About this policy & why it is relevant
Cyted Ltd (the Employer) is committed to equal opportunities for all staff and applicants.
Cyted Ltd (the Employer) is committed to equal opportunities for all staff and applicants.
It is our policy at Cyted that all employment decisions are based on merit and the legitimate business needs of the organisation. The Employer does not discriminate on the basis of race, colour or nationality, ethnic or national origins, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, disability, religion or belief, age or any other ground on which it is or becomes unlawful to discriminate under the laws of England and Wales (referred to as Protected Characteristics).
Our intention at Cyted is to enable all our staff to work in an environment which allows them to fulfill their potential without fear of discrimination, harassment or victimisation. The Employer's commitment to equal opportunities extends to all aspects of the working relationship including:
Our intention at Cyted is to enable all our staff to work in an environment which allows them to fulfill their potential without fear of discrimination, harassment or victimisation. The Employer's commitment to equal opportunities extends to all aspects of the working relationship including:
The principles of non-discrimination and equal
opportunities also apply to the way in which staff treat visitors,
clients, customers, suppliers and former staff members.
This is a statement of policy only and does not form
part of your contract of employment. This policy may be amended at any
time by the Employer, in its absolute discretion.
This policy is intended to help the Employer achieve
its diversity and anti-discrimination aims by clarifying the
responsibilities and duties of all staff in respect of equal
opportunities and discrimination. The Employer will promote effective
communication and consultation between the Employer and staff concerning
equal opportunities by means it considers appropriate.
Achieving an equal opportunities workplace is a
collective task shared between the Employer and all its staff. This
policy and the rules contained in it therefore apply to all staff of the
Employer irrespective of seniority, tenure and working hours, including
all employees, directors and officers, consultants and contractors,
casual or agency staff, trainees, homeworkers and fixed-term staff and
any volunteers or interns (referred to as Staff).
The board of directors of the Employer has overall
responsibility for this policy and for equal opportunities and
discrimination law compliance in the workplace and the Chief Executive
Officer has been appointed as the person with day-to-day operational
responsibility for these matters.
All Staff have personal responsibility to ensure
compliance with this policy, to treat colleagues with dignity at all
times and not to discriminate against or harass other members of Staff,
visitors, clients, customers, suppliers and former staff members. In
addition, Staff who take part in management, recruitment, selection,
promotion, training and other aspects of career development (referred to
as Managers) have special responsibility for leading by example and ensuring compliance.
Managers will receive appropriate training in equal opportunities and must take all necessary steps to:
Discrimination occurs in different ways, some more obvious than
others. Discrimination on the grounds of any of the Protected
Characteristics is prohibited by law, even if unintentional, unless a
particular exception applies.
Direct Discrimination is less favourable treatment
because of one of the Protected Characteristics. Examples would include
refusing a woman a job as a chauffeur because you believe that women are
not good drivers or restricting recruitment to persons under 40 because
you want to have a young and dynamic workforce.
Direct discrimination can arise in some cases even
though the person complaining does not actually possess the Protected
Characteristic but is perceived to have it or associates with other
people who do. For example, when a person is less favourably treated
because they are (wrongly) believed to be homosexual or because they
have a spouse who is Muslim.
Indirect discrimination arises when an employer applies
an apparently neutral provision, criterion or practice which in fact
puts individuals with a particular Protected Characteristic at a
disadvantage, statistically and this is unjustified. To show
discrimination the individual complaining also has to be personally
disadvantaged. An example would be a requirement for job candidates to
have ten years' experience in a particular role, since this will be
harder for young people to satisfy. This kind of discrimination is
unlawful unless it is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate
aim.
Victimisation means treating a person less favourably
because they have made a complaint of discrimination or have provided
information in connection with a complaint or because they might do one
of these things.
Harassment is:
Harassment can arise in some cases even though the
person complaining does not actually possess a Protected Characteristic
but is perceived to have it (for example, when a person is harassed
because they are (wrongly) believed to be homosexual) or associates with
other people who possess a Protected Characteristic (for example,
because they have a spouse who is Muslim).
Harassment may include:
Other important points to note about harassment:
This could be direct or indirect discrimination and is any unjustified less favourable treatment because of the effects of a disability, and failure to make reasonable adjustments to alleviate disadvantages caused by a disability.
