Equality, Diversity and
Inclusion Policy 2013
Summary Policy Information
Name:
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy
Purpose:
To explain the University approach towards Equality, Diversity and
Inclusion
Approving body:
Employment and Finance Committee
Person responsible:
Equality and Diversity Manager
Consultation:
All staff and students – March/April 2013
Scope:
This policy covers anyone who interacts with the University – staff,
students, partners, contractors and all other stakeholders
Date of approval:
November 2013
Proposed date of review:
2016
“Transforming people and communities by delivering accessible, high quality, higher education
through partnership-working with our students, our customers and our staff.”
University mission statement, University Plan 2012-17
Contents
Our Commitment to Equality and Diversity ............................................................................................ 3
Our Legal Obligations .............................................................................................................................. 4
Our Responsibilities: What You Can Expect From Us ............................................................................. 5
Your Responsibilities: What We Can Expect From You .......................................................................... 6
Equality and Diversity in Practice............................................................................................................ 7
Measuring our Progress and Making Improvements ............................................................................. 8
Useful Links ............................................................................................................................................. 9
Appendix 1: Definitions of Protected Characteristics ........................................................................... 10
Appendix 2 –Glossary of Terms ............................................................................................................ 11
Our Commitment to Equality and Diversity
A MESSAGE FROM THE VICE CHANCELLOR
The achievement of the University Plan is paramount to our success as a University and the effective
involvement of our staff and our students will be critical in accomplishing this.
One of the values within the Plan is being ‘people-focused’ and a key element of this is our approach
to equality and diversity.
We are committed to fostering an inclusive community which encourages students and staff to fulfil
their potential and which values every individual for their unique contribution to the success of the
University.
Our aim is to foster an environment of openness in which everyone is valued equally and can
participate with confidence. We recognise that the synergy of a diverse community will bring new
ideas, exchanges and inter-relationships which will enrich the University environment for the benefit
of all.
This document explains how our approach to equality, diversity and inclusion underpins what we are
trying to achieve through the University Plan and why it will be integral to our ultimate success.
Michael Gunn – Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer
“Being people focused for us means respecting and valuing everyone’s contribution to our University
community. We have a long-standing commitment to equality, diversity, social inclusion and
mobility. We see these are central to our success in building an inclusive and welcoming
environment for all.”
University Plan 2012-17
Our Legal Obligations
The Equality Act 2010 was introduced to ensure protection from discrimination, harassment and
victimisation on the grounds of various protected characteristic s. This means that we cannot
discriminate against students, staff or visitors or treat them less favourably because of their:
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Age
Sex (gender)
Race
Disability
Religion or belief
Gender reassignment
Sexual orientation
Pregnancy or maternity
Marriage or civil partnership
(Appendix 1 provides a definition of each of these protected characteristics.)
This legislation applies not only to the University as an organisation but also to anyone working or
studying with us and any partners, contractors and stakeholders.
The Equality Act requires all public organisations, including Universities to comply with the Public
Sector Equality Duty and two specific duties.
The Public Sector Equality Duty or “general duty” requires us to:
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Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
Advance equality of opportunity between different groups
Foster good relations between different groups
The two “specific duties” require us to:
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Publish information to show compliance with the Equality Duty on an annual basis
Publish Equality objectives at least every 4 years which are specific and measureable
Section 5 details how we put all this into practice.
Our Responsibilities: What You Can Expect From Us
At Staffordshire University we strive to ensure that all our students and staff are able to study or
work in an environment free from discrimination, harassment and victimisation.
Although the Equality Act 2010 requires us to focus on the nine specific ‘protected characteristics’,
at Staffordshire University, equality is much more than just abiding by the legislation – we want to
provide an environment that gives people the confidence to perform at their best.
So whatever your background, nationality, cultural heritage, age, race, disability, ethnic origin,
gender, sexual orientation, religion, belief colour, gender identity, skills and experiences – we want
you to feel completely confident that you can fulfil your potential.
We recognise the full value of diversity and will provide equality of opportunity for all our students
and staff by:
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Working pro-actively to promote good relations between all students and staff
Taking effective action to prevent discrimination, bullying or harassment on any grounds
Promoting equality of access to education, training and development
Providing flexible learning and working opportunities to support differing aspirations and
goals
Promoting good practice in all activities such as recruitment, selection promotion and
curriculum practices
Listening to and learning from our students, staff and partners
Promoting, managing and monitoring equality and diversity across the University and in
particular focussing on the nine protected characteristics
Your University will:
Recognise, respect and value your contribution to the University community.
Retain its commitment to the values of equality, diversity and inclusion and mobility.
Take all reasonable steps to provide a vibrant, healthy, safe, accessible, inclusive, equitable and
sustainable learning environment, free from harassment or discrimination of any kind.
