1       INTRODUCTION

Located in 570 acres of picturesque North Bedfordshire countryside, Keysoe International Ltd. is a highly esteemed destination known around the world for its professional and welcoming environment.

As well as being a highly esteemed equestrian and events centre of excellence complete with an Indoor Arena, International size Outdoor Arena, Cross Country Course, Barn Style Competition Stables, a Café, and bar, we also offer:

• Alternative provision, work-based learning, and Animal Assisted Therapy (through Keysoe Cuddle Therapy Ponies CIC)
• Venue hire, parties, and catering
• Clinics, courses, and summer camps

2       PURPOSE

Keysoe International Limited and Keysoe Cuddle Therapy Ponies, CIC (collectively referred to as Keysoe International Ltd.), both as an employer and as a provider of services, promotes equality and diversity and is committed to eliminating all forms of discrimination from our organisation.

The aim of this policy is to ensure that our employees and job applicants are given equal opportunity, that those who use our services (referred to as participants) and their families, friends and carers do not face any kind of discrimination from within, and that should discrimination occur, we know how to respond.

3       OUR AIMS

• Creating an environment where individual differences are respected and where every person is treated with dignity and respect and is recognised and valued.
• Enabling every person to achieve their full potential.

4       SCOPE

This policy applies to all those working for or on behalf of Keysoe International Ltd. (including employees, volunteers, agency workers and self-employed contractors) and every Keysoe International Ltd. stakeholder.

5       DEFINITIONS

Equality means ensuring everyone has equal opportunities, regardless of their protected characteristics.

Diversity means appreciating the differences between people and respecting people’s values, beliefs, cultures, backgrounds, and lifestyle choices.

Inclusion is the idea that all types of people, for whatever differences, must be included as much as possible in work and other institutions.

The Protected Characteristics – Covered under the Equality Act 2010 consist of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

Direct discrimination – excluding or treating a person or group less favourably due to a protected characteristic.

Indirect discrimination – excluding or treating a person or group less favourably by putting those with a protected characteristic at a disadvantage. Indirect discrimination is less obvious than direct discrimination and may happen unintentionally.

Discrimination is not just treating one person less favourably than another. It can take place because:

• Someone associates with a person with a protected characteristic, which is known as discrimination by association.
• Someone is believed to possess a protected characteristic (even though they do not), which is known as discrimination by perception.

Harassment is unwanted conduct that violates a person’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive working environment. It is considered discrimination when the harassing behaviour relates to the protected characteristics.

Victimisation refers to unfair treatment or adverse action taken against a person because they have made a complaint, raised a grievance, or supported someone else in raising an issue related to discrimination, harassment, or similar illegal or unethical activity.

6       LEGAL FRAMEWORK

The Equality Act 2010 provides the legislative framework to protect the rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for all, bringing into one act all existing discrimination laws, including:

• The Equal Pay Act 1970
• The Sex Discrimination Act 1975
• The Race Relations Act 1976
• The Disability Discrimination Act 1995
• The Equality Act 2010
• The Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003
• The Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003
• The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006
• The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007

7       ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The department manager is responsible for:

• Ensuring this policy is working in practice.
• Monitoring the success of the policy.
• Identifying and remedying any failures of the policy.
• Ensuring the day-to-day implementation of this policy.
• Escalating complaints brought under this policy to the Senior Management Team and / or CEO.
• In a timely manner, appropriately investigating and managing complaints brought under this policy.
• Supporting all stakeholders who have been discriminated against.

All staff members are responsible for:

• Treating every person encountered during their work fairly and with dignity and respect.
• Never taking part in any form of discriminatory behaviour.
• Stepping in to stop and eliminate discriminatory behaviour when it occurs, reporting any and all incidents where they feel that they have witnessed or have been a victim of discriminatory behaviour.
• Promoting the values of equality and diversity amongst colleagues, participants and all stakeholders.
• Cooperating with investigations into breaches of this policy.

We expect that our participants, their families, carers, etc., and all stakeholders will:

• Treat others with dignity and respect.
• Never take part in any form of discriminatory behaviour.
• Report any breach of this policy to us so that we can stamp out discrimination.

8       POLICY

8.1      Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for Our Staff

This section outlines our position on equal opportunity in all aspects of recruitment, selection, employment and volunteering and provides guidance and encouragement to staff at all levels to act fairly and prevent discrimination.

To achieve this, we will:

• Utilise the most effective ways to bring job vacancies to the attention of potentially disadvantaged groups.
• Ensure that job advertisements avoid stereotyping or using wording that may discourage particular groups from applying.
• During shortlisting, include multiple candidates from underrepresented groups.
• Ensure that interview questioning is fair and legal.
• Ensure that decisions concerning recruitment and selection are based on merit alone, except in the matter of offending background or inability to hold a position of trust where it relates to the requirements of the post. In all cases, these decisions will be open to peer review.
• Ensure that all conditions, benefits, and facilities are reviewed regularly to ensure that they are available to all staff who should have access to them and that there are no unlawful obstacles to accessing them.
• Ensure that employees are paid fairly and equally for the same job or equivalent jobs and paid at least the minimum wage.
• Ensure that opportunities for training and career development/enhancement are made available to every eligible member of staff.
• Ensure that redundancy criteria and procedures are fair and objective and are not directly or indirectly discriminatory.
• Ensure that disciplinary procedures and penalties are applied without discrimination.
• Ensure that we protect our staff from discrimination at all times and have a process to follow when staff complain about discrimination and harassment.

