Equality & Fairness Policy
Version 2.4
This policy was last revised on 09 May 2024
Introduction
BrandPipe is committed to placing equality, diversity and fairness at the heart of our values, policies and everyday practices of our employees. This policy outlines our principles and approach to promoting equality, diversity and fairness at all stages of employment.
Overview
This policy applies to all individuals working for BrandPipe including agency workers and contractors. The spirit of this policy should be applied to all who come into contact with BrandPipe, including service providers and customers.
Policy Statement
BrandPipe will not discriminate against employees on the grounds of the following protected characteristics:
Race, colour, ethnic or national origin, nationality, disability, marital or civil partner status, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, age, religion or belief, sex and gender reassignment.
BrandPipe is committed to promoting fair participation and equality of opportunity for all our employees and job applicants. We aim to create an environment in which all individuals can make best use of their skills, free from discrimination or harassment.
BrandPipe’s policy is to provide opportunities based on an individual’s performance and skills as part of performance management.
Guiding Principles
Our commitment
BrandPipe is committed to:
- Fostering a workplace that promotes equality of opportunity for all and ensuring fair participation in employment
- Treating those who interact with our business with dignity and respect and ensuring fair access to our services
- Treating as irrelevant all factors which do not genuinely affect a person’s ability to undertake a job
- Promoting awareness of what behaviours are acceptable and not acceptable
- Investigating breaches of this policy and taking action against anyone deemed to have acted against the spirit of this policy
- Regularly reviewing aspects of this policy in order to make sure that it reflects and accounts for the most up to date legal regulations and is effective
- Taking lawful affirmative or positive action, where appropriate
Types of discrimination and harassment
Discrimination
Discrimination can be ‘direct’ or ‘indirect’, intentional or unintentional. Direct discrimination occurs where someone is treated less favourably because of one or more of the protected characteristics. Indirect discrimination occurs where an unjustified provision, criterion or practice puts certain groups of people that share a protected characteristic at a disadvantage compared with others.
Harassment
Harassment is unwanted conduct that has the purpose or effect of violating someone’s dignity, or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them. Some examples of acceptable and unacceptable behaviour are provided in the box below
| Unacceptable behaviour | Acceptable behaviour |
|---|---|
| Suggestive remarks or gestures | Talking to employees about their performance |
| Display of pictures with sexual or racial undertones | Provding constructive feedback |
| Demeaning or ridiculing someone | Asking an employee to carry out a task in the workplace |
| Jokes and banter of a derogatory nature | Providing a constructive opinion when asked |
| Unwelcome touching | Taking appropriate action as per the BrandPipe Policy Framework (BPF) |
| Any sexual advances |
Expectations
All individuals working for BrandPipe must:
- Adopt and follow the guiding principles of this policy
- Not discriminate in their day to day activities or encourage others to do so
- Not harass or intimidate other employees, customers or suppliers on the grounds of one of the protected characteristics, or their perception of a protected characteristic, or because of their association with another individual who has a protected characteristic
- Inform their manager if they become aware of any discriminatory practice
Any employee who is found to have committed an act of discrimination or harassment will be subject to disciplinary action. Such behaviour may constitute gross misconduct and may result in summary dismissal.
Equality through all stages of employment
It is our policy to promote equality of opportunity from first contact through to when an employee leaves the organisation. Special attention will be paid to the following areas:
Provision of information on equality and fairness
This policy is provided to new employees as part of their induction.
Recruitment and selection
All recruitment and selection activities will be conducted objectively and free from bias. All applicants will be treated fairly and candidates will be assessed on merit and the skills required for the role.
Learning and development
Access to learning and development opportunities will be provided on the basis of objective, non-discriminatory, job related criteria that are communicated in advance and fairly appraised.
Working arrangements
BrandPipe will consider a range of options to support employees to adapt their working life according to their individual circumstances.
Career progression
BrandPipe will consider a range of options to support employees to adapt their working life according to their individual circumstances.
Reward and benefits
Pay, benefits and other remuneration within BrandPipe will be based on non-discriminatory criteria that ensure fair treatment.
Fairness and favouritism
BrandPipe’s policy is to provide opportunities based on an individual’s performance, skills and development needs in a fair and transparent manner.
Favouritism at work refers to granting opportunities solely based on factors such as personal or family relationships, or offering an undue advantage to someone who does not necessarily merit that treatment. Favouritism in this form will not be tolerated.
Managers should be aware of the criteria they are using, and be prepared to justify decisions relating to recruitment, promotions and organisational hierarchy.
Bullying and harassment
BrandPipe is committed to creating a work environment that is free from bullying and harassment, where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect. BrandPipe does not accept any form of bullying and harassment and will take proactive steps and action to eradicate and avoid such behaviour.
Disability
In the case of disability, BrandPipe commits to making reasonable adjustments to the workplace to overcome barriers that could discriminate against disabled employees. Employees who consider themselves disabled or who become disabled are encouraged to tell BrandPipe about their condition so that we can support them as appropriate. We will examine the individual situation and determine what support is reasonable for each case.
BrandPipe attaches importance to meeting the needs of disabled customers and service providers where reasonably practicable.
What to do if you have a concern
Don’t keep it to yourself
It is in everyone’s interest for employees to raise concerns they have about their treatment or the treatment of others at work. Concerns should ideally be raised with their manager first or a member of the BrandPipe Executive Team.
Treatment of complaints
Complaints regarding potential breaches of this policy will be investigated in accordance with this Policy and the BrandPipe Policy Framework. In appropriate cases, BrandPipe will take formal action up to and including summary dismissal, if it is found that this policy has been breached.
This policy strictly prohibits:
- Retaliation against someone who reports a concern in good faith
- Deliberately false or fictitious complaints which do not have a foundation
Related Materials & Further Reference
Company Policies & Procedures
This policy forms part of the wider BrandPipe Policy Framework and its underpinning policies, procedures and guidance which are published on the Company SharePoint site.
Legal requirements and external standards
All current UK Legislation is published at http://www.legislation.gov.uk
UK Government guidance: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance
Download
Further resources and materials
Download an offline version of this page from our secure Compliance Portal. Please note that the online version published in the Compliance Portal is always the most up-to-date.
