Equal opportunities policy statement

 

The Todmorden Book Festival is committed to an equal opportunities policy in respect of all aspects of its activities and functions.

 

We actively promote equality for all with the right mix of talent, skills and potential, irrespective of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability or illness, religion or beliefs (this is not an exhaustive list).

 

Our Equal Opportunities Policy has been developed to ensure that all users of the Festival are fully aware of our commitment to provide equal opportunities in all of our activities and functions.

 

Furthermore, the Festival will monitor the implementation and application of our Equal Opportunities Policy and ensure that it reflects and meets of the increasingly diverse community, which we seek to serve.

 

Equality & diversity policy

 

The Todmorden Book Festival (“The Festival”) wishes to secure genuine equality of opportunity in all aspects of its activities. This applies to entrants to the Festival as Stewards, Committee Members and any other volunteer or user of the Festival. The policy will be implemented within the framework of current legislation.

 

The Festival is a voluntary not for profit organisation. It is run by a Board of Directors and other volunteers who are responsible for the introduction, maintenance and enforcement of the policy. The Committee is led by a Chair.

 

Policy

 

The Festival recognises that in society, many types of discrimination may arise and is committed to achieving equal opportunities in all aspects of its work.

 

Our policy is that all participants are able to enjoy the Festival without discrimination.

 

The Festival will aim to ensure that all persons involved with the Festival are not discriminated against either directly or indirectly on the grounds of age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, race, colour, nationality, cultural origin, religion, belief, disability, experience of mental distress, HIV status, caring responsibility, class, education, employment status, political belief or criminal conviction (this is not an exhaustive list).

 

The Festival believes that all persons involved with the Festival should not be excluded from any opportunity without due reason.

 

The Festival is committed to making this Equal Opportunities Policy effective. Our policy aims to ensure that all persons involved with the Festival:

 

  • Receive no less favourable treatment on the grounds of any of the matters outlined above
  • Are not disadvantaged by conditions and/or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable.

We will ensure that all aspects of the running of the Festival are frequently reviewed to ensure that all persons involved with the Festival are treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities and in accordance with any relevant legislation.

 

The Festival will encourage members of groups from all sectors of the community to offer themselves as volunteers.

 

All persons involved with the Festival shall be informed that the Festival operates an Equal Opportunities Policy. The Policy shall be available through our website. A copy of the policy statement will be provided to all persons involved with the Festival on request. A copy of the Policy shall be given to all new volunteers and members of the Committee.

 

Discrimination

 

Various statutes make it unlawful to discriminate, either directly or indirectly, on the grounds of sex, race, disability and age. The definitions are very widely drawn and the Festival’s policy is not a suitable vehicle for outlining these. All activities must be undertaken in a way that they do not inadvertently, directly or indirectly discriminate against a group on the grounds of age, sex, race, religion etc.

 

Indirect discrimination can occur when everybody is treated the same but in a way, which results in some people not being able to comply where others from a different grouping can.

 

Harassment

 

The Festival wishes to make it quite clear that harassment on the grounds of sex, race religion, age and disability may be unlawful and views harassment of any type very seriously.

 

Examples of harassment could include (this not an exhaustive list):-

  • sexually discriminatory remarks which may be offensive to the recipient
  • repeated or unwanted verbal advances, oral or physical, of a sexual nature
  • racial insults/jokes/name calling
  • graffiti/other written insult of a racial, sexual or other offensive nature
  • provocative behaviour which could be offensive to a mixed age audience or other entrants
  • offensive (under the terms of our policy) literature of any form or in any medium, brought to any of the Festival’s activities or premises.

 

Monitoring

 

All members of the Committee will be responsible at all times during the Festival and during the Festival’s other activities for implementing the Festival’s Policy and monitoring its adherence. Stewards and other volunteers have a duty to see that the Festival runs in the spirit of the Policy.

 

Complaints

 

Any complaint or grievance under the policy should be made to any Committee member who will refer the matter to the Chair for investigation. The Chair shall, within the rules of natural justice, investigate the matter, allowing witnesses etc as appropriate. If, as a result of the investigation, the Chair considers that the complaint or grievance is reasonable, they shall recommend to the Committee that appropriate action shall be taken.

 

If the complaint is to the conduct of a Committee member, steward or other user of the Festival, that action may take the form of a verbal or written warning or for repeated or serious complaints, resignation from or discontinuance of involvement with the Festival.

 

If requested, the Chair shall institute an appeal process that shall be chaired and conducted by another Committee member of the Festival whose decision shall be final. Where a complaint is made against the Chair, the matter shall be investigated by the Secretary. Should an appeal from that process be necessary, this shall be chaired and conducted by another Committee member.

 

Review and responsibility

 

The Committee will be responsible for the monitoring and implementing the content of the Policy. The equality and diversity policy will need to be reviewed annually by the Committee. All aspects of the policy will monitored as an ongoing practice.