Equality Diversity and Inclusion policy

Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is at the heart of everything we do at Scope.

We want everyone to feel like they belong.

We value each person as an individual. We will treat everyone with dignity and respect. And we want to recognise all parts of a person's identity.

Purpose

This policy explains our legal obligations for equality, diversity and inclusion. It also helps uphold the commitments laid out in our equality, diversity and inclusion strategy.

At Scope we want to go beyond our legal requirements for equality, diversity and inclusion. The policy refers to the Equality Act 2010 and to our legal obligations. This is to make colleagues, volunteers, Trustees and members aware of these obligations. But we expect everyone involved in Scope’s activities to act in line with our EDI strategy, which goes beyond our legal obligations.

Application

The policy applies to colleagues, volunteers, Trustees and members of Scope. It’s the responsibility of everyone at Scope to uphold this policy.

Policy

We’re committed to giving everyone involved in Scope equal opportunities, and to preventing discrimination.

Characteristics protected by this policy

No one should be treated less favourably because of:

• Age
• Disability. This includes people who are disabled, have an impairment, condition or access need. At Scope we want our disabled colleagues, Trustees and members to succeed and develop in their roles without any barriers.
• Trans and non-binary identity. The Equality Act 2010 refers to “gender reassignment”. This is a personal process rather than a medical one.
• Marital and civil partnership status
• Pregnancy and maternity status. This includes people who are pregnant, breastfeeding or have recently given birth.
• Race. By race we mean colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origins.
• Religion or belief (including no region or belief). Any expression of religious or philosophical beliefs must be in line with Scope’s policies and values.
• Sexual orientation
• Sex or gender
• Socio-economic status or class
• Caring responsibilities. This includes caring for a disabled person, older person or children, including foster children.
• Menopause and periods. This includes those who are experiencing menopause, perimenopause or periods.
• Parental leave. This includes any form of parent leave such as adoption leave, paternity leave or shared parental leave.

Discrimination

At Scope, we don’t tolerate any form of discrimination. Positive action is not discrimination. Positive action means taking proactive steps to remove barriers or reduce disadvantage for specific groups. It helps improve equality. For example, Scope offers mentoring programmes to groups who are currently underrepresented at senior leadership.

Direct discrimination

Direct discrimination is when you’re treated differently and worse than someone else because of a protected characteristic. The Equality Act says you’ve been treated less favourably.

Direct discrimination (Citizens Advice).

Discrimination by perception

Discrimination by perception is when a person is discriminated against because someone thinks they have a particular protected characteristic when they don’t. For example, if you discriminate against someone because you think they are trans, then they’ll be protected even if they are not trans.

Discrimination by association

Discrimination by association is when someone is treated less favourably because they are linked or associated with a protected characteristic. For example, because a friend, partner, or parent has a protected characteristic.

Indirect discrimination

Indirect discrimination is when there’s a practice, policy or rule which applies to everyone in the same way, but it has a worse effect on some people than others.

The Equality Act says it puts you at a particular disadvantage

Indirect discrimination (Citizens Advice).

Victimisation

Victimisation is when someone treats you badly because you complain about discrimination or help someone who has been the victim of discrimination.

The Equality Act recognises you might be worried about complaining. So you have extra legal protection when you complain about discrimination.

Victimisation (Citizens Advice).

Disability discrimination

Discrimination arising from disability is when you’re treated unfairly because of something connected to your condition or impairment, rather than the condition or impairment itself.

For example, the need for regular rest breaks, or the need for specialist computer equipment.

Disability discrimination (Citizens Advice).

Microaggressions

A microaggression is a subtle but offensive comment or action directed at a member of a marginalised group. They can be intentional or unintentional.

For example, asking a Black, Asian or minority ethnic person “where are you really from?”. Or referring to a wheelchair user as “confined to a wheelchair”.

You can see more examples of unacceptable behaviour in the anti-harassment and bullying at work policy.

Roles and responsibilities

The People team

The People team will support, guide and advise colleagues to make sure they follow this policy.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) team

The EDI team will advise the People team on equality, diversity and inclusion best practice in line with this policy. 

Accessibility and adjustments team

The Accessibility and adjustments team will proactively promote provision of adjustments to all colleagues.

Managers

We expect all managers to read and understand this policy. We expect all managers to seek advice from the People team, if a member of their team is not behaving in line with this policy.

Leaders

We expect all leaders to model and promote best practice in line with this policy and our EDI strategy.

Colleagues, volunteers, Trustees and members

We expect all colleagues, volunteers, Trustees and members to behave in line with this policy and our EDI strategy.

Procedure

Breaches

We take any breach of this policy very seriously. Some breaches may break the law. We take clear and strong action to manage breaches.

For colleagues, this will be guided by our Anti-harassment and Bullying policy and our Disciplinary Procedure. If you are found to have breached this policy, we will deal with this matter as a case of possible misconduct or gross misconduct under our Disciplinary Procedure.

For volunteers, breaching this policy could result in the volunteering agreement ending and them being asked to leave their volunteer position. It may also mean the volunteer is not able to volunteer in future.

