent exists.

Equality of opportunity, valuing   diversity and compliance with the law is to the benefit of all individuals in our Company as it seeks to develop the skills and abilities of its people. While specific responsibility for eliminating discrimination and providing equality of opportunity lies with managers and supervisors, individuals at all levels have a responsibility to treat others with dignity and respect. The personal commitment of every employee to this policy and the application of its principles are essential to eliminate discrimination and provide equality throughout the Company.

Management will ensure that recruitment, selection, training, development and promotion procedures result in no job applicant,  employee, or worker  receiving less favourable treatment because of a protected characteristic within the Equality Act which are race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin and caste), religion or belief, disability, trade union membership or non-membership, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership and age. In accordance with our overarching equal opportunities ethos, we will also ensure that no-one is treated less favourably on account of their trade union membership or non-membership, or on the basis of being a part-time or fixed term employee. The Company’s objective is to ensure that individuals are selected, promoted, and otherwise treated solely on the basis of their relevant aptitudes, skills and abilities.

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

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

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

Management has the primary responsibility for successfully meeting these objectives by:

• not discriminating in the course of engagement against employees, workers or job applicants
• not inducing or attempting to induce others to practise unlawful discrimination
• bringing to the attention of our workforce that they may be subject to action under the disciplinary procedure, or other appropriate action for unlawful discrimination of any kind

You can contribute by:

• not discriminating against fellow employees, workers, customers, suppliers or members of the public with whom you come into contact during the course of your duties
• not inducing or attempting to induce others to practise unlawful discrimination
• reporting any discriminatory action to your Manager

The successful achievement of these objectives necessitates a contribution from everyone and you have an obligation to report any act of discrimination known to you.

If you consider that you are a victim of unlawful discrimination you may raise the issue through the grievance procedure.