Equality & Diversity Policy

Our commitment to equal opportunity and inclusion

Our Commitment

VQ Solutions Ltd believes that diversity in our society is a strength and that we must work towards equality and social inclusion for all people in our community.

We accept our educational responsibility to the community to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to acquire and share the skills, knowledge and qualifications to lead a fulfilling life.

We are particularly concerned to recruit and support people who do not have traditional links with further education and to provide a second chance for educational and vocational achievement to the widest possible range of people.

We are aware that certain groups and individuals can face prejudice and exclusion, particularly because of issues related to gender, age, race, religion, disability, class, sexual orientation or culture.

It is for these reasons that we have developed a set of policies to ensure that all members of VQ Solutions Ltd community are equally valued and treated with respect. These are:

  • Race, Cultural and Religious Equality
  • Gender Equality
  • Sexual Orientation Equality
  • Disability Equality
  • Age Equality
  • Policy on Harassment and Bullying

Racial & Cultural Equality

Background

People from ethnic minority backgrounds make up over 10% of the population of our region and make an invaluable contribution to its economy and culture. Yet they are not well represented in management posts and there is evidence that they face discrimination both open and hidden when applying for jobs.

In order to prevent such discrimination, The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 placed the following general duties on all public bodies:

  • To eliminate unlawful race discrimination
  • To promote equality of opportunity
  • To promote good relations between people from different racial groups

We also have the following specific duties:

  • To prepare a written statement of its policy for promoting race equality
  • To put in place arrangements for implementing the policy, publicising its contents and the results of the monitoring of its effectiveness
  • To assess the impact of its policies on students and staff of different racial groups
  • To monitor, by racial groups, the admission and progress of students and the recruitment and career progress of staff

Meeting Our Duties

We will ensure that:

  • Directors, staff, learners and their sponsors (including work placement providers) are aware of our racial equality policy and the action needed for its implementation
  • Staff, learners and their sponsors (including work placement providers) are aware of the value we place upon equal opportunity and that action will be taken in the event of any breach of the policy
  • Directors and staff have access to enough information to help them to plan, implement and monitor actions to carry out their responsibilities under the policy
  • VQ Solutions Ltd's publicity materials present appropriate and positive messages about minority ethnic groups
  • Schemes of work, lesson content and teaching resources demonstrate sensitivity to, and include positive images of, issues of cultural diversity
  • Learners from ethnic minorities have access to appropriate support and facilities
  • Applicants for employment are drawn from a wide pool with positive action being undertaken to encourage applications from under-represented groups
  • Recruitment and promotion procedures are designed to eliminate cultural bias
  • Staff development schemes are designed to meet the particular needs and enhance the skills of under-represented ethnic groups

Monitoring Our Progress

To inform the setting of targets and the measurement of our progress in achieving them, we will collect and analyse the following information by ethnic origin:

For Learners

  • Ethnic profiles of learners
  • Applications, and success and failure rates for admission to programmes
  • Retention rates
  • Achievement rates
  • Disciplinary action
  • Complaints by learners or their sponsors
  • Satisfaction surveys
  • Internal audit of teaching and learning

For Employees

  • Ethnic profiles of employees by grade and type of work
  • Job application rates
  • Selection success rates
  • Type of contract (permanent, temporary)
  • Promotion application and success rates
  • Disciplinary proceedings
  • Grievances
  • Satisfaction surveys

Publicising Our Policy and Progress

To the public: Our commitment to racial equality will be highlighted in our marketing material.

To learners: All learners will receive a summary of the policy. The induction programme will explain discrimination and ensure that learners know what action to take if they suffer it.

To employers: All employers will receive a summary of their responsibilities under the policy and will signify their understanding and agreement to them. Employers will be offered free training on Equal Opportunity issues.

To staff: The induction programme will highlight our commitment to racial equality, action to be taken by staff and learners who suffer discrimination and the action to be taken against any perpetrators of discrimination.

Gender Equality

Background

Women make up over 50% of the workforce yet they remain clustered in low paid work areas and are still not well represented at higher management levels. We believe that education has an important part to play in helping women to play their full role in our society, particularly in the areas of science and technology.

Because of the nature of this organisation, discrimination against men has never been an issue. However, we recognise that men also can suffer discrimination and will make sure that any policies introduced to improve the position of women will not go against men.

Division of Responsibilities

Directors are responsible for ensuring that they aim to have a balance of gender in recruiting staff and that VQ Solutions Ltd's strategic plan includes a commitment to gender equality.

