Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy

Purpose

This policy outlines Good Maven’s commitment to building and maintaining an equitable and inclusive environment for all clients, coaches and personnel and ensuring everyone has access to the conditions they need to deliver their best work, develop and succeed, and be recognised for their contributions to Good Maven.

Scope

All Good Maven personnel (employees and contractors), coaches, vendors and client partners are also expected to abide by this policy.

Definitions

For definitions used in this policy, see Appendix 1

Legislative Context

This policy is set within the following legislation: 

  • UK Equality Act (2010) 

  • UK Protection from Harassment Act (1997)

Policy Statement

Good Maven is committed to creating an equitable and inclusive culture by supporting, enabling and promoting equity and inclusion in all of our working practices, including individual behaviours, company policies and team processes. This commitment involves:

  • Removing barriers to access and equality of opportunity.

  • Elimination and prevention of direct discrimination and indirect discrimination.

  • Promotion of dignity, safety and respect for people of all identities, backgrounds and communities.

Good Maven does not tolerate discrimination (including indirect discrimination), harassment (including sexual harassment), and victimisation of any kind, especially where this is based on a protected characteristic and marginalised identity. We are determined to build an inclusive and equitable culture. Manager and staff responsibilities must be seen in this context.

Along with a commitment to meeting our legal compliance requirements in support of marginalised staff, Good Maven is committed to going beyond these, in line with our organisational values.

Roles and Responsibilities

It is incumbent on all members of the Good Maven community, including staff and contractors, to behave with dignity, courtesy and respect and to at all times act in a manner that does not discriminate, harass or victimise. 

The Founder

The Founder is legally responsible for ensuring Good Maven’s compliance with equality and diversity legislation, seeking assurances from the executive that the Company is delivering on its legal duties and regulatory requirements. The Founder will ensure there are arrangements in place to: 

  • eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation; 

  • advance equality of opportunity between people who do and do not share a protected characteristic; and 

  • foster good relations between people who share and those who do not share a protected characteristic. 

The Founder is responsible for the approval and oversight of the implementation of equity, diversity and inclusivity policies and strategies. 

Personnel

Whether you are a member of staff, defined in your contract of employment, or a contractor defined in your contract for services, you are part of the Good Maven personnel team. In setting out our company equity, diversity and inclusion policy, we use the word “personnel” to cover employees and contractors.

Personnel are responsible for: 

  • Supporting, implementing and abiding by the aims and contents of this policy statement.

  • Using their role to promote equality of opportunity for staff.

  • Contributing to an inclusive culture which celebrates diversity, and where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, in line with Good Maven values.

  • Reporting any witnessed or suspected incidents of discrimination, harassment or victimisation immediately to their line manager, Director or Founder or to Human Resources or challenging inappropriate behaviour safely.

Communication

This policy is available to all Good Maven personnel and the public via Good Maven’s website.

Breach of the Policy

Good Maven will take very seriously breaches of the equity, diversity and inclusion policy by anyone within the scope of this policy. Any breaches will be investigated with the intent of resolving such matters. Where appropriate, such instances may be considered under the relevant disciplinary policy for staff.

Any breaches relating to discrimination, harassment, victimisation or hate incidents (this could be experienced as bullying relating to a protected characteristic or marginalised identity) should be addressed through the following approaches: 

  • Staff may address this informally and directly, raise this with their line manager, or directly to the Founder.

  • Employees may address this informally and directly, raise this with their line manager, or raise this through Good Mavens Human Resources Service. 

  • Anyone else within the scope of this policy may raise this in writing by emailing meg@goodmaven.com 

Review

This Policy will be reviewed by the Founder in association with the Executive team, employee representatives (where appropriate) and relevant managers in response to statutory changes, changes in Good Maven structures or as a result of monitoring the application of the policy. The policy will be reviewed at least every year.

Appendix 1: Definitions

Direct discrimination 

Actions where people are treated less favourably than others on grounds related to their identity as one of the above protected groups.

Diversity

Valuing and welcoming people for who they are, as they are. Prioritising actions and initiatives that facilitate meaningful presence of diverse marginalised communities within Good Maven.

Equality of Opportunity

This is the right of individuals and protected groups to equality of access and outcome in employment and service delivery.

Equity

Prioritising actions and initiatives that break down systemic barriers for marginalised communities. 

Harassment

Harassment under the Equality act is regarding unwanted conduct which has the purpose or effect of violating a person's dignity, or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that person.

There are three types of harassment which are unlawful under the Equality Act: 

  1. Harassment related to a relevant protected characteristic.

  2. Sexual harassment.

  3. Less favourable treatment of a person because they submit to or reject sexual harassment or harassment related to sex. 

Indirect Discrimination

This occurs where a condition or requirement has been put in place which applies to all, but, in practice, has a detrimental effect upon a group of individuals that cannot be fully justified without recourse to harmful false logics that position the group in question as fundamentally responsible for the detrimental effect experienced.

Inclusion

The presence, contributions, needs and perspectives of marginalised groups are valued and integrated within the culture and structure of an organisation.

Positive Action

This is action taken by an organisation to provide development and access opportunities for ‘Protected groups’ who are demonstrably and statistically under-represented.

Protected Groups

Equality legislation currently provides protection against unlawful discrimination in employment and service delivery for these protected characteristics: 

  • Age 

  • Disability 

  • Gender reassignment 

  • Marriage and civil partnership 

  • Pregnancy and maternity 

  • Race 

  • Religion and Belief 

  • Sex 

  • Sexual orientation

Marginalised Community/Identity

Societies have long been organised by systems of oppression that marginalise some communities while prioritising others. This means that the way communities are perceived, valued and given access to power and opportunity to succeed and thrive are shaped by these systems. In line with this systemic approach to social justice and anti-oppression we recognise that people are marginalised on the basis of: 

  • Class

  • Disability

  • Ethnicity

  • Gender

  • Race

  • Religion

  • Sexual or Romantic orientation

Victimisation

This is the treatment of someone less favourably because they have made or might make a complaint about discrimination under one of the above protected group categories.