For Trustees, breaches of this policy will follow the guidance in the Code of Conduct.

For members, breaches of this policy will be guided by the members’ Code of Conduct.

Reporting inappropriate behaviour

It is your responsibility to report any inappropriate behaviour which may go against this policy. We will support you to raise concerns.

We don’t expect colleagues, volunteers, Trustees and members to be experts on different types of discrimination. And we know you might not always be certain if someone’s behaviour has breached this policy.

The most important thing is to never ignore any inappropriate behaviour. Inappropriate behaviour can also take the form of lots of seemingly small incidents. If you notice inappropriate behaviour from anyone involved with Scope, we encourage you to take action if you feel safe to do so.

Reporting routes

There are several ways to report an incident of discrimination. That might be something that has happened to you or something you have seen happening to someone else.

Colleagues

Option 1: Report the incident to your line manager

Option 2: Report the incident directly to HR by emailing Employee Relations

Option 3: Use our anonymous reporting tool to report the incident

You can find also more about how to report incidents in the Anti-Harassment and Bullying at Work policy.

It will usually be your choice whether you want us to investigate the incident or not. There might be some cases where we need to investigate the incident to protect you or other colleagues.

If you use our anonymous reporting route, we won’t usually be able to investigate the incident. But it’s still helpful for us to know about incidents that are happening. This data will help inform the work we do to make things better.

Volunteers

If you are a volunteer, you can report an incident of discrimination by emailing volunteering@scope.org.uk.

If you want to raise your report anonymously, please make sure to say this in your email.

Trustees

If you are a Trustee, you can report an incident of discrimination:

• to the Chair
• to the Chief Executive
• by emailing governance@scope.org.uk

If you want to raise your report anonymously, please make sure to say this in your email.

Members

If you are a member of Scope, you can report an incident of discrimination by emailing membership@scope.org.uk.

A colleague of Scope will let you know they have received your email as soon as possible and guide you through the next steps of the investigation.

If you want to raise your report anonymously, please make sure to say this in your email.

Investigation procedure

Any investigation will be carried out by someone with the right experience. That person won’t have had any involvement in the incident before the investigation. The investigation must be thorough, impartial and sensitive.

You will be given a provisional timetable for the investigation.

We will arrange a meeting with you as a first step. This will usually be done by your line manager, or equivalent if you are a volunteer, member or trustee. If your line manager is involved in the incident, the meeting might be arranged by another appropriate person, for example a senior manager.

That meeting will usually be arranged within one week of receiving your complaint. At the meeting you will give your account of the events. You have the right to be accompanied by a colleague or a trade union representative of your choice. They must respect the confidentiality of the investigation. You will be asked if you require any adjustments for the meeting.

The investigator will arrange further meetings with you as needed throughout the investigation.

Your incident might involve another colleague who you believe has breached this policy. Depending on the situation, we might make temporary changes to that colleague’s working arrangements. For example, suspending them on full pay until the investigation is complete.

If the incident involves another person, the investigator will meet with them too. That person can also be accompanied by a colleague or trade union representative. They have a right to be told the details of the allegations against them, so that they can respond.

We might also need to interview witnesses of the incident. If so, we will emphasise the importance of confidentiality to them.

At the end of the investigation, the investigator will submit a report to a senior manager nominated to consider the incident. The senior manager will arrange a meeting with you. Usually within a week of receiving the report. This is to discuss the outcome and what action, if any, should be taken.

You have the right to bring a colleague or a trade union representative to the meeting. You will be asked if you require any adjustments for the meeting.

A copy of the report and the senior manager's findings will be given to you and to anyone else involved in the incident.

The investigation procedure for Trustees is explained in the Code of Conduct.

What action Scope will take

If the senior manager decides that discrimination has taken place, we will act quickly to address it. If it is another colleague that has been discriminatory, we will deal with the matter as a case of possible misconduct or gross misconduct under our Disciplinary Procedure.

Where the perpetrator is a third party, customer, agency worker, contractor, supplier, volunteer or visitor, appropriate action might include:

• putting up posters explaining what behaviour is acceptable and unacceptable
• speaking or writing to the person or their manager about their behaviour
• banning them from the premises
• terminating a contract with them

For volunteers, breaching this policy could result in the volunteering agreement ending and them being asked to leave their volunteer position. It may also mean the volunteer is not able to volunteer in future.

For Trustees, breaches of this policy will follow the guidance in the Code of Conduct.

For members, breaches of this policy will be guided by the members’ Code of Conduct.

Appeals

If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you can appeal in writing to a more senior manager. You need to state your full grounds of appeal. You need to do that within 1 week of the date on which the decision was sent or given to you.

We will hold an appeal meeting, normally within 1 week of receiving your written appeal. This will be dealt with impartially by a manager who has not previously been involved in the case. They might ask anyone previously involved to be present.

You can bring a colleague or trade union representative to the meeting. You will be asked if you require any adjustments for the meeting.

We will confirm our final decision in writing, usually within 1 week of the appeal hearing. This is the end of the procedure and there is no further appeal.