Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

Contents

1 .0   Introduction and scope

1.1   Scope

2 .0   Policy Statement

2.1   Our Commitments

2.2   Developing EDI competency (training)

2.3   Meeting the needs of our customers and reflecting their diversity

2.4   Access to services

2.5   Workplace

2.6   Reporting

2.7   Equality Impact Analysis (EIAs)

2.8   Steering Group

3 .0   Roles and Responsibilities

4 .0   Definitions

1 .0 Introduction and scope

The purpose of this policy is to draw together Wandle’s approach and principles in relation to Equality, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion as both a provider of services and an employer. In doing so it will support Wandle in achieving our strategic objectives and delivering on our values, which are:

• Think Customer
• Own it
• Work together
• Build relationships
• Aim High

Our Corporate Strategy commits Wandle to ensuring our workforce reflects the diverse communities that we operate in and that our services are tailored to the diversity of our customers.

It also outlines that we will take our learnings from our work on equality, diversity and inclusion and ensure these feed into our plans and strategies.

1.1    Scope

This policy applies to anyone working with, for or receiving services from Wandle. This includes employees, Board members, volunteers, and customers, consultants, contractors, agency workers and suppliers.

2.0 Policy Statement

2.1    Our Commitments

We aim to provide homes that we would be happy to live in, that meet customers’ needs and engage with customers to build inclusive and sustainable communities.

Wandle is committed to welcoming and valuing diversity, promoting equality of opportunity, and tackling discrimination. We have a statutory duty to ensure we provide equality to all of our customers and employees, and a moral duty to respond to the social diversity within our communities.

In addition, Wandle recognises the business case for promoting Equality, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and ensuring that our diverse talents are utilised to shape and enhance our service and employment offer.

Wandle recognises that certain groups in society may experience prejudice, discrimination, and / or less favourable treatment on the grounds of their protected characteristics as defined within the Equality Act 2010, and that this limits people’s choices and opportunities

We aim to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations between different groups. This includes promoting equality of opportunity in everything we do, and treating people fairly regardless of:

• Accents or languages spoken
• Age
• Class or educational background
• Cognitive or neurodiversity
• Cultural background
• Disability
• Gender or gender reassignment
• Marital status
• Mental health
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Race
• Religion and beliefs
• Sex
• Sexual orientation

2.2   Developing EDI competency (training)

We will provide in-person EDI competency training for all new starters and ensure staff complete in-person EDI refresher training at least every two years.

We also will develop a programme of training to enhance managers’ inclusive leadership competency.

2.3    Meeting the needs of our customers and reflecting their diversity

We will be sensitive and responsive to the needs of individuals and specific groups and will work closely with customers, making reasonable adjustments wherever reasonable and it is practical to do so.

We will also undertake analysis of our staff, Board and customer diversity to ensure that our workforce reflects the diverse communities that we operate in and that our services are tailored to the diversity of our customers. We will monitor customer satisfaction across the range of our services with the aim of ensuring there are no significant differences across the strands of diversity.

We will ensure we have an Aids and Adaptations Policy which sets out how we will work to try and provide additional support and/or physical infrastructure to customers with additional needs, in their homes.

2.4    Access to services

We believe that all customers should be able to access our services and receive a consistent standard of service.

We will ensure measures are in place to ensure our office space is accessible to all staff and customers. We will also provide translation and interpretation services where necessary and requested.

We will aim to ensure that our website is accessible and produce information in a variety of formats so that the varying needs of customers are met. Our website is translatable and most content can be delivered in an audio format.

2.5    Workplace

Wandle aims to foster a working environment where all employees, consultants, agency workers and other partners feel able to contribute to the best of their potential and have the skills to achieve the organisation’s commitments and strategic goals.

We will strive to ensure that all individuals are treated fairly and with respect. This applies to all areas of employment including recruitment, promotion, training, pay, and working conditions.

We will, where possible, make reasonable adjustments to working practices, terms and conditions, and facilities to meet the specific needs of individual employees and groups of employees, especially those with protected characteristics.

Recruitment

We recruit, develop, and promote staff on the basis of a fair, objective, and rigorous assessment of competence and potential, and aim to ensure that no job applicant receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of any protected characteristic.

