POLICIES & PROCEDURES:
EQUALITY & DIVERSITY
Crosby Training is an equal opportunity employer and will strive to satisfy the objectives and intentions of employment and equality legislation and associated codes of practice.
Crosby Training operates an Equal Opportunities Policy and has agreed systems and arrangements for communicating, implementing & monitoring its application in practice. All staff / associates and learners / jobseekers will be made aware of the organisation’s Equal Opportunities Policy and will sign an Equal Opportunities Policy Statement as a condition of their acceptance on to the programme. Failure to adhere to the policy will result in the disciplinary procedure being invoked.
This policy applies to:
➢ Discrimination and harassment
➢ The recruitment and management of employees
➢ The company’s role as a training centre for learners / jobseekers
➢ The provision and production of training courses, which are free from barriers which restrict access or progression
The overall aim is to create conditions whereby applicants, staff and all learners / jobseekers are treated solely on the basis of their abilities and potential.
Communication, Implementation and Monitoring Of Equal Opportunities Policy
A copy of the Equality and Diversity Policy is issued to staff and associates on appointment and the intentions of the policy, and its application, covered in the induction programme. Records are maintained of:
➢ The distribution of staff and associates by sex, disability, ethnicity, age, and the job level composition of the workforce and associates
➢ The composition and progress of learners
Discrimination
Crosby Training’s policy is that there must be NO discrimination against existing employees, applicants for employment, trainees or persons providing a service to the Company on the grounds of: age, colour, disability, ethnic or national origin, gender, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. These are known as ‘protected characteristics’ under the Equality Act 2010.
Direct discrimination is defined as treating a person less favourably than others are, or would be treated in the same or similar circumstances. Indirect discrimination occurs when a requirement or condition is applied which, whether intentional or not, adversely affects a considerably larger proportion of people
Crosby Training regards discrimination as gross misconduct and any employee or associate who deliberately discriminates against any other person will be subject to disciplinary action.
Harassment
Harassment will not be tolerated under any circumstances and all employees, learners / jobseekers are required to behave in such a way that they do not cause offence to others; this is especially true on the grounds of: age, disability, race, colour, nationality, religion or belief, gender or sexual orientation. New duty under the Equality Act 2010 will require employers to take “reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment of their employees (Oct 2024)
Harassment is any unwanted non-verbal, or physical abuse, advances and behaviour, which the recipient may find offensive or distressing .
Recruitment & Management of Employees
All recruitment and selection procedures will be conducted fairly and objectively. Selection criteria and procedures will be frequently reviewed to ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities. All advertising and all recruitment literature will be designed to encourage response from all sectors of the community and make it clear that the company operates an equal opportunities policy.
Crosby Training will ensure that equal opportunity principles are applied to all its personnel policies and in particular to the provision of terms and conditions of service and facilities, and to the procedures relating to the training, development and promotion of staff.
Training Courses / Job Search Provision
Crosby Training staff will aim to create a working environment that is free from intimidation or unlawful discrimination.
Where possible, the company will initiate positive steps to encourage learners/ jobseekers to provide developmental activities for groups who are under-represented in particular areas of activity. A designated Equal Opportunities officer will monitor our provision to encourage under-represented groups to participate in our training provision.
Learners / jobseekers who attend the programmes/ courses, who feel that they have suffered from unequal treatment or harassment, have the right to refer the issue to a Programme Manager.
Procedure for Complaints
Any incident of harassment of employees by other employees must be reported immediately to the employee’s Manager who will take appropriate action. If the employee feels unable to report the matter to their Centre Manager or believes that the action taken was inappropriate, then they can formally take their issue to the designated Equal Opportunities officer, who will be able to provide further information and advice.
Formal Procedure
A verbal complaint will be investigated & if necessary, supported in writing specifying:
- The name of the harasser
- What has occurred
- When and where it occurred
- The frequency of incidents
- The name of any witness
- Any steps taken to stop the harassment.
The complaint should be sent to the designated Equal Opportunities officer via Centre Manager. When a complaint is received the matter then becomes a disciplinary investigation with all employees expected to co-operate with the investigation. Failure to cooperate is considered by the Company to be a disciplinary offence and will result in disciplinary action being taken by the Company. Where your Centre manager does not resolve a grievance, it can be referred to the designated Equal Opportunities officer for resolution. Disciplinary action in line with the Company’s Disciplinary Policy will be undertaken as appropriate. Facts of the alleged incident/incidents will be made available to all parties. A colleague (who may also act as representative) may support the complainant and alleged harasser throughout the formal procedure. All grievances and subsequent action will be documented in the Equal Opportunities Grievance Procedure file
Malicious Claims
If an investigation finds the claims to be fictitious and allegations have been brought in order to cause harm or detriment to the alleged offender, this may itself constitute grounds for disciplinary action in line with the Company’s disciplinary procedure.
Victimisation
Complaints lodged by any employee under the policy will not prejudice the employee or their future career prospects unless the complaint proves to be unfounded and malicious. Retaliation against an employee for raising a complaint under this policy could constitute unlawful behaviour /victimisation and is a disciplinary offence.
Responsibilities
It is every individual’s responsibility to ensure that harassment does not occur and to report any incidents to Centre Manager as and when they occur. Systems are developed for making sure that the policy is monitored on a regular basis. The policy is implemented effectively in practice. All staff and associates are given instruction and guidance on its provisions and application. Changes are made in any areas where employees / clients are found not to be receiving equal treatment. It is a condition of employment that staff adheres to the Equal Opportunities Policy. Behaviour which breaches with policy shall be regarded as a disciplinary matter. Existing procedures, criteria and operations are reviewed on a six monthly basis to ensure that they comply with the policy and are changed if they are actually or potentially discriminatory.
This policy forms part of the Crosby Training Safeguarding Handbook, and supports the Safeguarding , PREVENT and other policies and plans that constitute the Safeguarding Handbook.
Policy Docs : V2022 MP Review date: Jan 2026
