Equality & Diversity Policy

Equality and Diversity Policy Statement of Intent

Halspan Limited seeks to ensure equality of opportunity and treatment for everyone employed by the Company. The aim is to achieve an environment where employees treat each other with mutual respect, regardless of disability, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, gender marital status, sexual orientation, trade union activity, unrelated criminal convictions, or any other criteria which is irrelevant to a person’s employment. This policy will apply to all current and potential employees also to contractors, service providers and suppliers who are required to indicate that they subscribe to this policy or have to produce an equivalent policy of their own.

Policy Application

Halspan makes it a condition of employment that employees follow this policy and any breach of the same may be dealt with under the Company disciplinary procedures as appropriate. Any employee who believes that he/she is being discriminated against, victimised, or harassed may raise the issue through the Company grievance procedure.

In the provision of equality of opportunities, Halspan realises and accepts its responsibilities under the law. It is unlawful to discriminate directly or indirectly in recruitment, employment, or education on the grounds of the nine ‘protected characteristics’ in the Equality Act 2010. These characteristics are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. Operationally Halspan aims to reach beyond legislative boundaries to provide equality of opportunity for everyone. Therefore, the Company aims to proactively avoid any form of unfair discrimination in employment.

Responsibilities under this Policy

The Directors of Halspan will be responsible for giving a consistent and high profile lead on equality and diversity issues and for ensuring the policy is followed and the same persons have delegated day-today responsibility for monitoring the implementation, review and maintenance of the same to the Office Managers.

The Policy in Practice

Recruitment and Selection of Employees

New employees to Halspan will be recruited on a non-discriminatory basis, with all persons involved and/or conducting the recruitment, and selection process being required to adhere to the following:
 

• Employment vacancy advertising is to be carried out using the widest available media as appropriate to the nature of vacancy arisen.

• Advertisements will record the fact that Halspan is an equal opportunities employer and as such, nothing in any form of advertisement should limit the applicants in a discriminatory fashion.

• It is the policy of Halspan to select employees on their ability to perform the required employment duties. In order to achieve this policy, objective selection interviews as feasible will be carried out with more than one person and the basis of the interview will be to ensure any offer of employment is awarded to the person/s most suiting the employment criteria e.g., ability, experience, accredited prior training and potential contribution.

Employment Promotions and Transfers

Promotions throughout Halspan will be based on merit alone and not in any form of discriminatory basis. The decision to promote will be endorsed by a Director, thereby ensuring that the decision has been evaluated to have being made based on the employee’s ability, experience and aptitude. In the event that it is deemed necessary to transfer employees the transfer will be based upon a fair and non-discriminatory basis.

In order to achieve this, the policy of equality of opportunity will be borne in mind and monitored when deeming the need for staff transfers and any allegations of discrimination will be investigated within the terms of the grievance procedures as laid down by the Company.

Employee Training and Development

Members of the management team involved in the control of other employees and in particular with involvement in recruitment, selection, promotion and training/development etc. will be aware of Halspan policy in regards of carrying out the same in a positive and pro-active manner.

Monitoring and Positive Action

The mix of employees and mix of employment grades throughout Halspan will be monitored, to ensure that an in-balance of either does not deliberately exist. Should such a situation be found to exist, appropriate action as feasible will be taken to address the in-balance at the earliest opportunity.

Discrimination Complaints Procedures

It is recognised that occasions may arise when disciplinary actions are necessary for the effective implementation of this equal opportunities and diversity policy. Whilst at the same time though the Directors endorse and recognise the need to ensure and provide a fair and effective procedure for dealing with such matters. Therefore, the following will be applied in instances where action is regarded by management as warranted.

Investigation: Where a matter arises which is suspected or believed to contravene this equal opportunity and diversity policy or any of the aforementioned Acts, the employee’s immediate member of management will investigate it promptly and adequately. If the matter to be investigated is thought to involve serious misconduct, the employee may be immediately
suspended from work on full (basic) pay while the investigation proceeds.

As part of the investigation the employee will be interviewed, this will not be a disciplinary interview or hearing, but will be for the purpose of investigating the matter before deciding whether the necessity for action to be instituted.

The Procedure: In the event that any employee feels that he/she has suffered discrimination in any way, the company’s grievance procedure will be instigated. In order to make a complaint of discrimination, harassment, victimisation or unfair treatment it will be necessary for the employee concerned to make available and/or assist the Company to make available the following:
 

• Details of what, where and when the occurrence took place.

• Any witness statements of names.

• Names of any others who have been treated in a similar way.

• Details of any former complaint made about the incident, date, where and to whom made.

• A preference for a solution to the incident.

If the complaint is against the employees own immediate member of management, confidential application is to be made to the Managing Director, who may pass immediate reference of the matter to an external professional source, if this seems appropriate in the circumstances. In instances of sexual harassment, as far is possible the anonymity of the complainant will be protected.

It should not be overlooked that an employee who discriminates or harasses, may be liable for payment of damages to the person offended, in addition to any damages payable by Halspan should we have failed to ensure the practice ceased forthwith.

Until a hearing of the incident is arranged, complainants should keep the matter confidential, other than as maybe necessary to arrange for details of witnesses to be given.