Part of Fairhive's Customer Care Framework - Level 1 policy.

1. Introduction

1.1. We have diverse customers, a diverse workforce and works in diverse communities.  It is therefore important that equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is at the heart of everything we do - both as a service provider and as an employer.

1.2. Our aim is to make sure that our residents/tenants, employees and the communities we serve are treated fairly and equitably, without discrimination or prejudice.

1.3. By having and implementing an EDI Policy, we aim to prevent discrimination occurring in any aspect of our work, to promote equality of opportunity and good relations and to comply with the law.

1.4. Our vision is: ‘Homes for living, Communities for life’, and we want every customer and employee to feel that:

  • they are valued and treated with courtesy and respect regardless of their background, beliefs or personal circumstances
  • they get equal access to our services and that we make reasonable adjustments to our services, where we can, to meet their demands
  • they trust us as an organisation that really listens, understands their needs and does its best to meet them.

2. Policy Statement

2.1. All managers are responsible for making sure:

  • they provide equal employment opportunities for all, making reasonable adjustments for individuals where appropriate
  • their employees receive appropriate training and understand their responsibilities
  • they take EDI issues into account in decision-making and service planning
  • Equality Impact Assessments are carried out where required
  • they analyse access to and satisfaction with the services under their control by all groups of residents.

2.2. Everyone in Fairhive has a duty to uphold the EDI Policy by:

  • acting and behaving at all times in a way that supports the principles of equality
  • treating all customers, colleagues, potential future employees and members of the public with respect and courtesy at all times
  • taking EDI issues into account in service delivery
  • complying with policies and procedures relating to EDI
  • challenging discrimination and inequality, bringing suspected instances to their line manager’s attention.

2.3. Breaches of the Policy are taken seriously and can result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.

2.4. We will be an accessible organisation by:

  • providing a range of contact methods, shaped to customers’ needs and preferences
  • promoting services proactively and through a range of channels
  • monitoring how our services are accessed and taking action to ensure that all service users have equality of access
  • maintaining a website which is informative and easy to use
  • providing information which is clear, relevant and written in plain English
  • providing information in alternative formats and/or alternative languages where a need for this is identified or requested
  • having accessible customer-facing premises and working environments
  • adapting homes and communal areas to improve accessibility and promote continued independent living where appropriate and possible
  • ensuring employment opportunities are accessible to all through a diverse range of recruitment and advertising methods
  • making reasonable adjustments for employees in the workplace where necessary and appropriate.

2.5. We will meet the needs of our customers by:

  • using the customer’s preferred communication methods wherever possible
  • tailoring the way we deliver key services to individuals to meet their needs and preferences wherever possible
  • using customer diversity information to make services more efficient and effective
  • ensuring key customer-facing policies and procedures have due consideration of EDI issues and are applied in a fair and non-discriminatory way
  • taking action to address any issues of inequality or discrimination identified
  • supporting customers who have been harassed, including addressing perpetrator behaviour, if appropriate
  • ensuring employees and contractors are respectful, dedicated to our EDI commitments and responsive to customers’ needs
  • providing a range of involvement opportunities that suit the needs and preferences of our customers
  • seeking and acting on customer feedback to continually improve key services.

2.6. We will meet the needs of our employees by:

  • having a fair and robust policy and procedure in place for recruitment and selection
  • providing equality of opportunity to all
  • ensuring key employee policies and procedures are robust, deliver what they promise, have due regard for EDI issues and are applied in a fair and non-discriminatory way.
  • encouraging and promoting respect in the workplace
  • taking action to address any issues of inequality or discrimination identified
  • taking a zero tolerance approach to bullying and harassment of our employees, including third party harassment
  • seeking and acting on employees’ feedback where we can and regularly reviewing levels of employee satisfaction with Fairhive as an employer
  • equipping employees with appropriate EDI training and guidance.
  • Provide a range of Inclusion Networks throughout the year for our employees to raise awareness about key EDI topics and provide safe spaces of support for our employees.

