Equality and Diversity
Whilst you are working with Construction Learning World we want you to feel valued and supported as an individual, whether you are already registered on a qualification or considering your preferred pathway.
During your induction to any one of our many learning pathways and qualifications, you’ll receive information about equal opportunities. This guide gives you more details about equality of opportunity.
We’ve tried to keep the guide simple but if you require help in understanding it please contact us. If English is not your first language, we can arrange to have someone translate it for you.
What is equal opportunities all about?
Everyone having the right to be treated equally as individuals.
Everyone has rights, regardless of their:
- Gender
- Race
- Ethnicity or national origin
- Religion
- Colour
- Age
- Caring responsibilities
- Marital status
- Sexual orientation
- Disability
- Physical ability or mental health
- Spent or irrelevant convictions
Equality means that we’re all entitled to be treated fairly, regardless of our age, race or culture, skin colour, religion, age, sexual orientation, ability or disability, etc. No one should be treated differently because of who they are! We all have a responsibility to do this and need to make sure we treat everyone equally and with respect.
Diversity means variety or mixture. We live in a country that is very diverse, a mixture of people from many different cultures, religions and backgrounds. We’re all individuals, all different from one another, with different needs and are entitled to be treated as individuals.
What is discrimination?
Discrimination is when a person is treated less favourably than another - in other words, they are discriminated against.
Harassment and bullying is a form of direct discrimination. It’s when a person becomes alarmed or distressed as a result of somebody else’s behaviour, which is often offensive, abusive, malicious, insulting or intimidating. It can also involve exclusion (‘being left out’) or victimisation ('picked on') and unwelcome sexual advances.
Harassment can happen for different reasons, for example, a person’s skin colour, religion, age, disability, gender, sexuality, physical appearance/stature, even accent and dialect, or what they wear can form the basis for unwanted attention and aggression. The person doing the harassment ('the perpetrator') may see it as a joke, but if the victim doesn’t see it this way, then persistent references or jokes become harassment.
Under the Criminal Justice Act 1994, harassment is a criminal offence punishable by a fine and/or prison sentence. Harassment doesn’t have to be verbal, it might be written, via the phone, email or text messaging.
Victimisation is when a person is treated less favourably at work, for example, disciplined or marginalised, because they have or are about to make a complaint for discrimination or because they have supported someone who is being discriminated against.
What’s an equal opportunities policy?
It’s what an organisation produces to tell people what it’s doing to make sure that its staff and customers are treated equally. It usually includes a complaints procedure so that if anyone feels that they are being unfairly treated, or discriminated against, they know what to do.
Organisations should check their equal opportunities practice to see that their staff are not discriminating against other staff or customers in any way.
Why do organisations need an equal opportunities policy?
There are laws to protect us from being discriminated against, so having an equal opportunities policy helps the organisation make sure that they are complying with the law. It’s against the law for anyone to discriminate because of someone’s race, sex, disability, marital status, age or sexuality.
There are laws to ensure that we’re all treated equally. Both organisations and individuals have rights and responsibilities in law.
Everyone is entitled to be treated fairly and with respect. If we are treated differently because of any of the following, then we’re being discriminated against.
Construction Learning World’s equal opportunities policy is:
Construction Learning World is committed to positive action to promote equality of opportunity in employment and training.
All employees, candidates and applicants for either employment or training will be given equality of opportunity in respect of recruitment, training, assessment, and in promotion solely on their merits, abilities and potential, regardless of their racial origins, sex including gender re-assignment, disability, marital status and family circumstances, religious or political beliefs, socio-economic background or sexual orientation.
All other policies and practices associated with Construction Learning World’s role are applied with strict observance of this Equal Opportunities Policy and its philosophy. This also applies to training opportunities, except in those cases where Construction Learning World intends to take positive action to provide special training for particularly disadvantaged or under represented groups.
Employees are required to behave in a non-discriminatory way towards the public, fellow employees, trainees and clients. Any breach of the policy may result in disciplinary action being taken.
