Our aim

In carrying out its functions as a Charitable Trust the Peter Le Marchant Trust is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all, and to ensuring that no individual is discriminated against in the planning and delivery of any of our activities.  We therefore aim to ensure that the values of equality, diversity, and respect for all are embedded into everything that we do.

About our policy

This policy is intended to demonstrate Peter Le Marchant Trust’s commitment to:

• Eliminating discrimination and encouraging and valuing diversity among staff, volunteers, partners, suppliers, users of our services;
• Our responsibilities under legislation and our commitment to meeting them in full. We believe that a culture that embraces equality and values diversity will help us to ensure that everyone feels involved and included in our plans, programmes and activities; and
• Create an environment which respects and welcomes everyone, and in which no form of bullying, harassment, disrespectful or discriminatory behaviour is tolerated by anyone towards anyone. This particularly applies in relation to the ‘protected characteristics’ named in the Equality Act 2010 including age, disability, gender reassignment, income, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

Our responsibilities

Peter Le Marchant Trust understands that for equality and diversity to be achieved this policy needs to:

• Be made understandable to, and embraced by staff, volunteers, suppliers, partners, residents and trustees;
• Ensure this policy is fully supported and welcomed by all employees and has been agreed by our Board of Trustees;
• Ensure that all staff, volunteers, suppliers, partners and Trustees have a responsibility to ensure that their own language and actions are consistent with the spirit as well as the contents of this policy; and
• Ensure that overall responsibility for the implementation of this policy lies with the organisations CEO and its Trustees.

Our commitments

The Peter Le Marchant Trust recognises that:

• An equality and diversity policy alone is not enough to ensure that equality and diversity are central to everything that we do;
• We will seek to create an environment in which diversity and the contributions of all staff, volunteers, suppliers, partners and trustees are recognised and valued in all that we do. In this way we hope to provide an example of good equality practice; and
• In introducing this policy, we recognise that many people are unfamiliar with the ways in which discrimination and disadvantage affect people’s health, well-being and quality of life. We will therefore support people to develop equalities awareness and understanding.

To ensure that we are meeting the aims and the spirit of this policy we will:

• Discuss and review how well we are implementing this policy, and adjust our practices/develop an action plan where necessary;
• Assess any significant new or revised policies and procedures for their impact on equality;
• Embed equality and diversity into our development plans; and
• Ensure our employment practices and procedures are consistent with the aims of this policy.

 Working with contractors, suppliers and partners

It is important to us that suppliers, contractors and any other individual or organisation working on behalf of the Peter Le Marchant Trust are aware of and agree to comply with our equality and diversity policy while that work is underway. In addition, we are committed to:

• Using accessible venues for events and meetings; and
• Using plain English, and offering accessible communications, for example, emails, letters, reports and publicity materials as far as it is within our means to do so.

Review and Action

The Peter Le Marchant Trust recognise that it is important for us to:

• Regularly review this policy to ensure that it reflects up to date equality legislation and best practice; and
• Review of our equality and diversity policy on an annual basis as a minimum and any necessary actions taken.

   

 

PDF of Equality and Diversity Policy