22.1   Principles

• The Company is committed to the principle of managing diversity and seeks to provide all employees with equality of opportunity for employment, career development and selection on the basis of ability, qualifications and suitability for the work
• The Company wishes to promote the utilisation of your knowledge, skills, experience and inventiveness to improve the operations and commercial success of the business, regardless of your sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, religion, disability, ethnicity or race.
• It is the responsibility of all employees in their daily actions and behaviour to endeavour to promote these concepts and at a practical level to comply with all relevant legislation and to ensure that they do not discriminate against colleagues or customers.

22.2

• Specifically, there must be no discrimination against any person on the grounds of race, religion, age, sex, marital status, disability or sexual orientation, whether in the field of recruitment, terms and conditions of employment, career progression, training, transfer or dismissal.

22.3  Policy

• This policy applies equally to all employees (i.e. full time, part time, temporary or contractors).
• The Company will not tolerate acts that breach this policy and all such breaches or alleged breaches will be taken seriously and will be thoroughly investigated, where appropriate using the Grievance Procedure or Disciplinary Procedure
• Any employee found guilty of having been engaged in conduct that was discriminatory will be liable to disciplinary action, which may include the summary termination of his or her employment without notice and without compensation.

22.4

• The Company fully recognizes and will comply with its legal obligations. Copies of this legislation are available for perusal in the Personnel Department.

22.5

• Any employee has a right to raise for investigation any conduct, which he or she believes is discriminatory in its nature.

22.6

• The overall responsibility for monitoring the effectiveness of this policy rests with the Company’s managers, including senior managers.

22.7

• Each employee has the responsibility to give practical effect to this policy. It is not sufficient to allow another to be the victim of discrimination and wait for that person to complain.

22.8  Procedure

• If an employee feels that he or she, or another employee, has not been treated in accordance with this policy the matter should be brought to the attention of the departmental manager.
• The complaint will be investigated promptly and confidentially. The purpose of the investigation will be to establish the facts and decide whether disciplinary action should be taken. All persons involved and any witnesses will be given an opportunity to be heard on the complaint
• The result of any investigation will be communicated to all persons directly involved.