Managers and partners have responsibilities to:

  • Actively encourage applications by women for advertised posts, particularly in areas where women are underrepresented
  • Ensure that no sexual discrimination occurs when promoting staff
  • Treat sexual harassment as a serious, disciplinary matter
  • Treat caring responsibilities sympathetically
  • Promote flexible working practices
  • Continue to encourage female learners into non-traditional vocational areas
  • Present positive images of both women and men in all promotional material
  • Have clear guidelines for dealing with sexual harassment
  • Create a physically safe, non-threatening environment

Sexual Orientation

Background

In our society, there is still a great deal of cultural prejudice and discrimination against people whose sexual orientation differs from the norm. Even when new laws are introduced, it will still be necessary for educational organisations such as ours to help overcome cultural prejudice.

Managers and partners have the following responsibilities:

  • Treat homophobic behaviour as a serious disciplinary matter
  • Ensure that there is no discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation in both appointments and/or promotion

All members of staff are responsible for ensuring that they:

  • Treat colleagues equally and fairly
  • Avoid bias towards people of different sexual orientation
  • Challenge homophobic behaviour and attitudes

Age Policy

Around 1 in 4 people aged between 50 and 59 have experienced age discrimination either at work or when looking for work. People who become redundant past the age of 45 find it increasingly difficult to gain re-employment that uses their experience and skills.

At the other end of the age scale, around 8 out of 10 young people believe that age discrimination is widespread, for example in job advertisements that ask for several years experience or for a 'mature' person. It is important that ageism is tackled at both ends of the age scale so that people regardless of age can achieve their full professional and career potential.

VQ Solutions Managers and partners will ensure that:

  • No person is excluded by reason of age from a job that they are capable of undertaking
  • No person is excluded by reason of age from a programme of study from which they can benefit
  • VQ Solutions Ltd environment is appropriate for all age groups

Harassment & Bullying

All forms of harassment and bullying can damage the victim's health and the ability to work effectively. In addition, such behaviour undermines the efficiency of VQ Solutions Ltd by creating an atmosphere of unease and mistrust. For these reasons, such behaviour will not be tolerated within VQ Solutions Ltd.

Harassment or bullying of any learner or staff member, whether based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or learning difficulties, is a serious disciplinary offence and may in some cases be regarded as gross misconduct.

Examples of Different Kinds of Harassment and Bullying

Racial Harassment

  • Racist name-calling, joke making, offensive gestures
  • Excluding a person from group meetings, withholding information, ostracising
  • Expression of racial prejudice or deliberate misinformation on ethnic or racial differences
  • Racist graffiti
  • Distributing racist literature
  • Wearing badges or insignia of political organisations known to promote racial prejudice
  • Physical assault or the threat of it

Harassment on the Grounds of Sexual Orientation

  • Jokes/innuendo about the person's sexuality
  • Ostracising the person, for example, arranging group outings or meetings without them
  • Attempts to persuade the person that his/her sexuality is misguided, 'unnatural' or immoral
  • Attempts to persuade colleagues of the above

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is any sexual advance, sexually discriminating remark, sexually explicit insult, request for sexual favours, contact of a sexual nature that is unacceptable to the person approached.

Harassment of a Person with a Disability or Learning Difficulty

This may be defined as any hostile or offensive act or statement when the motivation is to devalue the worth or restrict the opportunities of an individual.

Bullying

Bullying is defined as persistent, offensive, abusive, intimidating, malicious behaviour. Examples include:

  • Persistent criticism
  • Persistent failure to acknowledge a person's contribution
  • Abuse of power through threats of demotion/dismissal etc.
  • Personal abuse

Dealing with Complaints

Contact a member of management team in order to talk over your problem in confidence. He/she will advise you how to proceed. If you prefer, report the matter to your line manager.

NB: VQ Solutions management must be immediately involved if: (i) the incident is serious, or (ii) the alleged harasser is a senior member of staff.

Conciliation: At the first stage, the aim will be to solve the problem by conciliation - by airing the situation in front of witnesses and trying to reach a satisfactory outcome.

Formal Procedures: If no satisfactory resolution can be reached, then the complaint will become a formal complaint to be dealt with in line with VQ Solutions Ltd disciplinary procedures.

Definitions of Legislation

  • Direct discrimination: Treating a person less favourably on grounds as set out above.
  • Indirect discrimination: Imposing requirements or conditions that whether intentionally or not, adversely affect an individual or group and cannot be justified in terms of job or course requirements.
  • Victimisation: Treating a person differently or badly after they have complained of discrimination. The law treats this as a very serious offence.
  • Sexual Harassment: Unwanted conduct of a sexual nature.
  • Racial Harassment: Conduct intended to cause physical or mental distress to a person or group.
  • Positive Action: A legal provision which allows employers and training organisations to meet the needs of particular groups of people who are underrepresented in specific job areas. It is VQ Solutions policy to use positive action measures, which comply with the strict terms of the law.