Summit Search and Selection Ltd (Summit) is committed to encouraging Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in the workplace and seeks to promote their benefits in all of its business activities. We endeavour to source and attract as wide and diverse an employee and candidate base as possible during our search and selection process. Thus ensuring that our clients have access to a fair and balanced pool of talent for their appointments. This, we believe, is good management practice and makes sound business sense.
Summit values and treats all people with dignity and respect. We do not unlawfully discriminate against the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010. This includes age, disability, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, gender reassignment, race (including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
This policy sets out our approach to equal opportunities and the avoidance of all forms of unlawful discrimination at work. This includes pay and benefits, terms and conditions of employment, dealing with grievances and discipline, dismissal, redundancy, leave for parents, requests for flexible working, and selection for employment, promotion, training or other developmental opportunities.
What is discrimination?
You must not unlawfully discriminate against or harass other people including current and former employees, job applicants, clients, candidates, suppliers and visitors. This applies in the workplace, outside of the workplace (when dealing with clients, candidates, suppliers or other work-related contacts), and on work-related trips or events including social events.
The following forms of discrimination are prohibited under this policy and are unlawful:
Direct discrimination: treating someone less favourably because of a protected characteristic. For example, rejecting a job applicant because of their race, gender or age because they would not ‘fit in’ would be direct discrimination.
Indirect discrimination: a provision, criterion or practice that applies to everyone but adversely affects people with a particular protected characteristic more than others and is not justified.
Harassment: this includes sexual harassment and other unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic, which has the purpose or effect of violating someone’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them.
Victimisation: retaliation against someone who has complained or has supported someone else’s complaint about discrimination or harassment.
Disability discrimination: this includes direct and indirect discrimination, any unjustified less favourable treatment because of the effects of a disability, and failure to make reasonable adjustments to alleviate disadvantages caused by a disability. Direct discrimination can also be committed where the treatment is “because of” a protected characteristic the individual is perceived to have or because of the characteristic of another person, such as someone with whom the claimant associates (e.g., discrimination against a colleague because he/she has a disabled child or because you perceive that individual has a particular sexual orientation or gender preference).
How will this policy be implemented?
Vacancy profiles – Job descriptions should be based on the specific skills and competencies of the role, avoiding the use of stereotyping or using wording that may discourage particular groups from applying.
Advertising – on and offline job advertisements should avoid stereotyping or using wording that may discourage any particular groups from applying. Advertisements will be diverse and inclusive, targeting all suitable potential job applicants.
Monitoring – to ensure the policy is working effectively with respect to recruitment and selection Summit may monitor job applicants’ racial group, gender, disability, and age as part of the recruitment procedure. Provision of this information is voluntary and will not adversely affect an individual’s chances of recruitment or any other decision related to their employment. If recorded, this data (in an anonymised format) will be maintained solely for the purposes of assessing how this policy, and any supporting action plans, are working in practice.
Recruitment and selection – we aim to recruit the best person for the job. Candidates will be sourced and the interviewing processes will be conducted fairly, objectively and without bias. Appointments will be transparent and based entirely on merit.
Questions about health and disability – Applicants should not be asked about health or disability before a job offer is made. There are limited exceptions, for example where questions are necessary to establish if an applicant can perform an intrinsic part of the job (subject to reasonable adjustments) or to establish if an applicant is fit to attend an assessment or needs adjustments to be made during the interview process. If in doubt seek advice before relying on an exception.
Terms and conditions of employment – our conditions of service, benefits and facilities are reviewed regularly to ensure that they are available to all employees who should have access to them and that there are no unlawful obstacles to accessing them.
Promotion and career development – we seek to give all employees the opportunity for planned training and development. Career progression decisions will be made based on merit and capability.
Grievance and disciplinary policies – we aim to apply these policies consistently to all employees. Any individual differences that could lead to misunderstanding in considering incidents under these policies will be recognised.
Disability – the requirements of candidates and employees who are disabled or develop a disability (as defined under the relevant legislation) will be reviewed to ensure that whenever possible reasonable adjustments are made to enable them to enter or remain in employment with Summit. Promotion opportunities, benefits and facilities for disabled employees will not be unreasonably limited and every reasonable effort will be made to ensure that disabled employees participate fully in the workplace. Where there are circumstances which mean that it will not be reasonable for us to accommodate suggested adjustments, we will explain our reasons and try and find an alternative solution where possible.
Part-time workers – we will monitor the conditions of service of part-time employees and their progression within Summit to ensure that they are being offered appropriate access to benefits, training, and promotion opportunities.
Requests to alter working hours will be given serious consideration by Summit.
What happens if this policy is breached?
If you believe that you have been discriminated against, or you have witnessed behaviour, which you believe amounts to discrimination; you should first bring this to the attention of the Directors by sending a confidential email to: info@summit-group.org.
Anyone who makes such an allegation in good faith will not be treated less favourably or victimised as a result. False allegations of a breach of this policy which are found to have been made in bad faith will be dealt with under disciplinary procedure.
Any employee who is found to have committed an act of discrimination or harassment will be subject to disciplinary action. Such behaviour may constitute gross misconduct and may result in summary dismissal. Summit will always take a strict approach to serious breaches of this policy.
This policy will be monitored and reviewed at least every two years or following changes in relevant legislation.