Equal Opportunities Policy

Handcrafted is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace. We strive to create an environment where all individuals are respected and valued regardless of age, culture, gender, race, ability, sexual orientation, or any other form of identity. We are committed to fostering a culture of inclusivity, respect, and acceptance, and to creating a safe and diverse workspace for everyone.

We encourage everyone to be open and honest about their experiences and to share their perspectives with others. We want everyone to feel included and welcomed.

This policy outlines our commitment to creating a safe and inclusive environment for all and should be read in conjunction with The Equality Act 2010.

This policy will be reviewed as required and at least annually by the group or individual responsible for review and authorised by the Trustees as below:

Group or individual responsible for review	The Ethos and Values Steering Group
Last review and approval	05/06/2024

Our Policy

This policy sets out the commitment of Handcrafted Projects, its Board of Directors and senior management to promote equality of opportunity and work to eliminate unlawful and unfair practice in the workplace.

This policy defines our commitment to creating a working environment free of bullying, harassment, victimisation, and unlawful discrimination, promoting dignity and respect for all, and where individual differences and the contributions, of all who work to provide and those who use our services, are recognised and valued.

We value our staff and trainees and recognise the contribution they make to our organisation, and we are committed to providing equality for all irrespective of:

Age
Disability
Race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin
Gender
Religion or belief
Sexual orientation
Gender reassignment
Civil partnership or marital status
Pregnancy and maternity
Criminal record

Our staff and trainees will also be protected from discrimination if:

They are associated with someone who has a protected characteristic, for example a family member or friend
They’ve complained about discrimination or supported someone else’s claim

We will work to ensure that all our staff and trainees, as well as those who apply or seek to apply to work with us, will be treated fairly and will not be subjected to discrimination on any of these grounds and will feel respected and able to give their best.

Our commitments

We will:

Not tolerate any discrimination or harassment based on an individual's identity
Strive to create an environment where everyone feels respected and valued
Provide equal opportunity and access to resources and opportunities regardless of identity
Ensure that all individuals have the same chance to succeed and advance
Accommodate individuals with disabilities or needs to the best of our ability
Strive to create a workplace that reflects the diversity of our community
Provide training and resources to foster an understanding of diversity and inclusion
Actively seek to recruit and retain a diverse group of individuals
Celebrate the contributions of a diverse group of individuals
Hold ourselves and others accountable for creating a culture of inclusivity and respect
Promote a productive and harmonious workplace where there is mutual respect and where harassment and bullying are not tolerated
Prevent unlawful discrimination, direct and indirect and victimisation
Comply with our legal obligations
Oppose and avoid all forms of unlawful discrimination. This includes in:
pay and benefits
terms and conditions of employment
dealing with grievances and discipline
dismissal
redundancy
leave for parents
requests for flexible working
selection for employment, promotion, training or other developmental opportunities
Take seriously and address any breaches of this policy

Equality Action Planning

Dan Northover has overall responsibility for the implementation of this policy. Line Managers, Project Managers and Training Supervisors are accountable for delivering the equality commitments in their areas of responsibility and all staff and trainees are expected to promote and abide by the policy.

To implement this policy, we will:

Include appropriate equality objectives and responsibilities in each job description
Provide our staff with the necessary knowledge and skills to help ensure that our workplaces are free from discrimination and harassment
Train all those who are responsible for recruitment and selection, whether for vacant posts, promotions or training opportunities
Regularly review our employment policies and procedures to ensure they do not unlawfully or unfairly discriminate
Gather equality information on our workforce and those who use our service using regular anonymous surveys that have multiple choice questions for staff role, ethnicity, gender, age, physical health conditions, mental health conditions, lived experience, and socio economic background
Make all necessary reasonable adjustments and consider options for flexible working
Work to make our workforce more representative and where possible, undertake lawful, positive action
Seek commitments from our suppliers that they are taking steps to promote equality and eliminate discrimination
Make whatever reasonable adjustments are required to provide disabled people with a fair chance to access our employment opportunities, activities, training and support
Make whatever reasonable adjustments are required to correctly safeguard trainees with convictions and other vulnerable individuals who access our workshops, live in our houses or work at our hubs
Make sure that there are sufficient resources in place to implement this policy effectively

Inclusive access to our services

As part of providing services in line with our charitable aims and commitments, we may offer activities that are restricted to groups with particular needs. People who generally meet the criteria of these groups will only be excluded on an individual basis for specific reasons, not for any shared characteristic.

We will ensure to the best of our ability that the activities provided within restricted groups are also available to all our trainees where possible while managing risk.

Policy review

We will keep this policy under review and will regularly assess the progress we are making toward achieving our equality commitments. We will report on our progress in meeting this policy at Board meetings and take action when we identify areas where inequality or discrimination may exist. This policy will be reviewed and updated in response to emerging challenges and formally reviewed every three years.

Complaints of discrimination

If you are a member of staff and believe that you have suffered any form of discrimination, harassment or victimisation, you can raise this matter through the grievance procedure, (or other procedure if appropriate) a copy of which is available from Dan Northover. All grievances will be dealt with promptly and in accordance with the agreed procedures.

As a member of staff of Handcrafted, you also have the right to make a complaint to an Employment Tribunal. However, you normally must raise your grievance under our internal procedures first. For more information, speak to Dan Northover or, for guidance on statutory disciplinary and grievance procedures, see www.acas.org.uk

If you are a trainee or service user and believe that suffered any form of discrimination, harassment or victimisation, please refer to the Complaints Policy

Anyone who makes a complaint of discrimination must not be victimised. We will make every effort to ensure victimisation does not occur and any complaints will be taken seriously and dealt with promptly.