(Student Charter 2012)
Quotes from the University Plan 2012-17
“The University will not tolerate bullying or harassment of any kind and will investigate thoroughly
any complaint from any member of staff or student who alleges this kind of behaviour.”
“Working together to increase the engagement levels of our staff and to provide an inclusive and
equitable working environment.”
Your Responsibilities: What We Can Expect From You
We all have a responsibility to ensure that, as a minimum, we meet our legal duties in terms of
equality. However we have specific expectations in terms of:
Our Staff – we expect all our staff (whether managing staff, teaching, supporting, advising,
challenging or developing students) to be ambassadors for the university and to ensure that in all
their dealings with other colleagues, students and visitors they behave professionally and in a way
that encourages inclusion and promotes equality.
Our Executive Team and Senior Managers – we expect our senior managers to lead by example and
live the values outlined in the University Plan. As guardians of the culture of the University it is key to
our success that our leaders and managers are seen to provide an exemplary model of good practice
in eliminating discrimination, bullying and harassment and advancing equality and promoting good
relations.
Our Governors – we expect our Governors to challenge our approach to equality to ensure that it is
robust and to behave at all times in a way that reflects our values. A key role is also to champion and
promote an inclusive environment and ensure that progress is being made against our equality
objectives.
Our Students – we expect our students to be considerate of others during their time at the
University. Fellow students, staff and visitors should be valued and treated with respect as outlined
in the Student Charter and the Student Behaviour Policy.
A key part of the student experience is to collaborate with a diverse range of people. This will
provide invaluable understanding of others’ culture, background, outlook and experiences in
readiness for the world of work.
Our Visitors, Partners, Contractors and other External Stakeholders – we expect everyone who
works with us or engages with our community to behave in a way that reflects the values and ethos
outlined in this document.
Our legal responsibilities for equality cover everyone who interacts with us and we expect the
highest standards of behaviour from all our stakeholders. As a minimum we expect everyone to:
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Behave in a way that promotes a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone
Treat each other with dignity and respect at all times
Staffordshire University promotes the following workplace values:
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Respect and support for the rights and dignity of all individuals
Open and constructive debate that respects the views of others
A collaborative and co-operative approach based on mutual trust
Recognising and valuing diversity in the workplace as a strength on which to build
Code of Conduct 2002
Equality and Diversity in Practice
There are a number of ways in which we ensure that equality and diversity underpin our day to day
activities including the following:
Having a number of Policies that describe in detail the expectations outlined on the previous page:
University Plan 2012-17, Student Charter, Student Regulations, Student Behaviour Policy, Staff Code
of Conduct, Staff Bullying and Harassment Policy.
Developing University Equality Objectives. Our equality objectives demonstrate our commitment to
achieving significant positive change over the coming four years. We expect the achievement of
these objectives to result in meaningful improvements for all staff and students. In addition to these
benefits, the development and publication of these objectives helps us to fulfil our obligations under
the Public Sector Equality Duty.
Developing Equality Action Plans for each Faculty or Service. These plans embed equality and
diversity at a departmental level and ensure that every area of the University contributes effectively
to progressing equality.
Carrying out an Equality Analysis as part of our everyday business. This approach should improve the
way we make decisions and improve the service that we provide to our customers. It will also help
us to meet our legal duties by showing that we have paid due regard to the Public Sector Equality
Duty when developing and implementing changes to strategy, policy and practice.
Including equality as an item on the agenda for every Executive Team meeting and every Service or
Faculty Management Team meeting to ensure that equality issues are considered as a matter of
routine.
Monitoring equality as part of the Quarterly Business Review process to ensure that progress is
being made against identified actions.
Having a comprehensive Equality and Diversity web site with resources for staff and students
including information on protected characteristics, the inclusive curriculum, equality analysis,
training and events www.staffs.ac.uk/diversity.
Populating our Equality Forum with articles, reports and data to provide staff with information and
updates as well as an opportunity to discuss the latest developments.
Celebrating our diverse community and commemorating important equality events through a range
of activities such as our diverse fashion show, the annual Holocaust Memorial lecture, the annual
international Women’s Day lecture and activities to raise awareness during Black History Month,
Disability History Month and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans History Month.
Supporting initiatives such as Stonewall Diversity Champions, Athena Swan, the Frank Buttle Trust
and Disabled Go to promote equality and benchmark our progress.
Developing and delivering training. There are training opportunities available for staff and students
on a wide range of equality issues, such as discrimination, cross-cultural communication, various
aspects of disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief, transgender, age, gender and race.
Establishing consultation groups such as the Disabled Staff Forum and the Disabled Student
Engagement Group so that any disabled staff or student can contribute to improving the way we
support disabled people across the University.
