EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVITY POLICY AND PROCEDURE
1.AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
1.1 Zebra Housing, as a provider of student accommodation and employment, values the diversity of its residents and staff. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive environment where all are equally valued and respected. We aim to create an environment that enables residents to achieve their full potential, contribute fully and derive maximum benefit and enjoyment from their period studying in London and living in Zebra’s accommodation. We want our staff to enjoy and feel stimulated working with Zebra, to be able to progress their careers through training & study and contribute to Zebra’s development.
1.2 We recognise we have a responsibility to embrace diversity, challenge unfair practices and oppose all forms of discrimination. We are working to redress discrimination whether based on race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, sex, sexuality, age, marital or civil partnership status, gender, transgender, disability, religion or belief. Zebra believes that all residents and employees have the right to be free from harassment and bullying of any description.
1.3 We aim to recognize the particular needs of individuals in carrying out our roles as both a provider of services and employer and will seek to adapt our services to take account of individuals’ needs and our employment practices and wherever possible. We will always treat everyone we have dealings with, with dignity and respect.
1.4 Zebra seeks to ensure that its residents, staff, contractors and consultants receive equal service and are treated at all times with politeness, dignity and respect. This means that Zebra expects that all its Board members, employees and those providing services on our behalf will adhere to and positively promote the association’s Equality and Diversity Policy.
1.5 Zebra invites comments from anyone affected by our policies or services who feel that we have discriminated against them on any of the above grounds.
2 SERVICES TO RESIDENTS
2.1 We monitor these by age, gender, nationality, ethnic origin, disability, and religion/belief. We seek and record diversity information when people apply for housing, when we let our housing, when we seek the views of our residents or are dealing with a complaint.
2.2 Zebra Housing has an Anti-Social Behaviour policy that covers problems of racial or sexual harassment and neighbour nuisance.
2.3 We will work to ensure that no individual or group is disadvantaged in terms of selection for housing, or in the quality of housing or service they receive. When providing services, we take into account the specific needs of groups and individuals such as vulnerable tenants, those with disabilities or those from black or minority ethnic groups. We will keep appropriate records of any tenant’s specific needs to ensure delivery of this aim.
2.4 We will also work to ensure equal access to services and information. When providing homes or services we try as hard as possible to ensure they are physically accessible. We acknowledge that this is very challenging given the age, location and type of accommodation we provide. However, whenever we have the opportunity, we will take measures to improve accessibility. We also need to ensure that the information we provide is accessible to all (particularly in terms of different language groups) to ensure equality of access to our accommodation and support services.
2.5 We are mindful of the need for confidentiality and the GDPR in terms of how we keep and manage personal data.
2.6 Every quarter the Board receives a report providing a breakdown of lettings. This information is provided in the form of statistics, which cannot be traced back to individual names or addresses. We will produce an annual report comparing the data we collect on applicants with the data we collect on those housed to ensure that we are being fair in terms of our lettings.
3 EMPLOYMENT
3.1 Zebra monitors its staff recruitment by gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, and religion/belief.
3.2 When inviting applications for a post, we send out an equalities monitoring form to every applicant. These monitoring forms are used for statistical purposes only. They are detached from the application on receipt and do not form part of the selection process. As part of our application we ask whether the candidate is subject to a disability or impairment which might affect the completion of an application or attendance at an interview.
3.3 Following every staff recruitment the Chief Executive and Office Manager review the applications, and make an assessment to ensure that advertising, shortlisting and appointment meet the high standards of this policy. If a particular group is consistently under-represented in recruitment exercises, we will investigate ways of redressing the imbalance.
3.4 We will value and respect the identities and cultures of all employees and, wherever practical and within the resources available to us, will endeavour to meet all employees’ cultural, religious or physical needs.
3.5 We report regularly on the gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, and religion/belief status of the staff group.
4 BOARD
4.1 Zebra maintains statistics on the gender, ethnic origin, age, disability and religion/belief of its Board members, derived from a bi-annual self-assessment questionnaire.
4.2 Whenever we recruit, we will consider whether a relevant group is under-represented, and will attempt to recruit to rectify the imbalance, within the constraints of the constitutional provisions of our rules.
4.3 We report regularly on the gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, and the religion/belief status of the Board.
5 CONTRACTORS AND CONSULTANTS
5.1 Zebra expects all its contractors and consultants to respect the spirit of its Equality and Diversity Policy. Where appropriate, we request and agree the Equality and Diversity policy of the service provider. Where not appropriate (for example, where we are using the services of a private individual), our letter of appointment will enclose a copy of this policy and require a commitment on the part of the service provider to respect its contents in the provision of the service.
6 REPORTING
6.1 On a bi-annual basis the Board will receive an Equality and Diversity Report covering all aspects of our work and recommendations for any further action.