Equality & Diversity Policy

1. POLICY STATEMENT

• Dynamic Training UK Limited aims for equality of opportunity in employment and service delivery. The company recognises that discrimination, harassment and bullying are unacceptable and that it is in the interests of the organisation, its employees, learners and partners that the skills of each individual are effectively utilised.

We therefore aim to be a model employer and training provider by:

• promoting equality and diversity to our learners, our employees and the employers that we work with;
• ensuring that our workforce reflects the population;
• demonstrating responsiveness to the needs of individuals and organisations; and
• effectively challenging and eradicating

• It is the aim of the company to ensure that no employee, job applicant, applicant for a place on a training programme or learner receives less favourable facilities or treatment because of any of the nine ‘protected characteristics’ covered by the Equality Act 2010 (and listed under section 1.6 of this policy), or are placed at a disadvantage by imposed conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justified.

• The company wishes to see that its own workforce and the learners that it supports are reflective of the communities in which we operate and work and that there is parity of achievement and progression for all learners regardless of their protected characteristics.

• Dynamic Training recognise that the Equality Act 2010 makes it unlawful for staff to discriminate directly or indirectly or harass customers or clients because of their protected characteristics of disability, gender re-assignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation (or age) in the provision of good and services.

• This policy, the supporting Equality & Diversity Strategy and associated arrangements shall operate in accordance with statutory requirements. In addition, full account will be taken of any Codes of Practice issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and other statutory bodies.

• In particular we seek to ensure that responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 are met and exceeded. Dynamic Training is committed to ensuring that staff, learners and customers are not treated unfairly in relation to any protected characteristic covered by the Act:
  • age;
  • disability (which includes mental health and people diagnosed as clinically obese);
  • race;
  • religion or belief;
  • sexual orientation;
  • gender re-assignment (people who have had or are having a sex change, transvestites and transgender people);
  • marriage and civil partnership; and
  • pregnancy and

2. DEFINITIONS

• Where discrimination against any person or group is referred to it shall be deemed to be potential discrimination within any of the categories within the policy statement as follows:

• Direct discrimination: discrimination because of a protected

• Indirect discrimination: when a rule or policy that applies to everyone but disadvantages a person with a protected characteristic.
• Harassment: behaviour deemed offensive by the recipient, even when it's not directed at
• Associative discrimination: defined as direct discrimination against someone because they are associated with another person with a protected characteristic. (This includes carers of disabled people and elderly relatives. It also covers discrimination against someone because, for example, their partner is from another country.)
• Perceptive discrimination: where an individual is directly discriminated against or harassed based on a perception that he or she has a particular characteristic when he or she does not, in fact, have that protected characteristic.
• Harassment by a third party: occurs where an employee is harassed and the harassment is related to a protected characteristic, by third parties such as clients or customers or a
• Victimisation: occurs when an employee is subjected to a detriment , such as being denied a training opportunity or a promotion because he or she made or supported a compliant or raised a grievance under the Equality Act 2010, or because he or she is suspected of doing so, or being about to do so.

3. DISABILITY

• Disability, in the context of this policy, includes those with learning and physical disabilities/difficulties, sensory impairment and difficulties due to mental health. Dynamic Training is committed to:

• challenging stereotyping and discrimination on the basis of disability;
• eliminating discrimination against people with disabilities in its procedures and practices;
• the provision of access, facilities, support and services to meet the needs of people with disabilities; and
• valuing all learners’ achievements and celebrating

Dynamic Training is a registered “Disability Confident” employer to make the most of the talents disabled people bring to the workplace

Through “Disability Confident “ we are:

• Challenging attitudes towards disability
• Increasing Understanding of disability
• Removing barriers to disabled people and those with long-term health conditions
• Ensuring that disabled people have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations

4. YOUNG PEOPLE AND VULNERABLE ADULTS

• The organisation has a policy and set of procedures relating to the protection of young people and vulnerable The policy is issued and discussed with learners, employers and staff at induction.

