Equality Policy

Our commitment

Pollard Media Ltd, registered in England and Wales under company number 13078208, with its registered office at Suite GF12, Crafton House, Rosebery Business Park, Mentmore Way, Poringland, Norwich, Norfolk, NR14 7XP (“the Company”), is committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion among our team and to eliminating unlawful discrimination.

We aim for our team to reflect all sections of society and the clients we serve, and for everyone who works with us to feel respected and able to give their best. We also aim to provide our services in a way that does not discriminate against clients, customers or members of the public, and we believe everyone is entitled to be treated with respect and dignity.

The purpose of this policy

This policy exists to:

1. Provide equality, fairness and respect for everyone who works for us, whether temporary, part-time or full-time.
2. Make sure we do not unlawfully discriminate because of the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010: 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.
3. Oppose and avoid all forms of unlawful discrimination, including in pay and benefits; terms and conditions of employment; grievances and discipline; dismissal; redundancy; leave for parents; requests for flexible working; and selection for employment, promotion, training or other development opportunities.

What we commit to

1. Encourage equality, diversity and inclusion. They are good practice and make business sense.
2. Provide a working environment free of bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination, where dignity and respect are promoted and everyone’s differences and contributions are recognised and valued. We train managers and everyone else in their rights and responsibilities under this policy. Everyone should understand that they, as well as the Company, can be held liable for bullying, harassment, victimisation or unlawful discrimination in the course of their work, against colleagues, clients, suppliers or the public.
3. Take every complaint seriously. Complaints of bullying, harassment, victimisation or unlawful discrimination by colleagues, clients, suppliers, visitors, the public or anyone else in the course of our work will be dealt with as misconduct under our grievance and disciplinary procedures, and appropriate action will be taken. Particularly serious complaints may amount to gross misconduct and lead to dismissal without notice. Sexual harassment may be both an employment matter and a criminal one, and harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 is a criminal offence whether or not it relates to a protected characteristic.
4. Make training, development and progression available to everyone, and help and encourage each person to develop their full potential.
5. Base decisions about people on merit, apart from the limited exceptions the Equality Act 2010 allows.
6. Review our employment practices and procedures when necessary to make sure they are fair, and update them and this policy to reflect changes in the law.
7. Monitor the make-up of our team by characteristics such as age, sex, ethnic background, sexual orientation, religion or belief, and disability, to help us meet the aims of this policy. We will also review how this policy and any supporting action plan are working in practice at least once a year, and act on any issues we find.

Clients, suppliers and the public

We will make reasonable adjustments so that people can access our services and information, for example by providing documents in other formats or meeting in an accessible location. If something about how we work makes that harder for you, please tell us.

Raising a concern

If you have a concern about discrimination, harassment or how this policy is being applied, contact a director in confidence at hello@pollard-media.co.uk or on 01603 369929. Members of our team can also raise concerns through our grievance procedure. No one will be treated less favourably for raising a concern in good faith.

Responsibility and review

The directors of Pollard Media Ltd are responsible for this policy. It is reviewed at least once a year, and the date at the top of this page shows when it was last reviewed.