Reference documents:

• Complaints policy
• Safeguarding policy
• Recruitment policy
• Training matrix

General policy statement

Learnmore Network Limited believes that fairness and equality of opportunity are a fundamental human right for all. We wholeheartedly support the principles of equal opportunity and diversity for employees and apprentices and are committed to developing, maintaining and supporting a culture in which employees and apprentices feel supported and encouraged to challenge discriminatory and unacceptable behaviour at all levels so that they may realise their potential.

We value diversity and therefore:

• aim to create a workforce with a broad range of characteristics reflecting its diverse client [1] base and the communities within which it operates.
• consider the policy when recruiting, delivering apprenticeship training and working with employers and apprentices. We follow safer recruitment practice
• promote a working environment that is free from any form of discrimination, harassment, bullying and victimisation
• promote fairness and equality of opportunity throughout all aspects of our apprenticeship programmes
• ensure that all applicants, employees, apprentices and third parties are treated fairly and with equality of opportunity, irrespective of, but not limited to, their ethnic origin, race, colour, nationality, religion or beliefs, race, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, unrelated criminal convictions, marital or civil partnership status, parental status, employment status and membership of an affiliated trade union
• appoint, train, develop, promote and reward all individuals fairly and objectively on the basis of their skills, aptitudes and abilities
• seek the opinions of apprentices, clients, employers and employees on the development and performance of equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives to ensure they effectively meet their needs and those of its apprentices and clients through focus groups and governance meetings
• demonstrate the positive benefits of diversity by monitoring the composition of our workforce and apprentice cohorts and by measuring the impact of recruitment and selection initiatives
• comply with all current legislation and Codes of Practice
• take disciplinary action against any employee who is found to have committed an act of either unlawful discrimination or contravened this policy.

Implementation of policy

The promotion and management of equality, diversity and inclusion is at the core of our business and within our apprenticeship programmes and we will take all practicable steps to embed it, including:

• ensuring every employee, associate and apprentice understands their rights and responsibilities in relation to fair and equal treatment
• keeping up to date with best practice in promoting and managing equality, diversity and inclusion in the work-based learning sector, via training, management meetings, maintenance of qualifications and knowledge, networking with peers and referring to relevant external agencies where required
• ensuring policies and practices remain in line with current legislation and guidelines and are promoted to apprentices throughout all aspects of their apprenticeship including at induction, within the apprentice handbook and within progress reviews
• promoting equality, diversity and inclusion throughout all aspects of our apprenticeship programmes through the inclusion of images which reflect the communities we work within, including within learning materials, on our website, and in social media posts.
• providing all employees, associates and apprentices with appropriate training and development opportunities throughout programmes to enhance their own understanding and practice in relation to equality, diversity and inclusion, to ensure the implementation of this policy
• thoroughly investigating all incidences of potential discrimination
• maintaining a zero tolerance approach to prejudice and discrimination of all kinds
• ensuring that data is collected and analysed at each point of the apprentice’s journey and using this data to close any gaps in performance
• maintaining easily accessible complaints procedures for all employees, associates, apprentices and other stakeholders (please see our Complaints Policy)
• ensuring that there is no victimisation against an employee or apprentice who makes a genuine complaint in good faith against an employee or apprentice or those who assist to support colleagues or peers in making such a complaint

Promotion, engagement and training

Learnmore firmly believe that fairness and equality of opportunity are a fundamental human right for all, we expect all employees to demonstrate engagement and a strong commitment to equality diversity and inclusion.

Promotion of this policy is a core theme throughout the entire employee lifecycle, from employee induction, within our employee handbook, newsletters and continued awareness and training. This policy forms part of the employee handbook which employees are required to read, and confirm their understanding on joining the company. The policy is available on our shared drive and is accessible at all times by all employees. Employees are required to complete mandatory equality, diversity and inclusion training during their induction, at refresher sessions thereafter as per the training matrix and as ongoing continued professional development. All training is viewed and recorded on our team digital training platform ‘Always Learnmore’, in the training log which is stored on the shared drive and reviewed by managers, the senior management team, at team meetings and at governance meetings.

This policy forms part of the apprentice handbook, which is accessible on our apprenticeship management system at all times. Equality, diversity and inclusion training and awareness is promoted throughout the apprenticeship journey, including at inductions, embedded within workshops, training materials, newsletters, progress reviews and through our ‘hot topics’ sessions.

Key responsibilities

At all times, Learnmore will observe and support the regulations set out in the Equality Act 2010, which introduced public sector duty for those who share the following protected characteristics:

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

The purpose of the aforementioned public sector duty is:

1. To eliminate conduct prohibited by the Act
2. To advance equality of opportunity between people who share protected characteristics and those that do not
3. To foster good relations between people who share protected characteristics and those that do not

Managing Director

The Managing Director is responsible for ensuring that equality, diversity and inclusion policies and procedures are robust and consistently applied and that Learnmore fulfils its legal duties as enshrined within legislation. The Managing Director will promote equality and diversity throughout the organisation.

Management team

Managers are responsible for developing an open and inclusive culture, where employees and apprentices feel able and encouraged to report any incidents of discrimination, harassment and bullying. Managers will actively support employees and apprentices making a complaint and ensure that any such allegations are thoroughly investigated and dealt with appropriately.

Managers will ensure that fairness and equality of opportunity are applied at all stages of the employee lifecycle starting from recruitment and selection

Managers will be responsible for setting high standards for equality, diversity and inclusion and for ensuring that all employees and apprentices are aware of the requirements of this policy and that it is applied fairly, rigorously and consistently.

Employees

All employees have a personal responsibility for their own behaviour at work and for ensuring that this policy is translated into practice in all areas of their employment.

All staff have a duty to report any incidents of discrimination, harassment or bullying that come to their attention, and to take part in any investigations, to support in the development if a culture in which employees and apprentices feel able and supported to report such concerns and have them fairly and robustly addressed.

All employees are required to complete all relevant training and familiarise themselves with this and any other related policies in regard of equality, diversity and inclusion.

Complaints

All complaints of discrimination, harassment or bullying will be treated seriously and dealt with promptly, efficiently and where possible in confidence. The aim of the procedure is to resolve complaints of discrimination, harassment or bullying swiftly and confidentially. Any employee or apprentice may use the complaints procedure if they believe they have:

• been treated unfavourably in contravention of the Equality Act 2010 and this equality, diversity and inclusion policy on the grounds of gender, pregnancy or maternity, trans-gender status, sexual orientation, marital, civil partnership or family status, race, religion, belief, political opinion, age or disability
• witnessed any form of discrimination

Quality assurance arrangements

The effectiveness of our equality, diversity and inclusion policy will be monitored, and improved, as follows:

• feedback from apprentices about their understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion issues
• feedback from employers about any improvements in the practice of apprentices relating to equality, diversity and inclusion
• observation of teaching and learning sessions to ensure equality, diversity and inclusion is being effectively promoted and embedded
• analysis of performance of different groups to ensure any gaps in achievement are identified and a plan developed to narrow them
• use of external sources of information such as websites, journals, visits to other providers etc. to gain an insight into best practice that can be adopted
• aligning this policy to our quality improvement plan

These items are standing agenda items to be reviewed and discussed, minuted and actioned at team meetings, management meetings and governance meetings.

Review of this policy

This policy is effective from 11th January 2022

The effectiveness and validity of this policy will be reviewed annually, unless an update is required beforehand due to a change of legislation or any event that requires it

[1] The term clients encompasses customers and employers of apprentices