5. MANAGERIAL RESPONSIBILITY

• The responsibility for ensuring effective implementation and operation of these arrangements will rest with the Managing Director. Managers shall ensure that they and their staff and learners operate within the policy and arrangements, and that all reasonable and practical steps are taken to avoid discrimination. Each manager will ensure that:
  • all staff and learners are aware of the policy, arrangements and reasons for the policy;
  • grievances concerning discrimination are dealt with properly, fairly and as quickly possible;
  • proper records are

Records will also be maintained relating to the recruitment, selection, training & development and employment practices of the organisations that we work with (e.g. employers who are referred applicants by the recruitment team, employers with staff on apprenticeship programmes, organisations that conduct recruitment and marketing activities on behalf of Dynamic Training, external consultants engaged by the company to deliver training and/or assessment activities).

• The Managing Director, supported by the Head of Quality and the Director of Human Resources will be responsible for monitoring operation of the policy in respect of employees, job applicants and learners, including periodic centre audits.
• The Managing Director, supported by the Head of Quality and the Director of Human Resources will be responsible for facilitating regular meetings of an Equality and Diversity Steering Group, attended by representatives from the Dynamic Training Direct Delivery and Subcontracting teams, Quality, Business Development, Administration and Reception teams. The group will review progress with actions contained within the Equality and Diversity Strategy and data on participation and achievement in order to identify any underrepresented groups (within the workforce or on Dynamic Training’s programmes) and to identify any achievement The Equality and Diversity Steering Group will agree when planned actions are complete and will make recommendations regarding further improvements and developments to be included in the organisation’s plans.

6. RESPONSIBILITY OF STAFF

• Whilst the responsibility for ensuring that there is no unlawful discrimination rests with the management team, the attitudes of staff and learners are critical to the successful operation of fair employment practices. In particular all staff and learners should:
  • comply with the policy and arrangements;
  • not discriminate in their day to day activities or induce others to do so;
  • not victimise, harass or intimidate other staff, learners or groups on the grounds specified in this policy statement;

• inform their manager, or work-placed supervisor, if they become aware of any discriminatory practice.

• Staff representatives on the Equality and Diversity Steering Group will act as ‘Equality and Diversity Champions’ within their area of responsibility. They will disseminate information from steering group meetings and will be the first point of contact within their area of responsibility for any problems, concerns or recommendations for change or improvement.

7. RELATED POLICIES AND ARRANGEMENTS

• All employment and training related policies and procedures have a bearing on equality of opportunity. The organisations policies and procedures will be reviewed regularly and any discriminatory elements removed.

• This policy is supported by the specific actions to be completed with learners at each stage of the learner journey, as set out in the Process Manual: Key Learner and Quality Processes an Equality & Diversity Strategy.

8. TRAINING

• Training will be provided for all staff managers on this policy and the arrangements for its implementation, monitoring and Briefing sessions will be held on equality & diversity issues at least annually for the benefit of all staff.

• New learners should be issued with a copy of their employer’s own equality and diversity policy. In addition information on equality of opportunity and the Access to Assessment Policy is included in a Learner Handbook given to all learners at the start of their All learners should complete the equality and diversity section of the Individual Learning Plan prior to their first formal progress review. Learners’ ongoing understanding of equality and diversity issues should be assessed on an ongoing basis as part of their regular formal progress reviews.

9. MONITORING

• The company deems it appropriate to state its intention not to discriminate and assumes that this will be translated into practice consistently across the organisation as a whole. Accordingly, a monitoring system will be maintained to measure the effectiveness of the policy and arrangements.
• The system will involve the routine collection and analysis of data relating to applicants, learners and employees.

• Specific monitoring activities carried out in relation to the actions set out in the Equality & Diversity Strategy and the Equality & Diversity Impact Measures (EDIMs) set out in the organisation’s Strategic Plan will be reviewed as part of management and senior management team meetings.

• The information collected for monitoring purposes will be treated as confidential and it will not be used for any other purpose.

10. GRIEVANCE & DISCIPLINE

• Employees have a right to pursue a complaint concerning discrimination or victimisation via the company grievance procedure or policy on harassment and bullying.

• Discrimination, harassment and victimisation will be treated as disciplinary offences and they will be dealt with under the disciplinary procedure.

11. REVIEW

• The policy and arrangements will be reviewed annually by the Managing Director and the Senior Management Team.