Equality and Diversity Policy
Our commitment to Equality and Diversity in employment
The LG Group (comprising the LG Association, LG Improvement and Development, LG Employers, LG Regulation, LG Leadership and Local Partnerships) are committed to promoting and valuing diversity in every aspect of the work they carry out. We will strive to ensure that
- We treat all individuals fairly, with dignity and respect
- The opportunities we provide are open to all
- We benefit from the skills, talents and experience offered by a diverse workforce reflecting all sections of our communities
- We build a working environment based on inclusiveness and merit
Discrimination
We are opposed to all forms of discrimination on the grounds of race, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, HIV status, disability, religion or belief, or the imposition of any conditions or requirements that do not accord with the principles of fairness and natural justice.
We are committed to monitoring our employment practice through various means (workforce monitoring, perceptions surveys, etc) to identify and address any issues related to equality and diversity and to eliminate any potentially discriminatory practices.
We will develop and promote specific policies or initiatives e.g. race equality and disability equality, through dedicated schemes and action plans with the aim of ensuring an environment free from discrimination or to improve the diversity of the workforce in any under-represented areas.
Scope
The Policy applies to all those who carry out work on behalf of the LG Group, whether directly employed or otherwise.
Corporate and Individual Responsibilities
Corporate responsibility for ensuring that each of the LG Group organisations meets its obligations under this policy rests with the senior management team of each organisation. They will be responsible for putting into place mechanisms and procedures to achieve a culture and environment within their organisation that accords with their statutory obligations and commitment to diversity and equality.
It is the individual responsibility of all who carry out work on behalf of the LG Group, whether directly employed or otherwise to:
- comply with the letter and spirit of this policy;
- be sensitive to the potential impact of their own behaviour on colleagues, customers and job applicants;
- co-operate in the elimination of any discriminatory practices which may be identified.
Recruitment, Selection and Induction
Our recruitment processes are designed to attract applications from all sections of society and to ensure fair treatment throughout the recruitment and selection process. These include:
- Carrying out diversity monitoring of all applicants for jobs and reviewing such information regularly to identify any diversity issues that should be addressed.
- Checking that job and candidate specifications are relevant and non-discriminatory.
- Ensuring that the wording and images used in job adverts reflect and appeal to all sections of society.
- Ensuring that jobs are advertised to reach the appropriate audiences without disadvantaging or excluding certain sections of society
- Communicating our policy to recruitment and employment agencies.
- Short-listing only those people whose skills and qualifications most closely match the job specification, although all applicants with a disability who meet the essential requirements for the job will be guaranteed an interview.
- Using fair and consistent selection methods based on assessment of skills and competencies.
- Keeping records of the recruitment and selection process, including interview notes and assessments.
- Monitoring recruitment and selection to ensure equality of opportunity throughout the process and, if necessary, taking steps to eliminate any potentially discriminatory practices.
- Offering effective induction and training to all recruits and make reasonable adjustments to the working environment or work arrangements to assist people with disabilities to secure their integration into the workplace.
All who are involved in recruitment and selection processes are required to adhere to these principles to ensure that selection decisions are fair and non-discriminatory.
Promotion and Career Development
Promotion and career development opportunities should be open to all, unless there are objectively-justifiable reasons for ring-fencing access to jobs in specific circumstances, e.g. for staff at risk of redundancy due to organisational change.
In making decisions on promotions and career development, we will make decisions based on assessment of talent and experience, rather than on assumptions based on race, age, gender, marital status, disability or other discriminatory grounds.
Learning and Development
The role of learning and development is to improve performance in the job, to develop skills, and to prepare individuals for other roles and responsibilities where appropriate. We will focus on the development needs of individuals to help them to fulfil their full potential in their role and no assumptions will be made based on gender, family commitments, full or part-time working status, or other non-justifiable or discriminatory grounds.
All training materials should be checked to ensure that the language and images used in them reflect the diversity of our employees and customers. We will make reasonable adjustments where necessary to accommodate the specific needs of disabled employees. Wherever possible, a range of training options, such as open learning, computer-based training and regional seminars, will be offered to ensure that all employees have equal access to training irrespective of location or hours of work.
Application of other employment policies
In operating other employment policies and procedures, e.g. disciplinary, capability, management of change procedures, we are committed to ensuring that decisions affecting people’s employment are based on non-discriminatory, objectively-justifiable grounds. All involved in making such decisions are required to comply with this policy.
The ‘Dignity at Work’ policy puts into practice our commitment to promoting dignity at work and preventing harassment.