Having a range of student societies/groups that provide support for individuals, raise awareness of
issues and organise events. More information about these groups can be found on the Students’
Union website www.staffsunion.com. These groups include: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender
society, African Caribbean society, Chinese society, Mature Students’ society, Liberation Forums
(Disability, BME, Women’s’, LGBT).
Providing a range of Support Services for students – such as Counselling, Chaplaincy, Nurseries,
Information Services, International Office, Careers, Finance, Disabled Student Support, Staffordshire
Regional Access Centre.
Quote from the Bullying and Harassment Policy 2008:
“The University welcomes diversity and believes that every person has a right to work in an
environment which encourages harmonious relationships. The University is committed to preventing
harassment and bullying…”
Measuring our Progress and Making Improvements
Monitoring our progress is now embedded as part of our business cycle and we expect that this
approach will mean that we achieve the objectives that we have set and also identify future actions
to enable continuous improvement. Some of the ways in which we will do this include:
Measuring progress against our Faculty/Service action plans every three months as part of the
Quarterly Business Review process.
Providing an Annual Report to Governors which will summarise progress against our University
Equality Objectives and our equality key performance indicators.
Monitoring trends from the equality statistics that we publish annually.
Assessing the success of our training and events by asking for regular feedback from participants.
Evaluating our progress by undertaking regular equality environment audits with staff and students.
Identifying and setting actions to address any equality issues highlighted in staff and student surveys.
Identifying future actions as we monitor and evaluate our progress.
Useful Links
Equality and Diversity webpage
www.staffs.ac.uk/diversity
Equality Forum
http://blogs.staffs.ac.uk/equalityforum/
Equality Challenge Unit
www.ecu.ac.uk
Equality and Human Rights Commission
www.equalityhumanrights.com
Appendix 1: Definitions of Protected Characteristics
Age
Where this is referred to, it refers to a person belonging to a particular age (e.g. 32 year olds) or
range of ages (e.g. 18-30 year olds).
Disability
A person has a disability is s/he has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and
long-term adverse effect on that person’s ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
Gender reassignment
The process of transitioning from one gender to another.
Marriage and civil partnership
Marriage is defined as a ‘union between a man and a woman’. Same sex couples can have their
relationships legally recognised as ‘civil partnerships’. Civil partners must be treated the same as
married couples on a wide range of legal matters.
Pregnancy and maternity
Pregnancy is the condition of being pregnant or expecting a baby. Maternity refers to the period
after the birth, and is linked to maternity leave in the employment context. In the non-work context,
protection against maternity discrimination is for 26 weeks after giving birth, and this includes
treating a woman unfavourably because she is breastfeeding.
Race
Refers to the protected characteristic of Race. It refers to group of people defined by their race,
colour, and nationality (including citizenship) ethnic or national origins.
Religion and belief
Religion has the meaning usually given to it but belief includes religious and philosophical beliefs
including lack of belief (e.g. Atheism). Generally, a belief should affect your life choices or the way
you live for it to be included in the definition.
Sex
A man or a woman.
Sexual Orientation
Whether a person’s sexual attraction is towards their own sex, the opposite sex or to both sexes.
Appendix 2: Glossary of Terms
Due to the nature of each of the protected characteristics it means that discrimination can take
many forms as detailed below.
Direct Discrimination
Direct Discrimination consists of treating a person less favourably than others on the grounds of age,
disability, gender reassignment, race, religion & belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage & civil
partnerships & pregnancy and maternity.
Discrimination by Perception
A person treated less favourably or harassed/victimised based on a perception that the affected has
one of the protected characteristics and is targeted because of this.
Discrimination by Association
Associative discrimination is behaviour motivated against an individual because of their association
with someone who has a protected characteristic.
Indirect Discrimination
Indirect discrimination is a condition or requirement that applies to all, but in practice;
 has a detrimental effect upon a group of individuals
 means that a smaller proportion of people of a particular protected group can comply than
the proportion of other persons;
 and cannot be fully justified
Discrimination Arising from Disability
Someone is treated unfavourably because of something connected to their disability and there is no
good reason for doing this.
It is also disability discrimination if someone does not make adjustments to allow disabled people to
access a service or carry out a job. For example, providing an information leaflet in Braille. This is
called the duty to make reasonable adjustments.
Harassment
Harassment takes many forms. It is the unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct that
creates an intimidating, hostile or humiliating environment for the recipient.
The definition of harassment according to the act is described as follows: violating a person’s dignity
 creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for the
person.
Victimisation
Victimisation consists of taking actions against a person or treating him/her less favourably for
asserting his/her rights or because he/she has taken action in support of the rights of people in the
groups. To treat then unfairly: to single somebody out unfairly for punishment or ill treatment.