The firm is committed to equality of opportunity for all and believes in using people’s talents to the full, ensuring that decisions are made based on people’s qualifications, skills, and ability to do the job rather than any other irrelevant factors.
Innovative thinking and different ideas are critical to the firm’s success and its ability to develop new ways of adding value for its clients will be greatly enhanced by having a diverse workforce who can bring differing experiences and perspectives to the workplace.
The firm also believe it is in everyone’s interests to promote a fair, healthy, and safe working environment, and discrimination, harassment or bullying in any form is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Bullying and harassment is considered gross misconduct warranting summary dismissal.
The firm will work to ensure the prevention of discrimination in all aspects of employment and in the provision of its services. Complaints of unfair discrimination or harassment will always be treated seriously and if unlawful discrimination occurs, the firm will act swiftly to deal with it.
The firm is committed to:
- creating an environment in which individual differences and the contributions of all team members are recognised and valued
- ensuring that the working environment promotes dignity and respect for all
- designing, recruiting and selecting for jobs in a way that ensures no unlawful discrimination occurs
- making training, development, redeployment and progression opportunities available to all team members
- providing flexible working opportunities to all team members
- providing equality and diversity training and guidance for all team members
- regularly reviewing employment practices and procedures to ensure this policy is working.
1. Protection from unlawful discrimination
The law provides specific protection against discrimination on the following grounds (known as ‘protected characteristics’):
- age
- gender reassignment
- marriage or civil partnership
- pregnancy and maternity
- disability
- race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin)
- religion, belief or lack of religion
- sex
- sexual orientation
The firm expects all members of staff to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of any protected characteristics, and all employees have a personal responsibility not to behave in a manner that is, or could be reasonably considered by others, to be offensive or bullying.
2. Gender identity
Gender identity is the personal sense of one’s own gender. Gender identity can correlate with a person’s assigned sex or can differ from it. All team members should feel safe and supported within the workplace community no matter their gender identification.
If you are unsure of someone’s gender identity or expression, it’s best to ask them how they wish to be addressed, since using inappropriate language or terminology can cause offence and distress. Team members will self-identify, and their choice should be respected by their managers and colleagues.
2.1 Pronouns
Gender pronouns are the terms people choose to refer to themselves that reflect their gender identity. These might be he/him, she/her or gender-neutral pronouns such as they/them. Knowing and using a person’s correct pronouns fosters inclusion, makes people feel respected and valued, and affirms their gender identity.
If team members wish to share their pronouns and have them on their email signatures this can be done by:
- Logging into bob and going to your Profile;
- Select the “Actions” button in the right hand corner, then “Update Profile”, then “Pronouns”.
- Select your preferred pronouns from the “Pronouns” drop down list, then select “Yes” from the “Email Signature” drop down list.
- Press Next to save your changes.
If you do not see your pronouns available to select in the current list, please email the HR team to request this is added for you.
Once updated, the Tech team will use this information to automatically update your email signature. You can update your pronoun preferences at any time but please do allow a week for the changes to show on your email signatures.
2.2 Transitioning at work
We are committed to removing barriers to the recruitment, promotion and retention of transgender (including non-binary) team members and to providing a working environment that is free from discrimination or harassment.
The firm will be supportive of any team member who makes the decision to transition. In the first instance a team member planning to transition should talk to their Team Leader, or HR so that a transition plan can be drawn up with them including such considerations as timing, informing colleagues or clients, making practical arrangements and changing records where necessary.
3. Types of unlawful discrimination
Discrimination can occur in different ways:
- Direct discrimination: where someone is treated less favourably than others because of a protected characteristic.
- Associative discrimination: where someone is treated less favourably because of their connection with someone who has a protected characteristic.
- Perceived discrimination: where someone is treated less favourably because it is assumed, incorrectly, to have a protected characteristic.
- Indirect discrimination: where rules or arrangements are put in place that apply to everyone, but that put someone with a protected characteristic at an unfair disadvantage.
- Harassment: where unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic has the purpose or effect of violating an individual’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for an individual (regardless of whether they personally have that protected characteristic).
- Victimisation: where someone is treated unfairly because they have complained about discrimination or harassment.
4. Application and scope of the policy
The aim of this policy is to ensure that the working environment is one where all individuals can contribute to their full potential and to progress and develop within the firm based solely on their ability, competence, and performance. This approach will also mean the firm continues to attract, develop, and retain a high calibre workforce.
All members of staff are personally responsible for ensuring their behaviour is always professional and consistent with this policy, whether in and around the workplace, offsite with colleagues, clients, or suppliers or at work-related social events. All members of staff should familiarise themselves with this policy and the Bullying and Harassment policy and be aware of the potential risks, ensuring that they do not behave in a way that could leave them open to accusations of harassment or discrimination.
Any comments, actions or materials that may be offensive to any group or individual are unwelcome and should be kept away from the workplace or any work-related activity or function.
All members of staff should ensure they are familiar with this policy. Harassment, bullying or discriminatory behaviour may not always be intentional, but it is never acceptable, and ignorance will not be a defence. If there is anything team members do not understand in this policy, they should seek clarification from the HR team.
If a member of staff wilfully discriminates against a fellow colleague, fail to co-operate with measures designed to promote equal opportunity, victimise anyone for making a complaint or attempt to induce or induce others to unlawfully discriminate this will be dealt with as a matter of gross misconduct warranting summary dismissal.
5. Monitoring
The HR team is responsible for monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of this policy. The HR team will collect relevant personal data as part of the recruitment process and use this to monitor the effectiveness of this policy by reviewing data on recruitment, training, promotion, grievances, disciplinaries and staff leaving the firm.
6. Compliance with the policy
Members of staff should be aware that as well as being subject to disciplinary action, they can be held personally liable and therefore be subject to legal action for acts of discrimination in the workplace.
7. Complaints or concerns
If a member of staff believes a breach of this policy is occurring, or has occurred, they should raise it with their immediate manager. If the matter concerns them, they should raise it with the HR team. If appropriate, team members should follow the Grievance Procedure and/or review the Bullying and Harassment policy.