VERSION: February 2024

 

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY and INCLUSION POLICY

HMDT Music is committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion among our workforce, and eliminating unlawful discrimination.

 

• age*
• disability*
• ethnicity (including race, colour and nationality)*
• gender*
• gender reassignment*
• religion or belief*
• sexual orientation*
• marriage and civil partnership*
• pregnancy and maternity*
• refugees and asylum seekers
• people who are neuro-divergent
• ex-offenders

 

The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative of all sections of society and our clients, and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best.

 

The organisation – in providing goods and/or services – is also committed against unlawful discrimination of customers or the public.

 

DEFINITIONS

Equality – is about ensuring that all individuals have an equal opportunity to make the most of their lives and talents.

Diversity – is about the presence of difference that already exists – the different characteristics that an individual or group has that may be diverse from others.

Equity – is about recognising that some people or groups need additional support in order to fully participate – and providing the means for them to do so.

Inclusion – is about creating an environment where people feeling valued, welcomed and able to participate.

THIS POLICY’S PURPOSE IS TO:

• provide equality, fairness and respect for all in our employment, whether temporary, part-time or full-time;
• not unlawfully discriminate because of the Equality Act 2010 protected characteristics of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation;
• oppose and avoid all forms of unlawful discrimination. This includes in pay and benefits, terms and conditions of employment, dealing with grievances and discipline, dismissal, redundancy, leave for parents, requests for flexible working, and selection for employment, promotion, training or other developmental opportunities.

RECRUITMENT PRACTICES are inclusive and promote diversity

• Best practice, anonymised recruitment is carried out;
• Reasonable adjustments are available;
• Recruitment is targeted to reach new and diverse demographics and from underrepresented areas;
• The essential requirements of job roles are linked to potential and competencies, rather than educational or musical attainment.
• The ability of applicants to work inclusively is considered in recruitment.

 

 

EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES are inclusive and nurture progression

• The business case for diversity informs our staffing structure;
• New staff, volunteers and learners receive a full induction, with an individual induction plan designed to enable them to play a full role;
• Paid internships, apprenticeships, volunteering or work placements are created to support new entrants to the workforce;
• Our employment policies enable us to support individual needs (e.g. flexible, or online, working);
• Working hours are scheduled to promote attendance by all;
• Staff receive regular support and supervision, which includes support for wellbeing;
• Appraisals help us to develop individual development plans with our staff, who can access external opportunities to support their professional development;
• In-work mentoring, coaching and networking is available and widely offered;
• All staff are paid the real living wage;
• We know if we have a gender or other pay gap;
• Staff are pro-actively informed about reasonable adjustments available to them.

MARKETING PRACTICES are accessible and promote diversity

• Opportunities (e.g. sessions, performances, ensembles) are openly and widely advertised and promoted;
• Websites conform to accessibility standards;
• Our communications materials and channels (e.g. website, photographs, brochures) feature diverse people and voices;
• Plain English is used;
• Printed resources use a minimum 11pt font;
• Learning resources are available digitally where possible.

SATURDAY PROGRAMME Policies and Procedures

• Physical barriers to participation are removed and policies widely publicised;
• Bursaries or fee remissions are available and widely publicised;
• Location and scheduling of activity aims for the fullest participation;
• A diverse range of music is available;
• Diverse music, people and abilities are showcased and celebrated (e.g. at concerts or events);
• Education programmes are designed to foster personal or social outcomes (e.g. leadership skills, wellbeing), as well as musical outcomes;
• Where education programmes engage people over a sustained period, individual learning plans are developed between participants and leaders;
• Participants inform programming (e.g. through feedback or advisory groups);
• Positive action is taken to reach under-represented groups;
• The organisation partners with others to reach new groups or improve its understanding of inclusive practices;
• Targeted work is established to reach underrepresented groups;
• Adequate budget is available to reach underrepresented groups and ensure their participation;
• Inclusion drives quality assurance processes;
• The organisation’s definition of quality goes beyond musical attainment and performance, and the workforce has a common understanding of this;
• Evaluation processes feed into programming and/or quality improvement plans.

HMDT MUSIC COMMITS TO:

• Encourage equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace as they are good practice and make business sense.
  • HMDT Music will seek to promote to all members of the community a broad and balanced range of opportunities in music education and training developments, and ensure that such opportunities are made as widely accessible as possible and, in particular, are available to those whose access to such opportunities have been/ are limited or denied because of disadvantage or underprivileged. Activities that promote an understanding and appreciation of the value of different musical and cultural tradition will be actively encouraged.