2.7. We will work with others and in the community by:

  • seeking to have a Board, senior management team and workforce that is broadly representative of the communities we serve
  • seeking to work with contractors and partners that share similar EDI commitments
  • requiring any company employed by Fairhive to have an EDI policy or to sign up to and support our EDI commitments
  • requiring customers who regularly take part in involvement activities e.g. those who are members of the various resident groups, such as the Tenant Scrutiny Panel to sign up to and support our EDI commitments
  • liaising with expert organisations in EDI e.g. Stonewall, the Department of Work and Pensions who promote the Disability Confident scheme, etc. to improve the work that we do
  • promoting inclusion and community cohesion through our community engagement work
  • seeking to work with hard to reach groups through our community engagement work
  • encouraging and promoting respect in the workplace.
  • As a Disability Confident Leader, support and encourage other businesses in Buckinghamshire to also become Disability Confident

3. Implementation

3.1. Our Board through the Chief Executive has overall responsibility for this Policy, its development, review and monitoring. The Executive Leadership Team is responsible for the implementation of this policy.

3.2. All employees have responsibility for the implementation of the policy in their day to day work.

4. Monitoring

4.1. The effectiveness of the policy will be monitored by the Assistant Director of Housing and the Head of People Engagement in the following ways:

  • assessment of the equality impact that policies and services are having or may potentially have on customers and employees
  • the monitoring and learning from satisfaction analysis, complaints received by Fairhive and feedback received through any other channels
  • sharing any equality and diversity learnings from employee relations cases with the Executive Leadership Team

4.2. An update on EDI is provided annually to the Board summarising developments during the year.

4.3. The monitoring of this policy and its effectiveness will be reviewed in the light of changing legislative and regulatory requirements.

5. Review

5.1. This policy will be reviewed every three years or more frequently if legislation or circumstances dictate.

6. Impacts

Resident/Staff Implications - 

This policy has been written in line with the Equality Act 2010 and feedback from employees, residents and other stakeholders.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion - 

An Equality Impact Assessment is not required as the policy is written in line with the Equality Act 2010. This Policy sets out Fairhive’s approach to EDI, including a commitment to continually assess the equality impact of key policies and procedures that affect customers and employees.

Value for Money - 

Adherence to this policy will ensure services are delivered in the most effective and efficient way to meet the needs of our customers, reducing instances of dissatisfaction with our services.

Data Protection - 

The collection and maintenance of EDI data is crucial to us to be able to delivery services that are appropriate for the diverse needs of our residents.

Accountability - 

All employees are required to undertake annual training on EDI matters, and the policy makes it clear what responsibilities employees have.

Quality - 

A resident census is carried out periodically, and employees are encouraged to complete their EDI data on our HR IT system.

When things go wrong - 

We have a comprehensive, published complaints system which is accessible to all, with regular ‘lessons learnt’ exercises carried out.

7. Legislation and other documents

7.1. The Equality Act 2010 legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society and has replaced all previous and existing equality law. The Act provides a new, cross-cutting framework, aiming to advance equality of opportunity, protect individuals from unfair treatment and promote a fair and more equal society.

7.2. People are protected from discrimination on the basis of certain criteria, referred to in the Act as ‘protected characteristics’.

7.3. The 9 protected characteristics are as follows:

  1. Age
  2. Disability
  3. Gender reassignment
  4. Marriage or civil partnership
  5. Pregnancy and maternity
  6. Race
  7. Religion or Belief
  8. Sex (gender)
  9. Sexual orientation

7.4. The Equality Act provides protection against a range of prohibited conduct, such as:

  1. Direct discrimination, including by association and perception
  2. Indirect discrimination- this covers all the protected characteristics
  3. Pregnancy and maternity discrimination
  4. Harassment
  5. Victimisation
  6. Discrimination arising from disability
  7. Failure to make reasonable adjustments.

A range of strategies, policies and other documents will impact upon and/or reflect this policy. These include:

The Equality Act 2010
The Human Rights Act 1998
Access and Customer Care Policy
Allocations and Lettings Policy
Bucks Home Choice Allocations Policy
Bullying & Harassment Policy
Code of Conduct for Employees
Communications Framework
Complaints Policy
Data Protection Policy
Discrimination & Racial Harassment Policy
Customer Service Commitments
Recruitment & Selection Policy
Hate Crime and Harassment Policy
Maternity Policy
Recruitment of Ex-offenders Policy

Policy author details
Author Heledd Williams
Job title Assistant Director of Housing
Date approved September 2023
Review due date September 2026

 

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