Equality & Diversity Policy

Each of the companies within the Pavocat Group (hereafter referred to individually or collectively as “Pavocat”, “we”, “our”, “us”)  strives to be an equal opportunities employer and is committed to diversity amongst its staff and trainees. We therefore encourage and welcome applications from underrepresented or disadvantaged groups (including, for example, women, BAME candidates, disabled candidates and LGBTQ+ candidates). We are happy to make reasonable adjustments to enable disabled candidates to demonstrate their suitability for the job and to consider flexible working in appropriate cases.

1       Introduction

1.1       The aims of this Equality and Diversity Policy are to:

• Declare the commitment of Pavocat to the practical application and promotion of principles of equal opportunity and diversity;
• Communicate that commitment to Pavocat members, employees, other workers, clients (lay and professional) and other service users; and
• Further our core values.

1.2       This policy applies to:

• Employees;
• Applicants for employment or other engagements;
• Trainees;
• Individuals on work experience;
• Contract workers (including casual workers);
• Agency workers;
• Volunteer workers;
• Clients (lay and professional) and other service users;
• Providers of services; and
• Visitors to our places of work.

2       Statement of Policy

2.1       Pavocat is committed to:

• Advancing equality of opportunity for all persons;
• Promoting a good and harmonious working environment in which all persons are treated with respect;
• Preventing occurrences of unlawful discrimination harassment and victimisation;
• Fulfilling all its legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and associated codes of practice;
• Complying with this Policy;
• Taking lawful positive action where appropriate; and
• Regarding breaches of this Policy as potential misconduct which may lead to disciplinary proceedings against employees and other workers, a cessation of the provision of services to clients or other service users or a cessation of dealings with service providers.

2.2       Under this Policy, Pavocat will not discriminate on the grounds of:

• Age;
• Caring responsibilities;
• Disability;
• Gender identity, including any gender identities outside of the gender binary;
• Gender transition or reassignment;
• Marital or civil partnership status;
• Mental health, whether or not it is also a disability;
• Pregnancy, maternity or parental leave;
• Race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins;
• Religion or belief (including absence of belief);
• Sex;
• Sexual orientation; and
• Socio economic background or status.

2.3       These are known, collectively, as “protected characteristics”. 2.4       Pavocat stands against all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination, including:

• Direct discrimination – less favourable treatment because of a protected characteristic;
• Indirect discrimination – the unjustifiable application of an apparently neutral provision, criterion or practice the effect of which is to put persons with a protected characteristic at a particular disadvantage compared to others;
• Pregnancy and maternity discrimination;
• Discrimination in relation to pay;
• Discrimination connected with disability – unjustified unfavourable treatment for a reason arising in consequence of a person’s disability;
• Victimisation – the subjection of one person by another to a detriment because they have done, or the victimiser believes that the other person has done or may do, a protected act such as:
  • making an allegation of discrimination;
  • giving evidence in proceedings relating to an act or acts of discrimination;
  • bringing proceedings relating to an act or acts of discrimination; or
  • doing any other thing for the purposes of equality legislation or in connection with it.
• Harassment – unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic which has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity, or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that person.
• Sexual harassment – unwanted conduct of a sexual nature/related to gender, gender reassignment or sex which has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity, or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that person and/or less favourable treatment for rejecting or refusing to submit to such conduct, and
• Failure to make reasonable adjustments to a provision, criterion, physical feature or practice which puts a disabled person at a substantial disadvantage in comparison with non-disabled people and/or unreasonable failure to provide auxiliary aids where to do otherwise would place a person and a substantial disadvantage.

2.5       Explanations of these concepts and examples can be found on the Equality and Human Rights Commission website: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en 2.6       All applicants for employment, traineeship, and work experience and all others who work with or for us will be treated fairly and will not be discriminated against because of any of the protected characteristics by colleagues. We will also use our best endeavours to protect colleagues from discrimination or harassment in the course of their work by persons outside Pavocat. 2.7       Decisions about recruitment and selection, promotion, training, pay, disciplinary action and any other matter will be made objectively and with the aims and commitments in sections 1 and 2 of this Policy in mind. 2.8       This Policy has regard to the legal obligations, principles and guidance derived from the Equality Act 2010 and the related Codes of Practice. 2.9       Pavocat recognises that the provision of equal opportunities in the workplace is not only right as a matter of principle and consistent with our core values, but that it is also good management practice. 2.10     This Policy will help us, and those who work with and for us, to develop our full potential, and thus promotes respect for the individual worth of all people involved with Pavocat.

