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Equal
Opportunities Policy of
High Peak CVS
It is the policy of
the High Peak Council for Voluntary Service to provide equality
of opportunity for all regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation,
race, colour, national or ethnic or class origin, religious belief,
marital status or impairment. The organization seeks to comply
with the relevant legislation listed at the end of this Statement.
Employees, committee members and volunteers who do not comply
with the requirements of the legislation or with this Policy and
Code of Practice may face disciplinary action.
HPCVS holds equality of opportunity as a core belief and therefore
seeks to ensure that all of its policies as well as its practices
are informed by the relevant legislation It is our policy that
all staff, volunteers, committee members, users and the community
in general should be treated fairly and equally in all matters.
It is fundamental to that position that the Council will seek
to challenge discrimination wherever it may occur. Through the
process of its work, the organisation aims to celebrate the diversity
and strengths which arise from differences of culture and lifestyle.
OBJECTIVES
1 To ensure that all users (potential or actual), committee
members, volunteers and members of staff are treated with equal
respect.
2 To ensure that its activities and services are open and
accessible to all people within the area.
3 To aim for representation on the Executive Committee
from all sections of the community.
4 To ensure that all staff are recruited and, where appropriate
promoted on merit regardless of background and other discriminatory
factors, save where the needs of users justify a more balanced
representation.
5 To ensure that committee members, staff and volunteers
are provided with training in the application of equality of opportunity
and anti-discrimination practice and to ensure that all people
involved in the Service understand the issues surrounding discrimination.
6 To seek to make premises accessible and welcoming to
all sections of the community within the aims and resources of
the service.
This general policy statement will be supported by written procedures
for implementation and by awareness training where appropriate.
The following Code of Practice is intended as a general guide
for public display.
CODE OF PRACTICE
1 People will be treated with dignity and respect regardless
of race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, impairment,
age and other discriminatory factors.
2 At all times
people's feelings will be valued and respected. Language or humour
that people find offensive (for example, racist or sexist jokes
or terminology that are derogatory to someone with an impairment)
will be challenged.
3 Harassment, abuse or intimidation on the ground of race,
sex, age, nationality, impairment or sexual orientation will also
be challenged. Incidents of harassment, whether based on any of
the above grounds or not, will be taken seriously. If the matter
cannot be resolved by way of an acceptable apology and an undertaking
that the offence will not be repeated, the following action will
be taken:
3.1 In a case involving a member of the organization (as individuals
or representing member organizations), they will be suspended
from membership by the Chief Officer until such time as they can
appear before the Management Committee.
3.2 In a case involving staff, disciplinary action will be taken
in accordance with the procedure outlined in the staff handbook.
RELEVANT LEGISLATION
Equal Pay 1970
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1970
Sex Discrimination Act 1975
Race Relations Act 1975
Equal Pay (Amendment) act 1983
Disability Discrimination Act 1995
Human Rights Act 2000
Adopted - January 2002
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