Any Staff member who considers that they may have a disability is strongly encouraged to speak with the Chief Executive Officer, particularly if they experience difficulties at work because of their disability so that any reasonable adjustments to help overcome or minimise difficulties can be discussed. For these purposes, disability includes any physical or mental impairment which substantially affects your ability to perform day to day activities and has lasted (or is likely to last) more than 12 months. Disclosure of this information will be treated in confidence, if you wish it to be, so far as is reasonably practicable and we will do our best to handle matters sensitively and to ensure that you are treated with dignity and with respect for your privacy.
We will consult with you about whether adjustments are needed to avoid you being disadvantaged and may ask you to see a doctor appointed by us, to advise on this. We will seek to accommodate your needs within reason. If we consider a particular adjustment unreasonable, we will explain why and try to find an alternative solution.
Managers with responsibility for managing a member of Staff who they know or think to be disabled should speak to the Chief Executive Officer to ensure that all relevant duties are complied with.
As noted above, the Employer will recruit employees and
make other employment decisions concerning promotion, training,
dismissal and related issues. on the basis of objective criteria.
Managers should only stipulate criteria or conditions
for employment decisions (including job selection, promotion and
redundancy) which are based on a legitimate business need and which do
not go further than is needed to satisfy that need. If you are in any
doubt about whether particular criteria or conditions are indirectly
discriminatory or justifiable, then please speak to the Chief Executive
Officer.
Managers involved in recruitment must:
The Employer is legally required to verify that all
employees have the right to work in the UK. Prior to starting
employment, all employees must produce original documents to the
Employer's satisfaction, irrespective of nationality. Information about
the documents required is available from the HR Manager.
Training needs may be identified during the normal
appraisal process. Appropriate training to facilitate progression will
be accessible to all staff.
All promotion decisions will be made on the basis of
merit and according to proportionate criteria determined by legitimate
business need.
Staff diversity at different levels of the organisation
will be kept under review to ensure equality of opportunity. Where
unjustified barriers to progression are identified, these will be
removed.
Access to benefits and facilities and terms of
employment will be kept under review to ensure that they are
appropriately structured and that no unlawful barriers to qualification
or access exist.
Any redundancy selection criteria and procedures that
are used, or other decisions taken to terminate employment, will be fair
and not directly or indirectly discriminatory.
Disciplinary procedures and penalties will be applied
without discrimination, whether they result in disciplinary warnings,
dismissal or other disciplinary action.
Part-time and fixed-term staff will be treated the same as full-time or permanent staff of the same position and enjoy no less favourable terms and conditions (pro-rata, where appropriate), unless different treatment is justified.
If you believe that you have been the victim of discrimination, you should follow the Employer's Grievance Procedure.
Every member of Staff has a responsibility to combat discrimination if they encounter it. Staff who observe or are aware of acts that they believe amount to discrimination directed at others are encouraged to report these to the Chief Executive Officer.
Any grievance or report raised about discrimination will be kept confidential so far as this is practicable. We may ask you if you wish your complaint(s) to be put to the alleged discriminator if disciplinary action appears to be appropriate. It sometimes may be necessary to disclose the complaint or take action even if this is not in line with your wishes, but we will seek to protect you from victimisation and, if you wish, we will seek to protect your identity. You should be aware that disciplinary action may be impossible without your co-operation or if you refuse to allow relevant information to be disclosed.
Staff who raise a complaint about or report discrimination in good faith will be protected from retaliation or victimisation. As long as you act in good faith, the fact that you have raised a complaint or report will not affect your position within the Employer, even if the complaint is not upheld. Making a false allegation deliberately and in bad faith is a misconduct offence and will be dealt with in accordance with our disciplinary policy. Any member of Staff who attempts acts of retaliation or victimisation may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including summary dismissal for gross misconduct.
If you make a complaint, it may be necessary to ask you to stay at home on paid leave while investigations are being conducted and the matter is being dealt with through the appropriate procedure. This may particularly be necessary in cases of alleged harassment.
Any breach of equal opportunities rules or failure to
comply with this policy will be taken very seriously and is likely to
result in disciplinary action against the offender, up to and including
immediate dismissal.
Staff should also note that:
The board of directors of the Employer will keep this policy under review.
The Employer encourages Staff to comment on this policy and suggest ways in which it might be improved or ask any questions if they are unsure about any part of this policy or how it is applied by contacting the Chief Executive Officer.
Version | Date | Author | Major changes |
---|---|---|---|
1.0 | July 2020 | Charlene Tang, Marcel Gehrung | First version |