We recognise that the Equality Act 2010 allows positive action to encourage people from groups with different needs or with a past track record of disadvantage or low participation to apply for jobs.

We will apply the ‘Rooney Rule’ (see section 4 for definition) for all senior level roles, including Board, Executive and Senior Management Roles. This will require our recruitment panels to interview at least one candidate from an ethnic minority background. We will also ensure we always interview at least one female candidate for all such roles.

Likewise, hiring managers are expected to ensure that, wherever possible, the diversity of our staff is represented on our recruitment panels.

2.6    Reporting

We will carry out gender pay gap analysis across the business on an annual basis and publish this externally.

We will also report on ethnicity and gender pay at management level positions to the People Committee on an annual basis.

We will use staff equality monitoring data, to analyse the diversity of our staff and report on this both internally and externally. We will look into how we can collect and analyse resident equality data to develop an understanding of how well the diversity of our staff reflects the diversity of our tenants and report on this to stakeholders.

We will also look into how we can collect data that enables us to report on employee engagement and satisfaction which is disaggregated by protected characteristics.

2.7    Equality Impact Analysis (EIAs)

We will carry out equality impact assessments to ensure that our policies, practices and key projects do not discriminate against individual persons or specific groups of customers.

2.8    Steering Group

Wandle will have an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group which monitors and drives forward the organisations approach to equality and diversity, and the delivery of this policy. Its role is set out in detail below.

3 .0 Roles and Responsibilities

Board

Wandle’s Board has overall responsibility for setting the strategic direction and for approving the EDI Policy. Wandle’s Board understands that Equality, Diversity and Inclusion makes good business sense.

The role of the Board goes beyond compliance to ensure that Wandle is meeting its inclusion aspirations set out in its Corporate Strategy so that it can harness the many social and commercial benefits of inclusion.

The Board will always have a specified EDI Champion.

Executive team and Senior Management team

Members of the Executive team and Senior Management team are accountable for ensuring that the policy is implemented in their areas of responsibility.

They are also responsible for spotting opportunities for enhancing inclusive practices and reducing any barriers to this, being champions for change and challenging individuals and the organisation to progress.

Managers

All managers are responsible for demonstrating good practice and vigilance in identifying and preventing unacceptable behaviour and promoting inclusion, ensuring that inclusion is embedded in service delivery and people management and that their staff understand their roles and responsibilities in respect of the policy.

All Staff

All staff and representatives of Wandle are expected to embody the values of policy.

Everyone who has contact with Wandle customers can contribute to maintaining and updating our systems and records about any additional needs or vulnerabilities a customer may make them aware of.

This may be from either a safeguarding perspective or to better enable us to deliver a particular service or manage a query or complaint. Knowing our customers enables us to better respond to their needs and to reflect specific circumstances in how we design and deliver.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group

The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group have oversight and ownership of monitoring the delivery of the EDI Action Plan. This Plan will be developed by the Group with the aims of delivering against this policy and our strategic objectives in relation to equality, equity, diversity and inclusion.

The group also plays the role of champion in raising awareness of equality in decision making and as advocates for underrepresented or potentially marginalised groups.

The Steering Group must always be diverse in its membership, representing different level of seniority across the business, from officer to senior management. The Group will always have an Executive Director as its sponsor.

4 .0 Definitions

Equality

Equality is about ensuring everybody has an equal opportunity and is not treated differently or discriminated against because of their characteristics.

Equity

Equity is about giving people what they need, in order to make things fair. This is not the same as equality, nor is it the same as inequality. It is simply giving more to those who need it, which is proportionate to their own circumstances, in order to ensure that everyone has the same opportunities; for example providing more support to a vulnerable tenant.

Diversity

Diversity is about taking account of the differences between people and groups of people, and placing a positive value on those differences.

Inclusion

Inclusion is to positively strive 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

The protected characteristics, as defined in the Equality Act 2010, are:

• Age
• Disability
• Gender reassignment
• Marriage and civil partnership
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Race
• Religion and belief
• Sex
• Sexual orientation.

Rooney Rule

The ‘Rooney Rule’ is a form of positive action aimed at minimising the disadvantage that ethnic minority and female candidates may face when applying for leadership positions.

It was first implemented in the US National Football League (NFL) as a policy that required league teams to interview ethnic-minority candidates for head coaching and other senior roles.