Equality and Diversity 

October 2023

Contents:

Intended audience
Amendments to the document
Approval and sign-off
Scope
Purpose of document
Our Commitments
Forms of discrimination
Specific responsibilities
Key contacts
Abbreviations & terms/definitions

  1. Intended audience 

This document is intended to be used by:

  • The 3H Foundation trustees
  • The 3H Foundation managers
  • The 3H Foundation employees
  • The 3H Foundation volunteers

Other key stakeholders include:

  • The Charity Commission
  • The beneficiaries of the services provided by The 3H Foundation
  1. Amendments to the document 

This document will be reviewed on a 3 yearly basis by The 3H Foundation to ensure continual compliance with current legislation and standards and for observing relevant Codes of Practice to measure service performance and to identify any areas for potential improvement, unless requested as part of, or pre-requisite to, any Service Improvement Plan (SIP)

  1. Approval and sign-off 

This section identifies who within The 3H Foundation has approved this document contents and commits on behalf of each party to the working practices and support levels contained therein.

  1. Scope 

The scope of this document is in the context of The 3H Foundation complying with the requirements of its regulatory bodies in relation to the services it provides as follows:

  • The The 3H Foundation Governance Strategy
  • The The 3H Foundation Service Asset and Configuration Management (SACM)
  • The The 3H Foundation Change Management
  • The The 3H Foundation Continuous Service Improvement
  1. Services within scope
  • The 3H Foundation Holiday Grant Programme
  • The 3H Foundation TeensPLUS Programme
  • The 3H Foundation Carer Support Programme
  • The 3H Foundation Group Holiday Programme
  1. Purpose of document 

The purpose of this Policy is to:

  1. Communicate our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusivity with the aims of ensuring that all trustees, employees, volunteers, and beneficiaries are treated fairly and equally, and support the Charity’s objectives of providing an environment that is free from all forms of discrimination.
  2. Not unlawfully discriminates because of the Equality Act 2010 and the International Development (Gender Equality) Act 2014 protected characteristics of:
  • Age
  • Disability
  • Gender reassignment
  • Marriage and civil partnership
  • Race (including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin)
  • Religion or belief
  • Sex
  • Sexual orientation
  1. Oppose and avoid all forms of unlawful discrimination. This includes in:
  • Pay and benefits
  • Terms and conditions of employment
  • Dealing with grievance and discipline
  • Dismissal
  • Leave for parents
  • Requests for flexible working
  • Selection for employment, promotion, training or other developmental opportunities

A copy of this policy is available to all trustees and employees. It can be found on the SharePoint and a hard copy is stored in the 3H Fund Speldhurst office.

The policy will be made available to volunteers and other beneficiaries on request.

This policy does not form part of employees’ contracts of employment and the charity may amend it at any time.

  1. Our Commitment 

The 3H Foundation commits to:

  1. Encourage equality, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace as they are good practices
  2. Create a working environment free of bullying, harassment, victimisation, and unlawful discrimination, promoting dignity and respect for all, and where individual differences and the contributions of all staff are recognised and valued.All staff should understand they, as well as their employer, can be held liable for acts of bullying, harassment, victimisation, and unlawful discrimination, in the course of their employment, against fellow employees, customers, suppliers and the public
  3. Take seriously complaints of bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination by fellow employees, customers, suppliers, visitors, the public and any others in the course of the organisation’s work activities.Such acts will be dealt with as misconduct under the organisation’s grievance and/or disciplinary procedures, and appropriate action will be taken. Particularly serious complaints could amount to gross misconduct and lead to dismissal without notice.Further, sexual harassment may amount to both an employment rights matter and a criminal matter, such as in sexual assault allegations. In addition, harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 – which is not limited to circumstances where harassment relates to a protected characteristic – is a criminal offence.
  4. Make opportunities for training, development, and progress available to all staff, who will be helped and encouraged to develop their full potential, so their talents and resources can be fully utilised to maximise the efficiency of the organisation.
  5. Make decisions concerning staff being based on merit (apart from in any necessary and limited exemptions and exceptions allowed under the Equality Act).
  6. Review employment practices and procedures when necessary to ensure fairness, and also update them and the policy to take account of changes in the law.
  7. Monitor the make-up of the workforce regarding information such as age, sex, ethnic background, sexual orientation, religion or belief, and disability in encouraging equality, diversity, and inclusion, and in meeting the aims and commitments set out in the equality, diversity and inclusion policy.
  8. Manage all programmes and application processes effectively to ensure the selection process for beneficiaries is free from discrimination.
  9. Ensure all individuals, for all programmes, have the same opportunities irrespective of any of the protected characteristics.
  1. Forms of discrimination 

Direct Discrimination occurs when a person is treated less favourably because of a protected characteristic that they either have or are thought to have. Direct discrimination can also occur by way of association, which is when a person is treated less favourably because, for example, their spouse or partner or other relative has the protected characteristic.

Indirect Discrimination occurs when a provision, criterion or practice is applied equally to everyone, but has a disproportionately adverse effect on people who share a particular protected characteristic.  A person with the protected characteristic who is disadvantaged in that way has the right to complain.

To be justified the provision, criterion, or practice must be necessary for legitimate business reasons in circumstances where less discriminatory alternatives are not reasonably available.

Victimisation occurs where someone is treated unfavourably because he/she has raised a complaint under this policy or taken legal action, in relation to any alleged act of unlawful discrimination, against the Charity or because he/she has supported someone else in doing this.

Harassment is unwanted conduct that violates an individual’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment. Harassment can take many different forms and may involve inappropriate actions, behaviour, comments, emails, or physical contact that causes offence or are objectionable.

Harassment may involve a single incident or persistent behaviour that extends over a period of time and can occur even if someone did not mean to cause offence. It also means that a person can be subjected to harassment by behaviour that is not aimed at them directly but which they nonetheless find unpleasant.

Harassment is always unacceptable and where it relates to a protected characteristic it will amount to an unlawful act of discrimination.

Discrimination arising from Disability – In addition to the above, it is unlawful to treat a person unfavourably because of something that is the result, effect, or outcome of their disability, unless the treatment is necessary and can be objectively justified. Furthermore, employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled applicants, employees, or other workers are not substantially disadvantaged.

  1. Specific Responsibilities 

The Charity Trustees have overall responsibility for the effective operation of this policy and for ensuring compliance with the Equality Act 2010 and associated legislations and for observing the relevant codes of practice.

The Charity Manager is responsible for monitoring and reviewing the policy and for ensuring that all employment related policies, procedures and practices adhere to this policy.

All Staff, Trustees and Volunteers, have the responsibility not to discriminate or harass other Staff, Trustees, Volunteers or Beneficiaries and to report any such behaviour of which they become aware of to the Charity Manager or a Trustee as appropriate.

The Trustees, Charity Manager, Staff and Volunteers are responsible for implementing the policy and must apply the policy as part of their day- to-day role in the charity.

A definition of terms is provided in Section 10.

  1. Key contacts 

3H Helping Hands for Holidays 

Name Role Tel No E-mail
Corina Rumsey Policy Owner/Charity Manager 01892 860207 corina@the3hfoundation.org.uk
Corina Rumsey Charity Manager 01892 860207 corina@the3hfoundation.org.uk
  1. Abbreviations & terms/definitions 
Acronym or Term  Definition 
SIP Service Improvement Plan
SACM Service Asset and Configuration Management