Restrata's Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy

Introduction

Our company is made up of brilliant people. Each of us is unique, whether in terms of our background, personal characteristics, experience, skills or motivations. We value our people for the differences they bring to the table. These differences - this diversity - is powerful.

Fostering an inclusive culture helps each of us to benefit from a wider range of these different perspectives, experiences and skills. We believe that this creates a happier, more productive working environment for us all.

To support this inclusive culture, this policy:

• outlines our commitment throughout the employment lifecycle to equality, diversity and inclusion and sets out how we put this commitment into practice;
• explains the behaviours we expect of our people in support of this commitment; and
• sets out the key steps we take to make our culture as inclusive as possible, including our diversity and inclusion framework and how we ensure equality of opportunity throughout the employment lifecycle.

This policy does not form part of your contract of employment, and we reserve the right
to amend or withdraw it at any time.

Scope

This policy applies to anyone working for us. This includes employees, workers, contractors, volunteers, interns and apprentices. The policy also relates to job applicants and is relevant to all stages of the employment relationship.

The policy accompanies our Anti-Harassment and Bullying Policy.

Our commitment to you

We believe that a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion not only benefits our company but supports wellbeing and enables our people to work better because they can be themselves and feel that they belong.

We are committed to promoting a working environment based on dignity, trust and respect, and one that is free from discrimination, harassment, bullying or victimisation. We ensure that our recruitment, promotion and retention procedures do not treat people less favourably because of their:

• disability;
• gender, gender identity or gender reassignment status;
• marital status;
• race, racial group, ethnic or national origin, or nationality;
• religion or belief;
• sexual orientation;
• age;
• civil partnership status;
• pregnancy or maternity;
• paternity;
• [educational background;]
• [socio-economic background;]
• [caring responsibilities;]
• part-time status; or
• fixed-term status.

What we expect from you

We expect you, and every one of our people, to take personal responsibility for observing, upholding, promoting and applying this policy. Our culture is made in the day-to-day working interactions between us so creating the right environment is a responsibility
that we all share.

We expect you to treat your colleagues and third parties (including customers, suppliers, contractors, agency staff and consultants) fairly and with dignity, trust and respect. Sometimes, this may mean allowing for different views and viewpoints and making
space for others to contribute.

By embedding such values and constructively challenging inappropriate comments or ways of working, you can help us achieve and maintain a truly inclusive workplace culture.

Any dealings that you have with colleagues, or third parties must be free from any form of discrimination, harassment, victimisation or bullying. If any of our people are found to have committed, authorised or condoned an act of discrimination, harassment, victimisation or bullying, we will take action against them including (for those to whom it applies) under our Disciplinary procedure.
You should be aware that you can be personally liable for discrimination and harassment.

Discrimination

The Equality Act 2010 prohibits discrimination because of certain protected characteristics. These are:

• disability;
• sex;
• gender reassignment;
• marital or civil partnership status;
• race;
• religion or belief;
• sexual orientation;
• age; and
• pregnancy or maternity.

Discrimination can be intentional or unintentional and may occur directly, indirectly, by association, or by perception.

Discrimination is not always obvious and can be subtle and unconscious. This stems from a person's general assumptions about the abilities, interests and characteristics of a particular group that influence how they treat those people (known as "unconscious
bias"). Such assumptions or prejudices may cause them to apply requirements or conditions that put those in particular groups at a disadvantage.

Examples include:

• steering employees into particular types of work on the basis of stereotypical
  assumptions without considering the particular attributes and abilities of
  individuals;
• recruiting or promoting individuals into particular roles because of assumptions
  about the reactions or preferences of other employees or clients; and
• using different standards for different groups of employees to judge performance.

  Different types of discrimination under the Equality Act 2010:

• Direct discrimination: Treating someone less favourably because of a protected
  characteristic compared with someone who does not have that characteristic (for
  example choosing not to recruit someone because they are disabled and you
  think they "wouldn't fit in" to the team).
• Indirect discrimination: Where a policy, procedure or way of working that applies
  to everyone puts people with a particular protected characteristic at a
  disadvantage, compared with people who do not have that characteristic, unless
  there is a good reason to justify it. An example is introducing a requirement for all
  staff to finish work at 6pm. It is arguable that female employees, who statistically
  bear the larger share of childcare responsibilities could be at a disadvantage if the
  new working hours prevent them from collecting their children from school or
  nursery.
• Associative discrimination: Treating someone less favourably because they are
  associated with someone who has a protected characteristic, for example
  because their partner is transgender.
• Discrimination by perception: Treating someone less favourably because you
  perceive them to have a protected characteristic even if they do not, for example
  choosing not to promote someone because you mistakenly perceive them to be
  gay.
• Discrimination arising from disability: Treating someone unfavourably because
  of something connected with that person's disability and where such treatment
  is not justified.