3       Implementation

3.1       Responsibility for implementation of this Policy lies with the Directors of Pavocat Group Ltd. 3.2       In order to implement the Policy, Pavocat shall:

• Provide a copy of this Policy to all existing employees and trainees;
• Provide a copy of this Policy to all new employees and trainees in their induction packs as part of their initial diversity training;
• Require all employees and trainees to sign an acknowledgement that they have read and understood copy of this Policy;
• Publish a copy of this Policy on the Pavocat website;
• Inform all job applicants, students on work experience, contract workers, agency workers and volunteer workers of the existence of this Policy and provide a copy of this Policy to such persons upon request;
• Include reference to this Policy in our Service Standards and any documents inviting tenders for work or services and identify the name of the person at Pavocat from whom a copy of this Policy may be obtained;
• Retain a copy of this Policy on a public drive on the Pavocat server;
• Produce an annual report on equality and diversity at the Pavocat Group Annual General Meeting (AGM) each year;
• Have regard to this Policy when allocating work to third party organisations which do business with Chambers, monitor compliance with it thereafter, and endeavour to ensure that Pavocat only does business with third party organisations who respect equal opportunities principles in their dealings with Pavocat;
• Ensure that adequate resources are made available to fulfil the objectives of this Policy; and
• Create and implement an equality and diversity action plan that is reviewed annually.

4       Recruitment and our Obligations

4.1       Information about vacant posts for employment, traineeship, membership or work experience will be provided in a manner that does not restrict its audience in terms of any protected characteristic. 4.2       Pavocat will publish the statement set out below on detailed vacancy information for job vacancies, work experience placements, traineeship and membership posted on its website: Pavocat strives to be an equal opportunities employer and is committed to diversity amongst its staff and trainees. We therefore encourage and welcome applications from underrepresented or disadvantaged groups (including, for example, women, BAME candidates, disabled candidates and LGBT+ candidates). We are happy to make reasonable adjustments to enable disabled candidates to demonstrate their suitability for the job and to consider flexible working in appropriate cases. 4.3       All vacancies for employment will be notified internally via the intranet as well as externally, through appropriate non-discriminatory advertising. 4.4       Where appropriate, persons from underrepresented groups will be particularly invited to apply and Pavocat will endeavour to use those advertising media that are likely to attract the widest and/or most diverse group of candidates. 4.5       Descriptions and specifications for posts be reviewed by an EDO so as to ensure that they do not discriminate and will include only those requirements that are reasonably necessary and justifiable for the performance of the job. 4.6       All selection will be conducted against defined criteria and will deal only with the applicant’s suitability for the job. 4.7       In the case of short-term or casual work where a full and open recruitment process would be disproportionate, recruitment will be through a Job Centre or any another appropriate agency that demonstrates compliance with good equal opportunities practice generally, and in particular in relation to the selection of candidates for work.

5      Complaints

5.1     Anyone to whom this Policy applies who believes that they have suffered any form of discrimination, harassment or victimisation contrary to this Policy, is entitled to raise that concern. They should seek advice from the EDO at first instance. They should also refer (if applicable) to the Anti-Harassment & Anti-Bullying Policy. 5.2     Anyone to whom this Policy does not apply, who wishes to make a complaint relating to breach of  this Policy by someone to whom it does apply, should raise that complaint with the EDO, who will decide how the complaint ought to be addressed within our internal Conduct & Capability or Grievance & Complaints Procedures. 5.3     All complaints in relation to this Policy will be treated seriously and promptly.

6      Support and Advice under this Policy

You are able to seek the advice of an EDO in relation to any matter relating to this Policy. Pavocat’s EDO is James Johnstone.