8.1.1     Positive Action

As an inclusive organisation, we recognise the value of a diverse workforce and the importance of providing equal opportunities for all. In our recruitment and selection processes, we practice positive action, which is entirely lawful under the UK Equality Act 2010.

This means we may take proportionate steps to encourage or train people from underrepresented groups to apply for roles within our organisation.

While we do not engage in positive discrimination, which would mean hiring someone solely based on their belonging to a protected group, we are committed to creating a supportive environment where merit and equality flourish side by side.

8.1.2     Reasonable Adjustments

We acknowledge that we have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled job applicants and existing staff.

We will, where practicable, and are made aware that any individual has a disability, make reasonable adjustments to both accommodate their needs and reduce or remove the impact of their disability.

We recognise that the costs of making reasonable adjustments are often low and will consider all requests for reasonable adjustments. However, if we are not able to make such adjustments, we will:

• Inform the individual of why the reasonable adjustment is not practicable.
• Where possible, discuss alternative arrangements which could be offered.

8.2      Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for Our Participants

At Keysoe International Ltd., we are a diverse setting that truly believes that every participant is special and deserves to live their best life, get the most out of their education and participate in activities to the fullest extent possible in a respectful and inclusive environment.

We will ensure that policies and the services we provide do not unfairly or unlawfully discriminate on the grounds of the protected characteristics and will only refuse our services where it is determined that our services would be inappropriate, e.g., for health and safety reasons.

8.2.1     Positive Action

Keysoe International Ltd. understands that equality is not simply about treating everyone the same but is about giving everyone the opportunity to succeed and to make the playing field more level. For this reason, we may afford participants access to additional support to meet their needs.

8.2.2     Reasonable Adjustments

If a disabled participant is referred to our service and requires additional support to engage with us due to their disability, we will, wherever practicable, make reasonable adjustments to both accommodate their needs and reduce or remove the impact of their disability.

What is reasonable or not depends on the reasonable adjustment required (its cost and the impact on others), but all requests will be considered.

If we are not able to make such adjustments, we will:

• Inform the individual of why the reasonable adjustment is not practicable.
• Where possible, discuss alternative arrangements which could be offered.

8.3      Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion and our Partners

Keysoe International Ltd. will ensure that the potential for partnerships and working relationships does not unfairly or unlawfully discriminate on the grounds of the protected characteristics or any other categories.

We are committed to engaging in fair partnerships and agreements driven by our needs, the needs of our community, market values, and our ethical and legal obligations.

Therefore, decisions relating to business partnerships/relationships will be made using subjective and legal criteria.

Partners, contractors, and agencies tendering to work with or for Keysoe International Ltd. are expected to show a strong commitment to equality and diversity and abide by the law. Therefore, during the tendering process, we reserve the right to ask for evidence of those commitments, as mentioned above.

8.4      Bullying

Bullying is behaviour from a person or group that is unwanted and makes an individual feel uncomfortable, including feeling frightened, upset, disrespected and/or ridiculed where the act does not relate to a protected characteristic.

Although not protected by the Equality Act 2010, bullying is considered unacceptable by Keysoe International Ltd. and will not be tolerated at our centre.

8.5      Data Protection

All personal and sensitive data collected by Keysoe International Ltd. relating to the protected characteristics will be stored securely and will not be shared without due regard.

Statistical non-identifiable data may be drawn from this information; however, unless there is a need to know, personal data will only be processed as per UK GDPR or regional equivalent.

9       PROCEDURE: MAKING A COMPLAINT UNDER THIS POLICY

Keysoe International Ltd has a zero-tolerance policy and any and all forms of discrimination, harassment, bullying and victimisation and will appropriately sanction any person who breaches this policy.

Any staff member who feels that they have been discriminated against (including being harassed or victimised) should make a complaint.

Any non-staff member who feels that they have been discriminated against (including being harassed or victimised) should make a complaint via our Complaints Procedure.

9.1      Managing Complaints

Most complaints will warrant an investigation, the size of which depends on the circumstances; however, all complaints will be taken seriously and will be escalated to the Senior Management Team.

Keysoe International Ltd. will, during and after the investigation, consider the feelings of the complainant and others who have been affected when determining the severity of the breach and harm caused.

9.2      Victimisation

Should any staff member, participant or stakeholder have complained and suffered any form of retribution for making a complaint under this policy, we encourage them to report it to us immediately.

9.3      Malicious Complaints

We have a duty to protect our staff and stakeholders. Therefore, any person who makes false, malicious, and vexatious allegations, which are found to have been made in bad faith, will be sanctioned appropriately.

10     MONITORING AND REVIEWING

Keysoe International Ltd. is committed to ensuring our policies are effective and up-to-date. To do this, we have a process for regularly monitoring and reviewing them.

The Senior Management Team are responsible for this process and will review the policies at least once a year or more frequently if needed due to changes in laws or our practices.

 

KIP-0036 Revision 1
Last updated August 2024