Equality & Diversity

Summary

Synyega is fully committed to providing equal opportunities for all employees, workers and job applicants, and to eliminating unlawful and unfair discrimination. Synyega aims to create a culture that encourages and values diversity, and that appoints, rewards and promotes staff based on merit.

Recruitment and employment decisions will be made on the basis of fair and objective criteria. The firm’s selection procedures are reviewed from time to time to ensure that they are appropriate for achieving our objectives and for avoiding unlawful discrimination.  Synyega will not unlawfully discriminate against any employee, worker or job applicant because of any 'protected characteristic', namely:

• age
• disability
• gender/gender reassignment
• marriage or civil partnership status
• pregnancy and maternity
• race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origin)
• religion or belief
• sex, or
• sexual orientation

We are committed to ensuring that all staff and job applicants have equal opportunities, our company policy on equality and diversity, covers in particular:

• what we regard as acceptable behaviour at work, and what is not acceptable
• the rights and responsibilities of those to whom the policy applies
• the procedure for dealing with concerns or complaints
• how we will deal with any breach of this policy
• who is responsible for the policy, and
• how it will be implemented, monitored and reviewed.

Our policies apply to employees, temporary and agency workers, interns, volunteers, apprentices and job applicants. All staff are responsible for ensuring that there is no discrimination in the workplace, and for ensuring that this policy is applied on a day-to-day basis. They are also expected to apply the principles of equal opportunities and nondiscrimination in their interactions with customers or clients, suppliers, business partners and visitors. In certain circumstances, an employee can be personally liable for discrimination against a fellow employee or a job applicant.

Equality principles & implementation

As set out in tour employee handbook, there should be no discrimination because of any of the protected characteristics set out in our policy summarised above. The types of discrimination that are prohibited include, but are not limited to the following...

1. Direct discrimination - this is treating someone less favourably (or, in the case of pregnancy and maternity, unfavourably) because of a protected characteristic. An example of this would be paying someone less because of their sex or because they belong to a particular racial group. 'Because of' is very wide and will cover behaviour that takes place, for example because of sexual orientation, even if the person is not in fact gay, and even if the perpetrator knows that they are not gay. It also includes less favourable treatment because someone is associated with another person who has a protected characteristic, e.g. because a worker is the primary carer for a disabled child. Such treatment is unlawful unless, in relation to age only, it can be objectively justified, i.e. the employer can show that it is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.
    
2. Indirect discrimination - this is treating a group of people in the same way, but in a way which adversely affects those with a protected characteristic. An example of this would be telling all employees that they have to work late at night—although applied to everyone, it will adversely affect those employees with childcare responsibilities and these tend to be women. Such treatment is unlawful unless it can be objectively justified.
    
3. Victimisation - this is treating someone less favourably because they have alleged discrimination or asserted their right not to be discriminated against because of a protected characteristic. An example of this would be an employee claiming that they had been discriminated against, who is then refused a reference by their manager because of that claim.
    
4. Harassment - this is unwanted conduct, related to a protected characteristic, which has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for someone or violating their dignity. Harassment may also be of a sexual nature. It may also occur where someone harasses the victim, the victim either rejects or submits to the harassment and, because of that rejection or submission, that person then treats the victim less favourably.
    
5. In the case of disability only, discrimination arising from disability - this is unfavourable treatment of the disabled person because of something arising in consequence of their disability. Such treatment is unlawful unless it can be objectively justified;In the case of disability only, the duty to make reasonable adjustments—this duty comprises three requirements, each of which arises where a disabled person at a substantial disadvantage in relation to a 'relevant matter':
   
   i. the first is a requirement, where a provision, criterion or practice puts a disabled person at a substantial disadvantage in relation to a relevant matter in comparison with persons who are not disabled, to take such steps as it is reasonable to have to take to avoid the disadvantage
   
   ii. the second is a requirement, where a physical feature puts a disabled person at a substantial disadvantage in relation to a relevant matter in comparison with persons who are not disabled, to take such steps as it is reasonable to have to take to avoid the disadvantage; and
   
   iii. the third is a requirement, where a disabled person would, but for the provision of an auxiliary aid, be put at a substantial disadvantage in relation to a relevant matter in comparison with persons who are not disabled, to take such steps as it is reasonable to have to take to provide the auxiliary aid.

Principles & breaches

We will appoint, train, develop, reward and promote on the basis of merit and ability.  The principles set out in our policy apply in the workplace and outside the workplace in a workrelated context, such as on business trips, customer or supplier events or work-related social events.  

Anyone believing they have been unfairly treated in breach of our policies, you should follow our Grievance Procedure. The harassment complaints procedure set out in our harassment and bullying policy is also available to any employee who believes that they may have been harassed or bullied. Employees will not be victimised in any way for making such a complaint in good faith. Complaints of this nature will be dealt with seriously, in confidence and as soon as possible.

Synyega does not tolerate behaviour that goes against our policy, and where an employee is alleged to have breached this policy, they will be subject to our disciplinary procedure. Disciplinary action will be taken against any employee who is found to have breached our policy. Serious breaches of our policy, acts of unlawful discrimination and serious incidents of harassment and bullying will be treated as gross misconduct. Unwarranted allegations that are not made in good faith may also be considered as a disciplinary matter.