EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES POLICY
Toynbee Hall is committed to equal opportunities in employment, service delivery and
use of property. It is recognised that in our society groups and individuals have been,
and continue to be, discriminated against on the basis of age, disability, gender
reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or
belief, sex or sexual orientation.
Toynbee Hall is committed to providing a working environment in which employees are
able to realise their full potential and to contribute to its business success irrespective of
their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and
maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. This is a key employment
value to which all employees are expected to give their support.
In order to create conditions in which this goal can be realised, Toynbee Hall is
committed to promoting genuine equality of opportunities throughout the organisation.
Toynbee Hall expects employees to support this commitment and to assist in its
realisation in all possible ways.
Specifically, Toynbee Hall aims to ensure that no employee or candidate is subject to
unlawful discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage
or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual
orientation. This commitment applies to all aspects of employment, including:

recruitment and selection, including advertisements, job descriptions, interview
and selection procedures;
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training;
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promotion and career development opportunities;

terms and conditions of employment, and access to employment related benefits
and facilities;

grievance handling and the application of disciplinary procedures; and
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selection for redundancy.
Equal opportunities practice is developing constantly as social attitudes and legislation
change. Toynbee Hall will keep its policies under review and will implement changes
where these could improve equality of opportunity. This commitment applies to all of
Toynbee Hall’s employment policies and procedures, not just those specifically
connected with equal opportunities.
Toynbee Hall’s commitment to equal opportunities reflects its charitable objectives and
its historic and present mission to those who are in need.
The aim of this Equal Opportunities Policy is to ensure that no job applicant, employee,
volunteer or service user receives less favourable treatment than any other on the
grounds stated above.
Toynbee Hall is committed to taking positive steps to provide genuine equality of
opportunity to enable the organisation to make full and effective use of its workforce and
to provide a high quality service for users.
The policy and its implementation will be regularly reviewed to ensure its effectiveness.
Employment Procedure
Toynbee Hall will actively promote equal opportunities through the provision of
employment policies (full copies of which are available as part of the ‘Employee
Handbook’) which will ensure all individuals are treated fairly and consistently with due
regard to their abilities, potential, skill and ability.
Toynbee Hall will recruit staff through an open and transparent process:
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All posts will be publicly displayed to ensure they reach a wide audience.
All posts will have a job description and person specification accurately reflecting
the duties, levels of responsibility, necessary and desirable skills, experience,
knowledge and aptitude required.
The interview panel will independently short-list applicants and agree a preset list
of questions to ensure each candidate is interviewed and scored consistently.
Job offers will be made accordingly.
Successful candidates may be asked to provide details of race, gender, religion and
disability which allows Toynbee Hall to monitor equal opportunities in the recruitment
process. Any information received will be handled in accordance with the Data
Protection Act.
Employment conditions will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that no member of
staff or volunteer is discriminated against.
Toynbee Hall operates a system for grievance and disciplinary issues in order to
guarantee the fairness and consistency in the treatment of individuals. (The full
procedures are set out in the ‘Employee Handbook’).
Volunteers
Toynbee Hall is committed to equal opportunities in its policies for volunteers as for paid
employees.
Harassment
Harassment is physical, verbal or non verbal behaviour which is unwanted and
personally offensive to the recipient, and which causes the recipient to feel threatened,
humiliated, intimidated, patronised, denigrated, bullied, distressed or harassed.
The way in which complaints of Unlawful Discrimination and Harassment will be
handled
Discrimination and harassment are often complex matters, and there is no single way of
dealing with every suspected or alleged instance. In some cases employees may be
able to deal satisfactorily with an issue informally by raising it with their immediate
manager.
Should an employee feel that they have been harassed by a third party they should
initially speak to their line manager, providing full details of their complaint, to see if the
matter can be resolved informally.
If an employee wishes to make a formal complaint he or she should use Toynbee Halls
Grievance Procedure which is set out in the Employee Handbook.
Toynbee Hall will treat seriously all allegations of unlawful discrimination or harassment.
If an employee is accused of Unlawful Discrimination or Harassment
If an employee is accused of unlawful discrimination or harassment, Toynbee Hall will
investigate the matter fully.
In the course of the investigation the employee will be given the opportunity to respond
to the allegation and provide an explanation of his or her actions.
If Toynbee Hall concludes that no unlawful discrimination or harassment has occurred,
this will be the end of the matter.
If Toynbee Hall concludes that the claim is false or malicious the complainant may be
subject to disciplinary action.
If on the other hand Toynbee Hall concludes that the employee’s actions amount to
unlawful discrimination or harassment he or she may be subject to disciplinary action, up
to and including summary dismissal for gross misconduct.
Monitoring
Toynbee Hall will not tolerate unlawful discrimination or harassment of any kind in the
working environment and will take positive action to prevent its occurrence.
In this connection Toynbee Hall will monitor its policies and will implement changes in
order to improve them as social attitudes and legislation change. This commitment
applies to all of Toynbee Hall’s employment policies and procedures, not just those
specifically concerned with equal opportunities.
Service Delivery
Toynbee Hall will endeavour to ensure that all its service users receive service of the
highest quality which is accessible to as wide a group of service users as possible.
Toynbee Hall recognises the fact that different groups of people have different needs
and may require specific services (for example, a service for pensioners or women only)
but will continue to implement its equal opportunities policies so individual users are
treated consistently and fairly within any specified group.
Toynbee Hall will seek the views of users through a variety of routes and ensure their
views are represented.
Toynbee Hall will not accept discriminatory behaviour within its services. Where a
service user behaves in a discriminatory way it will be explained to them why this is not
acceptable and they will be asked not to repeat the offending behaviour. Where they
persist with their behaviour they will be asked to leave and in extreme cases Toynbee
Hall will consider withdrawing its services from that service user. The service user will
have the right to appeal.
If a service user feels that Toynbee Hall has not followed the equal opportunities policy
they should make a complaint through the complaints procedure.
Property
The use of Toynbee Hall’s property falls into three categories:
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commercial,
residential, and
for Toynbee Hall’s direct use
Toynbee Hall are prepared to let their residential accommodation to any individual able
to meet the financial liabilities and to comply with the regulations set out in their licensing
documents (which are common to all lettings) and which have been initiated for the
benefit of the complex as a whole.
In furtherance of Toynbee Hall’s charitable objectives some of the residential
accommodation comprises:

Supported housing earmarked for occupation by people above a particular age
who may require special care and attention.

Residential accommodation allocated for residential volunteers who in addition to
their rent payments are contracted to undertake voluntary work on behalf of the
organisation. There is a selection process for these places which conforms to
the equal opportunities statement.
In the case of commercial accommodation/workroom and conference space these
facilities are available to any individual or organisation able to meet their financial
liabilities and to comply with the regulations set out in their licensing and or
contractual/documents. These documents are common across the commercial lettings.
In relation to the conference and meeting facilities demand outstrips supply so early
booking helps secure a date and venue of preference.
Toynbee Hall reserves the right to withhold facilities from individuals, groups or
organisations whose aims and objectives are incompatible with Toynbee’s charitable
objectives.
When space becomes available, as part of the commercial lettings, Toynbee Hall
recognises the priority of existing occupiers who wish to expand within the campus. If
commercial or residential users wish they can be placed on a waiting list.
Toynbee Hall is committed to improving access to the campus for people with
disabilities.
For a full statement on the objectives and operations of the estate please refer to ‘A
handbook for users, tenants and licensees of the buildings at Toynbee Hall, 28
Commercial St, London, E1.’
Last updated: December 2010