Aim Of the Policy
The mission of Bailiffgate Museum and Gallery ("Bailiffgate") is to be a People’s Museum. It has a commitment to promoting an open, equal, diverse and welcoming environment for all employees, volunteers and users.
The aim of this policy is to communicate the commitment of the trustees to the promotion of equality and diversity in the Museum. It is our policy to provide equality to employees, volunteers and users of the museum, irrespective of gender, including gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, having or not having dependents, religious belief or political opinion, race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, being a traveller), disability, sexual orientation and age. Moreover, it is our policy to ensure that all people are valued as individuals and are able to maximise their potential and contribution to the Museum. We recognise that people from different backgrounds can bring fresh, innovative ideas and a different approach to how we work.
We are opposed to all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination. All job applicants, employees, volunteers and others who work for the Museum will be treated fairly and will not be discriminated against on any of the above grounds. Decisions about recruitment and selection, promotion, training or any other benefit will be made objectively and without lawful discrimination.
We recognise that the provision of equal opportunities and encouraging diversity in the workplace is not only good management practice, it also makes sound business sense. This policy will help all those who work or volunteer for us to develop their full potential and the talents and resources of the workforce will be utilised fully to maximise the efficiency of the Museum.
Likewise, an openness to engage with all potential users of the Museum will ensure that people from all sections of society have the opportunity to benefit from the resources of the museum.
Scope of the Policy
Our Equality and Diversity Policy applies to :
Job applicants and potential applicants, employees, contract workers, trainee workers and students on work experience and placements, volunteer workers and users and potential users of the Museum.
Aims and Objectives
The aims and objectives of our Equality and Diversity Policy are to:
* Promoting equality of opportunity to all persons
* Promoting diversity in everything that we do
* Promoting a good and harmonious working environment in which all persons are treated with respect, free from harassment and discrimination
* Preventing occurrences of unlawful direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, harassment and victimisation
* Fulfilling our legal obligations under the equality legislation and associated codes of practice
* Complying with the terms of this policy and associated policies
* Regarding all breaches of this policy as misconduct which could lead to disciplinary proceedings.
Implementation
The Chair of Trustees has specific responsibility for the effective implementation of this policy. All volunteers, contracted employees, employees and users of the Museum are expected to comply with it and help create the environment which is its objective.
In order to implement this policy we shall:
* Communicate the policy to all employees, volunteers, contract workers and users and in general communications e.g. newsletters
* Incorporate specific duties in respect to implementing the policy into job descriptions and responsibilities of trustees
* Provide Equality and Diversity training where necessary
* Ensure that recruitment panels are fully aware of non-discrimination selection techniques
* Obtain commitments from potential hirers of Museum facilities that they will comply with our policy
* Encourage users from a diverse range of backgrounds to be involved with the Museum and benefit from its resources.
Monitoring and review
We will establish appropriate information and monitoring systems to assist with the effective implementation of this policy. It will be reviewed annually by Trustees and action taken as necessary, for example, where monitoring identifies an under representation of a particular group or groups of users, we shall develop an action plan to redress the imbalance.
Complaints
Employees, users or volunteers who feel that they have suffered discrimination are entitled to raise the matter through our agreed Complaints Procedure, obtainable from the Museum Coordinator or our website. All complaints will be dealt with seriously, promptly and confidentially.
In addition to our internal procedures, employees have rights under national legislation. Employees wishing to make a complaint to a tribunal will normally be required to raise their complaint under our internal complaints procedure first.
Every effort will be made to ensure that employees or volunteers who make a complaint will not be victimised. Any complaint of victimisation will be dealt with seriously, promptly and confidentially. Victimisation by an employee or volunteer will result in disciplinary action and may warrant dismissal.