Tomasso Limited is committed to building an organisation that makes full use of the talents, skills, experience, and different cultural perspectives available in a multi-ethnic and diverse society, and where people feel they are respected and valued, and can achieve their potential regardless of race, colour, nationality, national or ethnic origins, culture, religion, sexual orientation, gender, family responsibilities, disability or age.
Tomasso Limited will follow the recommendations of the CRE’s Statutory Code of Practice on Racial Equality in Employment in all its employment policies, procedures and practices. We will also seek advice from the Equal Opportunities Commission regarding sexual equality at work, consult the Disability Rights Commission about disability in employment issues, and contact ACAS to ensure that we comply with age discrimination legislation.
Equal Opportunity Policy
The aims of this policy are to ensure that:
• No-one receives less favourable treatment, on grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age; or is disadvantaged by any conditions, requirements, provisions, criteria, procedures or practices that cannot be justified on any other grounds, or victimised for taking action against any form of discrimination or harassment, or instructed or put under pressure to discriminate against, or harass, someone on the above grounds.
• The organisation is free of unwanted conduct that violates the dignity of workers or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, offensive, or humiliating environment.
• Opportunities for employment, training and promotion are equally open to male and female candidates, candidates from all racial groups, candidates with or without disabilities, and candidates of any age.
• Selection for employment, promotion, transfer, training, and access to benefits, facilities and services, will be fair and equitable, and based solely on merit.
This policy applies to all aspects of employment, from recruitment to dismissal and former workers’ rights.
We will take the following steps to put the policy into practice and make sure that it is achieving its aims:
1. The policy will be a priority for the organisation.
2. Peter Oliver (Director) will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the policy.
3. The policy will be communicated to all workers and job applicants, and will be placed on the company’s intranet and website.
4. Workers and their representatives and trade unions will be consulted regularly about the policy, and about related action plans and strategies.
5. All workers will be trained on the policy, on their rights and responsibilities under the policy, and on how the policy will affect the way they carry out their duties. No one will be in any doubt about what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable conduct in the organisation.
6. Managers and workers in key decision-making areas will be trained on the discriminatory effects that provisions, practices, requirements, conditions, and criteria can have on some groups, and the importance of being able to justify decisions to apply them.
7. Complaints about discrimination or harassment in the course of employment will be regarded seriously, and may result in disciplinary sanctions, and even dismissal. The complaints procedure will be published in a form that is easily accessible.
8. Opportunities for employment, promotion, transfer and training will be advertised widely, internally and externally, and all applicants will be welcomed, irrespective of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, gender, sexual orientation, disability or age.
9. All workers will be encouraged to develop their skills and qualifications, and to take advantage of promotion and development opportunities in the organisation.
10. Selection criteria will be entirely related to the job or training opportunity.
11. We will make reasonable changes to overcome physical and non-physical barriers that make it difficult for disabled employees to carry out their work, and for disabled customers to access our services.
12. We will take a flexible approach to working arrangements. We will consider requests for changes carefully and objectively, and will accommodate them unless it would cause significant difficulties to the business or the employee.
13. Information on the ethnic and racial background, gender, disability, and age of each worker and applicant for employment, promotion and training will be collected and analysed, to monitor each stage of the recruitment process. The information will be held in strictest confidence and will only be used to promote equality of opportunity.
14. If the data shows that people from a particular gender, racial group, or age band are under-represented in particular areas of work, lawful positive action training and encouragement will be considered for workers and others from that group, to improve their chances of applying successfully for vacancies in these areas.
15. Grievances, disciplinary action, performance assessment, and terminations of employment, for whatever reason, will also be monitored by gender, racial group, age, and disability.
16. Requirements, conditions, provisions, criteria, and practices will be reviewed regularly, in the light of the monitoring results, and revised if they are found to, or might, discriminate on any of the above grounds.
17. All contracts between Tomasso Limited and contractors to supply goods, materials or services will include a clause prohibiting unlawful racial discrimination or harassment by contractors and their staff, and by any sub-contractors and their staff. The clause will also encourage contractors and potential contractors to provide equality of opportunity in their employment practices.
18. The effectiveness of the policy will be monitored regularly. A report on progress will be produced each year, and published via the intranet, the website, the staff newsletter, notice boards, and the annual report.
19. Customers and clients will be made aware of the policy, and of their right to fair and equal treatment, irrespective of race, colour, nationality, national or ethnic origins, sexual orientation, gender, disability or age.
Overall responsibility for the effectiveness of the policy lies with Peter Oliver.
For more information, please contact this person: Peter Oliver. 22 Wainwright Grove, Isleworth, Middlesex. TW7 7PU. 07905 657 285.
Signed: Peter Oliver
Position: Managing Director. Date: 07/08/07.