  Examples include:
  o dismissing or failing to pay a bonus to someone because of their disabilityrelated absence; or
  o disciplining someone for losing their temper where such loss of temper was
  out of character and was due to severe pain caused by them having cancer.

• Failing to make reasonable adjustments: Employers are legally obliged to make
  reasonable adjustments to ensure that aspects of employment, or the employer's
  premises, do not put a disabled person at a substantial disadvantage. Failing to
  comply with this duty is unlawful.
  Examples of reasonable adjustments might include:
  o allocating some of the disabled person's duties to a colleague;
  o changing their working hours or place of work;
  o adjusting procedures for assessing job candidates; and
  o modifying disciplinary and grievance procedures.

Harassment and Sexual Harassment

Harassment is:

• unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic that has the purpose or effect of:
• violating someone else's dignity; or
• creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment
  for someone else.

Sexual harassment is:

• conduct of a sexual nature that has the purpose or effect of violating someone's
  dignity, or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive
  environment; and
• less favourable treatment related to sex or gender reassignment that occurs
  because of a rejection of, or submission to, sexual conduct.

You should refer to our Anti-Harassment and Bullying Policy for further information on
our procedure for reporting harassment.

Victimisation

Victimisation is treating another person detrimentally either because that person has made a complaint of discrimination or harassment, or because they have supported someone else who has made such a complaint, for example by giving a witness
statement that supports the allegations.

Bullying

There is no legal definition of bullying. However, we regard it as conduct that is offensive, intimidating, malicious, insulting, or an abuse or misuse of power, and usually persistent, that has the effect of undermining, humiliating or injuring the recipient. Bullying can be physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct. It is not necessarily face-to-face and can be done by email, phone calls, online or on social media. Bullying may occur at work or outside work. If the bullying relates to a person's protected characteristic, it may also constitute harassment and, therefore, will be unlawful.

Recruitment

We take reasonable and appropriate steps to encourage job applications from as diverse a range of people as possible.

Anyone making a recruitment decision must not discriminate in any way and must have attended appropriate diversity and inclusion training. Every decision-maker should challenge themselves, and other members of the recruitment selection panel, to make
sure that any stereotypes, unconscious bias or prejudice do not play any part in recruitment decisions.

Career Development

Any decision you make relating to a person's promotion or career development must be free from discrimination. We ensure that selection criteria and processes for recruitment and promotion are reviewed on a regular basis so that there is no discriminatory impact on a certain group.

Disability Inclusion

Recruiting people with a disability
The recruitment team will consider disability in advance of a recruitment campaign so that advertising, application forms and assessments, arrangements for interviews, job descriptions and employee specifications, and selection criteria are appropriate and as inclusive as possible.
We will ask applicants at the outset if they require any reasonable adjustments to be made to the recruitment process.
If you are involved in the interview process, you must not ask job applicants about their health or disability except with prior approval from the HR Manager. Such approval is given only in exceptional circumstances and where there are specific legal grounds for doing so.

Talking about disability
We understand that some people find it hard to discuss their disabilities and that disability can be invisible. Psychological safety, where people feel able to speak up about their experiences without fear of negative consequences, is paramount to ensuring disability inclusion. However, this is only possible if we treat people with dignity, trust and respect and we
expect everyone to uphold these values.

Reasonable Adjustments

If you have a disability, you do not have to tell us. However, we would encourage you to let us know so that we can support you, for example by making reasonable adjustments to our premises or to aspects of your role, or to our working practices. If you are experiencing difficulties at work because of your disability, please contact you HR Manager to discuss potential reasonable adjustments that may alleviate or minimise such difficulties. We may need to discuss your needs with you and your medical adviser to help us get the right support in place.

Training

If you are involved with making decisions about a person's employment, you must attend appropriate equality, diversity and inclusion training. All new starters must attend equality, diversity and inclusion training as part of their onboarding programme. Every current employee must attend regular equality, diversity and inclusion training on at least an annual basis.