What does the law say?
The law aims to protect us all from being discriminated against. It’s against the law for anyone to discriminate because of someone’s colour or race, religion, disability, age, sex, marital status (single, married or divorced) or sexual orientation. This includes:
- Gender
- Race
- Ethnicity or national origin
- Religion
- Colour
- Age
- Caring responsibilities
- Marital status
- Sexual orientation
- Disability
- Physical ability or mental health
- Spent or irrelevant convictions
It is also illegal for an organisation (or employer):
- To tell or force a member of staff to discriminate unlawfully against anyone, on any grounds.
- To publish an advertisement or publicity materials that are discriminatory on the grounds of race.
- To discriminate when recruiting staff or providing access to benefits, facilities and services.
Sometimes organisations discriminate without realising it. This is called indirect discrimination. For example, there may be no access to their premises or facilities for people who are wheelchair users.
Examples of discrimination
There are two types of discrimination:
Direct discrimination
- This is easier to see because it’s more open and obvious. The law says that direct discrimination is when people are treated less favourably (not just differently) on the grounds of gender, marital status, skin colour, age, race, nationality or ethnic or national origins.
- An example of direct discrimination: someone is not considered for a job because of their cultural origin or belief, disability, sexuality, gender, age or marital status.
Indirect discrimination
- This is not so obvious. It happens when everything seems fair but certain conditions apply which make it impossible for certain people to carry out their duties.
- An example of indirect discrimination: offering a job to a female motor mechanic and then saying there are no female toilets or changing facilities.
What are your responsibilities?
You should treat everyone fairly and with respect - treat others as you would expect to be treated yourself!
Remember that some people might need additional support or special arrangements to help them achieve their learning programme. Every one of our learners is entitled to this type of support.
You must not, for example, bully, harass or victimise anyone for any reason.
If you know of any bullying, harassment or victimisation that’s going on, report it to your line manager, supervisor or assessor. You can do this in total confidence.
What can I do?
- Avoid discriminating by treating everyone equally, don’t make assumptions about people because of the way they look, their colour, sexuality, age, male or female or if they are disabled in any way.
- Avoid racist or sexist remarks or jokes and don’t join in if someone else makes them.
- Help create a positive working environment where everyone (including yourself, other staff and customers) feels valued, regardless of who or what they are.
- Think about your own attitudes and beliefs.
What can you do if you feel you’re being harassed, bullied or victimised?
Whilst working towards you qualification you should not be treated any differently than anyone else and you should never be bullied, harassed or victimised by anyone - for any reason.
If you are, you need to tell someone about it!
You can, of course, talk confidentially to your assessor. If it’s happening in your workplace, you should follow your employer’s complaints or grievance procedure but we recommend that you talk to us first, we may be able to help.
Construction Learning World takes bullying and harassment very seriously, it will not be tolerated. You can bring a formal complaint at any time. You can complain through our appeals and complaints procedure.
What is prejudice?
Prejudice is based on people’s individual beliefs and values. For example, if someone believes that people of the opposite sex or from another culture, or race, or with a disability are inferior to their own, then that person is prejudiced. We grow up developing these personal beliefs, sometimes influenced by our friends (peer group pressure) or our parents or relatives’ views. As we improve our knowledge, through everyday life and experience, about equality and diversity, our own views and personal beliefs can change, hopefully for the better.
What is stereotyping?
Stereotyping means to make generalizations, usually negative, about a group of people; attributing a set of characteristics based on their appearance or our own assumptions. Examples of stereotyping include; all football fans are hooligans, hairdressing is a career for girls only (being a motor mechanics is only for boys), all Asians make good business people, older people can’t learn new skills, etc. Of course, none of the above statements are true for everyone and you should challenge comments about stereotyping.
Laws about discrimination
- Equal Pay Act 1970 (Amendment 1984)
- Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and Gender Reassignment Regulations (1999)
- Race Relations Act 1976 (Amendment 2000)
- Disability Discrimination Act (1999)