 

• Create a working environment free of bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination, promoting dignity and respect for all, and where individual differences and the contributions of all staff are recognised and valued.
  • This commitment includes training managers and all other employees about their rights and responsibilities under the equality, diversity and inclusion policy. Responsibilities include staff conducting themselves to help the organisation provide equal opportunities in employment, and prevent bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination. Employees and voluntary workers of HMDT Music are provided with this policy when their employment starts, and it is readily available to all staff on a shared company drive. All staff should understand they, as well as HMDT Music, accept personal responsibility for the practical application of the policy, and can be held liable for acts of bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination, in the course of their employment, against fellow employees, customers, suppliers and the public. The Board of Trustees acknowledges that specific responsibilities fall upon any employee involved in the processes of managing, supervising or selecting personnel.

 

• Take seriously complaints of bullying, harassment*, victimisation** and unlawful discrimination by fellow employees, customers, suppliers, visitors, the public and any others in the course of the organisation’s work activities.
  • Such acts will be dealt with as misconduct under the organisation’s grievance and/or disciplinary procedures, and appropriate action will be taken. Particularly serious complaints could amount to gross misconduct and lead to dismissal without notice. Further, sexual harassment may amount to both an employment rights matter and a criminal matter, such as in sexual assault allegations. In addition, harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 – which is not limited to circumstances where harassment relates to a protected characteristic – is a criminal offence. HMDT Music will seek to ensure that none of its employees, voluntary workers, service providers or service users is treated unfairly and that they should have recourse to redress through HMDT Music’s complaints procedure.

 

• Make opportunities for training, development and progress available to all staff, who will be helped and encouraged to develop their full potential, so their talents and resources can be fully utilised to maximise the efficiency of the organisation.
  • The CEO and Senior Manager are trained in Equality and Diversity and provide training to all employees.

 

• Decisions concerning staff being based on their relative merits and abilities (apart from in any necessary and limited exemptions and exceptions allowed under the Equality Act). HMDT Music will seek to foster links with and involve a range of individuals and organisations from different backgrounds in all the communities it works in, to help guide HMDT’s developments, and ensure that all agencies selected to promote or deliver activities on HMDT Music’s behalf, uphold good equal opportunities practices, in line with HMDT Music’s own equal opportunities policy.

 

• Review employment practices and procedures when necessary to ensure fairness, and also update them and the policy to take account of changes in the law.

 

• Monitor the make-up of the workforce regarding information such as age, sex, ethnic background, sexual orientation, religion or belief, and disability in encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion, and in meeting the aims and commitments set out in the equality, diversity and inclusion policy.
  • Equality and diversity characteristics of participants, volunteers, workforce and board are regularly monitored and analysed to inform recruitment and planning. Monitoring includes assessing how the equality, diversity and inclusion policy, and any supporting action plan, are working in practice, reviewing them annually, and considering and taking action to address any issues. Equality is monitored throughout the organisation through surveys, the students attending our Saturday Programme, and through application forms for new students or employees.

*DEFINITIONS:

*Harassment is defined as:

• A person (A) harasses another (B) if –
  1. A engages in unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic, and
  2. the conduct has the purpose or effect of –
     • violating B’s dignity, or
     • creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for B.

• A also harasses B if –
  1. A engages in unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, and
  2. the conduct has the purpose or effect referred to in subsection (1)(b).
• A also harasses B if –
  1. A or another person engages in unwanted conduct of a sexual nature or that is related to gender reassignment or sex,
  2. the conduct has the purpose or effect referred to in subsection (1)(b), and
  3. because of B’s rejection of or submission to the conduct, A treats B less favourably than A would treat B if B had not rejected or submitted to the conduct.
• In deciding whether conduct has the effect referred to in subsection (1)(b), each of the following must be taken into account—
  1. the perception of B;
  2. the other circumstances of the case;
  3. whether it is reasonable for the conduct to have that effect.

 

*Victimisation is defined as:

• A person (A) victimises another person (B) if A subjects B to a detriment because –
  1. B does a protected act, or
  2. A believes that B has done, or may do, a protected act.
• Each of the following is a protected act –
  1. bringing proceedings under this Act;
  2. giving evidence or information in connection with proceedings under this Act;
  3. doing any other thing for the purposes of or in connection with this Act;
  4. making an allegation (whether or not express) that A or another person has contravened this Act.
• Giving false evidence or information, or making a false allegation, is not a protected act if the evidence or information is given, or the allegation is made, in bad faith.
• This section applies only where the person subjected to a detriment is an individual.
• The reference to contravening this Act includes a reference to committing a breach of an equality clause or rule.