Diversity & Inclusion Statement

Purpose of this Policy

This policy sets out how Anderson James is committed to supporting and promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I). This commitment is embraced by and informs all of our activities and their impact on our candidates, clients and employees.

Anderson James aims to:

Prevent discrimination, eliminate prejudice, promote inclusion and celebrate diversity within the organisation.
Be fair in our dealings with all people – board members, staff, customers, volunteers and partners – with whom we have relationships taking into account the diverse nature of their culture and backgrounds.
Ensure that ED&I is embedded in everything we do.

Our policy covers all aspects of equality including race, religion or belief, sex, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, sexual orientation, disability and age (as specified by the Equality Act 2010 and the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012).

Our policy applies to everyone who receives a service from us, forms part of our governance, is employed by us or volunteers their services. We will also seek to ensure that anyone who works on our behalf demonstrates commitment to ED&I.

Definitions

Equality is about ensuring that every individual has an equal opportunity to make the most of their lives and talents, and believing that no one should have poorer life chances because of where, when or whom they were born, or because of other characteristics.

Promoting equality is about behaving in a way that tackles inequalities, aiming to ensure that all staff and service users are treated fairly, and do not experience discrimination.

Promoting diversity is about recognising that everyone is different and creating a working environment that values each customer and employee ensuring that services are delivered that suit all sections of the community.

Inclusion is about positively striving to meet the needs of different people and taking deliberate action to create environments where everyone feels respected and able to achieve their full potential.

Protected characteristics within the Equality Act 2010 are: race, religion or belief, sex, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, sexual orientation, disability and age.

We recognise that people’s paths to work start long before they start looking for a job and that this path is much easier for those from privileged backgrounds. We are committed to boosting social mobility by giving people from less advantaged backgrounds a route into the workplace, and by showing young people the variety of careers open to them.

Amendments to this Policy

This Policy expresses the will of the Company and its commitment to the issues addressed. This Policy may be amended by the Company at its discretion at any time.

This Policy will be reviewed by the Company’s board on a regular basis, usually at least once per year