We are committed to supporting and promoting equality, diversity and inclusion. This commitment is embraced by our board members and applies to all customers, employees and other stakeholders, such as contractors, volunteers and partners.
We believe that everyone is entitled to respect and dignity and we are committed to building an environment where our employees, customers, contractors and visitors are treated in this way.
We want to create a working environment which is characterised by respect and dignity and free from unlawful discrimination, harassment and bullying.
How will we do this?
We aim to:
- prevent discrimination, eliminate prejudice, promote inclusion and celebrate diversity
- be fair in our dealings with all people
- understand and appreciate the diverse nature of different cultural backgrounds
- ensure equality, diversity and inclusion is embedded in everything we do.
What does equality mean?
It’s about treating people fairly and ensuring they have equal opportunity to make the most of their lives and talents. This means treating everyone with fairness and respect and recognising the needs of individuals wherever we can.
We want to provide equality of opportunity to everyone we work or have contact with. We will make it as easy as possible for people to access our services, find out the right information or get involved.
What does diversity mean?
We know that people have diverse backgrounds, with different skills, knowledge and life experiences. We value these differences, using them to create a better community and a stronger workforce. We want to create a working environment that values each customer and employee, ensuring that services are delivered that suit all sections of the community.
What does inclusion mean?
It’s about positively striving to meet the needs of different people and taking deliberate action to create environments where everyone feels respected and able to achieve their full potential.
We have different ways for customers and staff to get involved. We want our customers to help us improve services, making them customer friendly and accessible for all.
Who is included?
We positively celebrate the differences between people regardless of their:
- age
- disability
- sex
- gender reassignment
- race
- sexual orientation
- religion or belief
- marriage and civil partnership
- pregnancy and maternity.
These nine areas are called ‘protected characteristics’ and are legally protected by the Equality Act 2010.