Equal Opportunities Policy

Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy – Updated December 2023

Our Policy

Sense Education has a business culture that is committed to promoting equality and diversity. All workers and work seekers shall be treated equally in all business activities. We will not treat anybody less favourably on the grounds of age, sex and sexual orientation, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, nationality, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or  sexual orientation.

All Sense Education staff have an obligation to respect and comply with this policy. Disciplinary action will be taken against any person who is found to be in breach of this policy, and where an act of unlawful discrimination has been committed. Serious breaches and incidents will be treated as gross misconduct and all allegations will be investigated thoroughly. False allegations will be considered as a disciplinary matter. Both direct and indirect discrimination will not be tolerated.

In particular, Sense Education is concerned that equal opportunity is maintained in the recruitment and selection process, in promotion, transfers and training, in terms of employment, benefits, facilities and services, in grievances and disciplinary procedures, dismissals and redundancies.

Harassment  

All Sense Education employees have the right to work in an environment free from harassment. We are committed to providing a work environment free from unlawful harassment. Under the Act, harassment is defined as unwanted conduct that violates an individual’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that individual. This includes unwanted conduct of a sexual nature. Conduct usually becomes harassment if it continues after it has been made clear that it is regarded by the recipient as offensive. Any person found to be in breach of this policy will be liable to disciplinary action, which could result in dismissal or termination of contract.

Whilst not limited to, this list provides examples of prohibited harassment:

• physical conduct such as assault, unwanted touching, or any interference because of sex, race or any other protected characteristic basis;
• jokes, offensive language, gossip, slander, offensive songs;
• posters, photographs, cartoons, drawings or gestures which some may find offensive; 
• offensive email, screensavers;
• coercion for sexual favours,
• isolation or exclusion, or pressure to participate in political/religious groups
• pestering, spying or stalking

All employees and workers will be expected to comply with Sense Education’s policy on harassment in the workplace. Any breach of such a policy will lead to the appropriate disciplinary action. 

Victimisation 

Victimisation occurs when an employee is treated unfairly, such as being denied a training opportunity or a promotion, because they have raised or supported a grievance or complaint of unlawful discrimination, or because they have issued employment tribunal proceedings for unlawful discrimination or they have given evidence in connection with unlawful discrimination proceedings brought by another employee.  However, an employee is not protected if they give false evidence or information, or make a false allegation, and they do so in bad faith. 

Sense Education will take all reasonable steps to eliminate victimisation in all aspects of employment.

Disabled Persons

It is Sense Education’s policy that disabled people, including job workers and work seekers, can participate in all activities on an equal basis with able-bodied people. We will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments where required and we will not discriminate against disabled people in recruitment and selection. Sense Education will make career opportunities available to all people with disabilities and every practical effort will be made to provide for the needs of staff, candidates and clients.