The following principles will be a condition of all aspects of our work:

• No person or group of persons applying for employment will be treated less favourably than any other person or group of persons because of their race, colour, nationality, ethnicity, sex or sexual orientation, religion, disability, marital status or membership or non-membership of a trade union.
• Employees will not advise, assist, encourage or commit any act which amounts to a breach of discrimination law.
• The company will endeavour to provide fair employment opportunities. The aim of the policy will be to overcome the practical difficulties that people with disabilities and minority groups encounter in seeking employment.
• In order to monitor progress in implementing the policy, the company will collect records of all those seeking employment or contracting on a self-employed basis with the company.

Employment

To this end the company will:

• Recognise its legal obligations under the Race Relations Act 1976, Sex Discrimination Act 1975, Equal Pay Act 1970 and Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
• Review periodically its selection criteria and procedures to maintain a system where individuals are selected, promoted and treated solely on the basis of their merits and abilities which are appropriate to the job.
• Seek to give all employees equal opportunity and encouragement to progress within the company.
• Distribute and publicise this policy statement throughout the company and elsewhere as is from time to time appropriate.
• Provide facilities for any employee, who believes that inequitable treatment has been applied to him or her within the scope of this policy, to raise the matter through the appropriate grievance procedure.
• Provide all employees with training which may improve their prospects within the company and which will enhance their understanding of the need for an equal opportunities programme.

Responsibilities

• The overall responsibility for monitoring the effectiveness of this policy and for implementing an on-going programme of action to make the policy fully operative, is vested in the directors of the company in their areas of operation.
• It is the responsibility of all employees to accept their own personal involvement in the practical application of this policy.