Governance Geek Equality and Diversity Policy

Introduction

Governance Geek recognises and values people’s differences and will assist them to use their talents to reach their full potential.

Governance Geek is committed to the principles and practice of equality, diversity and inclusion in all its functions. It is responsible for ensuring that all job applicants, employees, prospective and actual customers, volunteers, directors, contractors or other persons within its workforce or using its services (referred to as ‘our people’) are afforded dignity and respect and in no circumstances subject to unlawful discrimination.

Governance Geek will positively promote and provide equality of opportunity for all our people and strive to provide equity in its approach and undertakings. Making Governance Geek and its services welcoming, accessible and inclusive.

This policy is designed to ensure that Governance Geek complies with its obligations under equality legislation and demonstrates the organisation’s commitment to treating people equally and fairly.

Policy Aims

Governance Geek is unreservedly opposed to any form of discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. Collectively these grounds are defined as ‘protected characteristics’ (The Equality Act, 2010).

Governance Geek values the variety of different views, outlooks and approaches that a diverse workforce, directors, contractors, customers and network bring. This ensures that Governance Geek provides improved services and increases understanding of Governance Geek’s stakeholders and their needs.

Governance Geek will ensure that no person receives less favourable treatment or is disadvantaged by requirements or conditions, which cannot be shown to be justifiable.

Using fair and objective employment practices, Governance Geek aims to ensure that:

· All our people are given the same opportunities regardless of their individual differences or protected characteristics.

· All our people are treated fairly and with respect at all stages of their engagement with Governance Geek.

· All our people have the right to be free from harassment, victimisation and bullying of any description, or any other form of unwanted behaviour. Such behaviour may come from other stakeholders or by people (third parties) such as customers or clients.

· All our people have an equal chance to contribute and to achieve their potential, irrespective of any defining feature that may give rise to unfair discrimination.

· All our people have the right to be free from discrimination that may be caused because they associate with another person who possesses a protected characteristic or because others perceive that they have a particular protected characteristic, even if they do not.

Scope

Governance Geek’s equality and diversity policy is applicable to all our people and stakeholders, these include:

· Job applicants

· Employees

· Agency temps

· Students on work placements, work experience, internships or graduate programmes

· Volunteers

· Directors

· Customers/service users

· Third party contractors

Discrimination can occur through a variety of means as described in the Equality Act, 2010. The following definitions may aid understanding of the types of discrimination, harassment and victimisation that can occur:

· Direct discrimination - where someone is treated less favourably than another person because of a protected characteristic

· Associative discrimination - this is direct discrimination against someone because they are associated with another person who possesses a protected characteristic

· Discrimination by perception - this is direct discrimination against someone because others think that they possess a particular protected characteristic. They do not necessarily have to possess the characteristic, just be perceived to.

· Indirect discrimination - this can occur when you have a rule or policy that applies to everyone but disadvantages a person with a particular protected characteristic

· Harassment - this is behaviour that is deemed offensive by the recipient. Employees can now complain about the behaviour they find offensive even if it is not directed at them.

· Victimisation - this occurs when someone is treated badly because they have made or supported a complaint or grievance under this legislation.

Governance Geek regards discrimination, harassment and victimisation as serious misconduct. Reports, complaints and investigations will be taken seriously and appropriate measures, including disciplinary action, may be brought against any stakeholder who unlawfully discriminates against, harasses or victimises another person.

Responsibilities

All our people at Governance Geek have a duty to act within this policy, ensure it is followed and to draw attention to any suspected discriminatory acts or practices. They are also personally liable under equality legislation for any act of unlawful discrimination.

All our people, whether permanent or temporary, are responsible for the promotion and advancement of this policy.

The following roles have specific responsibility:

· Governance Geek’s Directors - are responsible for ensuring that this policy is implemented, followed, and reviewed annually or when material changes occur. The directors are also responsible for ensuring that this policy is enforced, implemented and any breaches are dealt with appropriately.

· Equality and diversity champion – a director (Danielle Peel) will act as the ‘equality and diversity champion’. The equality and diversity champion will lead Governance Geek’s action plan to foster all aspects of diversity within its leadership and decision making, including regular updates on progress against the actions identified.

Breaches of the equality and diversity policy by our people may be considered as gross misconduct and will be dealt in accordance with Governance Geek’s disciplinary procedures.

Policy implementation

All employees, volunteers, members, board trustees, committee members or other persons within its workforce will be involved in creating an equality environment and one that values diversity. This will be implemented and promoted through the following channels:

Communication

The policy will be communicated by:

· Making available a copy of the policy to prospective applicants (for employed or voluntary roles).

· Ensuring all new starters have the opportunity to discuss the policy with directors.

· Making use of team and board meetings to discuss the policy and defining areas where practice could be improved.

· Providing non-discrimination training for directors who are recruiting.

· Providing equality and diversity training and guidance to employees.

· Including reference to abiding by the policy in the staff handbook and induction process.

· Incorporating specific responsibilities into job/role descriptions as appropriate.

Customers and Service Users (stakeholders)

Governance Geek will endeavor to facilitate accessible and inclusive activities, wherever possible, to its people and stakeholders. Governance Geek will consider the following when undertaking its activities:

· The format, font and size used on promotional material

· The language used on promotional material

· Methods of delivering promotional material e.g. easy read/other languages

· Locations of service delivery

· Representation of Governance Geek’s diverse workforce and stakeholders

· The impact of proposed new services on Governance Geek people and stakeholders.

Policy monitoring

This policy will be monitored to judge to what extent it is working and identify areas for improvement. Monitoring will relate to both Governance Geek’s people and stakeholders.

Governance Geek people will be asked to submit information on diversity to aid in ensuring Governance Geek represents the diverse community it serves. This data will be managed in line with current data protection legislation.

Governance Geek also reserves the right to conduct equality impact assessment on activities which take place; this will be considered by Governance Geek’s strategy the equality and diversity champion.

Complaints Procedures

To safeguard individual rights under this policy, any of our people or stakeholder who believes they have suffered inequitable treatment within the scope of this policy may raise the matter through the appropriate procedure.

Any complaint regarding this policy or another policy of Governance Geek’s should be directed to a director unless otherwise prescribed in that policy.

Stakeholders who feel that they have suffered any form of discrimination should raise the issue through the following means:

· Contact a company director.

· The director will need written information on the inequitable treatment that the individual has received/been party to/is aware of, and/or how treatment exceeds the scope of this policy

· The written information will also need to include:

o Date(s)

o Time(s)

o Location

o Persons involved

o Description/details of the inequitable treatment

o Contact details for the individual to permit communication between the strategy trustee and the individual

o Other relevant information

· The director will send written confirmation of receipt of this letter within three working days from its submission.

· The director will investigate the complaint.

· The director will then invite the individual to a meeting to discuss and hopefully resolve the complaint. This invitation will be sent within 14 days of the written confirmation letter.

· The director will send a written confirmation of the meeting with any solutions/next steps agreed at the meeting within 5 working days of the meeting.

· The director must be informed in writing if it is not possible to meet on the planned meeting date.

· The director will then send a written reply to the individual, including suggestions to resolving the matter within 14 days of written acknowledgement of non-attendance at the meeting.

· If the individual is not satisfied with the outcome after this procedure they should appeal the decision to an independent Governance Geek director, details of which will be provided in the written reply.

All complaints will be treated seriously, promptly and confidentiality.

Review

The equality and diversity policy will be reviewed by the company directors in July 2025 unless changes in policy, governance or other circumstances require a review prior to this date.