Introduction
Introduction
This Policy is part of a set of key policies that apply to everyone working at the Crick. There may be additional policies that apply to you if you used to work in the MRC or CRUK institutes that pre-dated the Crick or if you work in a particular team or area of the Crick.
Policy statement
To create and foster a culture that promotes respect for each other and values individual differences.
To ensure equal opportunity in employment and recruitment, and avoid unlawful discrimination in employment.
Key obligations
Everyone must actively promote dignity, respect, inclusivity and equal treatment.
All members of the Crick Community should be able to recognise, challenge and, where necessary, raise concerns around unacceptable behaviour.
Manager responsibility
Managers have a duty of care to their team members and must take effective, sensitive and swift action when incidents of unacceptable behaviour are brought to their attention.
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Policy details
Why do we need this policy?
The Crick aims to be a world-class institute, bringing together outstanding scientists from all disciplines from across the globe. It has an international outlook and puts a high value on difference and diversity.
Diversity is essential to excellence in scientific endeavour. It increases breadth and perspective, leading to more innovation and creativity. An inclusive environment where everyone feels able to be themselves improves commitment, engagement and productivity. We embrace the global environment in which we work and aim to reach the highest standards for diversity practices in our industry.
In particular, the Crick is committed to achieving:
- A culture in which everyone can thrive, whatever their characteristics
- Greater diversity among senior scientific staff
- A consistent experience for staff taking extended periods of leave, with generous levels of support for childcare
- Accreditation by national award schemes that set the standard for equality, diversity and inclusion
- A stimulating programme of events, both for employees and associates, and the public, that celebrates diversity and that further inclusion
- Outreach into our community to extend opportunity to a diverse group of people, including young people
The Crick is committed to providing equal opportunity in employment and recruitment, avoiding unlawful discrimination in employment, and creating and fostering a culture that promotes respect for each other and values individual differences.
- Equality means promoting equality of opportunity in the workplace. This does not necessarily mean treating everyone the same. Some people may face greater barriers in the workplace, and this means giving them the support they need so that they have equality of access and opportunity.
- Diversity means recognising, valuing and celebrating the differences between people, and recognising the benefit to the Crick and to individuals.
- Inclusion means actively considering the needs of different people and ensuring that everyone feels welcomed and valued in the workplace. For example, training should be structured to ensure that everyone can contribute. Benefits should be reviewed to ensure that they suit a wide range of people. Employees and other members of the Crick community should be able to have their voices heard and contribute their ideas. Social events should be varied so that everyone can participate in something. Essentially everyone should feel able to be themselves and contribute fully to the Crick.
Who does it apply to?
This Policy applies to the whole Crick community which includes all Crick employees, students, visitors (including visiting scientists), contractors, agency staff, service providers and anyone else engaged to work at the Crick, whether by direct contract with the Institute or otherwise.
The Policy covers incidents at the Crick and at any work-related setting outside the institute, e.g. conferences, retreats and Crick-related social events.
What role do I play and what are my responsibilities?
All members of the Crick Community are expected to share in the responsibility to actively promote dignity, respect, inclusivity and equal treatment. This includes being an active bystander, i.e. not ignoring unacceptable behaviour. The Crick will also promote equality, diversity and inclusion in the way that we deal with any visitors to the Crick and any external organisations with which we work.
What additional responsibilities do I have as a manager?
Managers should always consider their tone and ensure they treat employees and associates with dignity and respect.
Managers have a duty of care to their team members and must take effective, sensitive and swift action when incidents of discrimination are brought to their attention. Managers have a duty to eliminate discrimination that they are, or should reasonably be, aware of.
How does this apply to Crick working practices?
The Crick is committed promoting equality, diversity and inclusion across all its working practices, including in the following areas:
Recruitment and selection
The Crick aims to ensure that recruitment and selection processes are barrier-free and flexible to ensure that opportunities at the Crick are open to a diverse range of people. Recruitment and selection methods will be regularly reviewed, to ensure that we are reaching a diverse range of candidates, encouraging and supporting the recruitment of diverse applicants and not unintentionally excluding people from any group. Person and job specifications will be limited to those requirements that are necessary for the effective performance of the job. Candidates for employment will be assessed objectively against the requirements for the job, taking account of any workplace adjustments that may be required for candidates with a disability. Diversity statistics on recruitment and selection will be monitored and analysed by HR and the EDI committee.
Training and development
The Crick will ensure that all employees and associates have access to training and career development and that the scheduling of training events takes into account different needs and working patterns. The Crick will ensure that individuals working in the Crick Lab have access to training in unconscious bias, and that all employees and associates have access to training in equality, diversity and inclusion. Participation in these events will be strongly encouraged
Appraisal and review
The Crick performance development review (PDR) process will be monitored each year to ensure that there are no patterns which cause concern, for example one group consistently scoring less favourably than another
Pay review
Pay review statistics will be monitored and analysed each year to ensure that there are no patterns which cause concern. We will particularly monitor for trends over time
Promotion
Promotion criteria and processes will be reviewed regularly to ensure that they are in line with the Crick’s approach to equality, diversity and inclusion. Promotion outcomes will also be reviewed to ensure that there are no patterns which cause concern.
Working practices
The Crick will aim to schedule meetings and events within standard working hours (for example, 9am to 5pm, although this varies between departments), in order to maximise attendance and opportunity to attend. The Crick will consider where working practices may have an indirectly discriminatory effect on any group and vary these accordingly. Supportive mechanisms can include flexible working arrangements or workplace adjustments. Seminar speakers will reflect diversity in science
In the community
The Crick will work to promote diversity and inclusion through our public engagement work, as well as in working with our partner organisations such as Wellcome, GSK and our university partners, with the aim of improving diversity in the scientific community to the benefit of all.
What are my legal rights if I find the behavior of a colleague unacceptable?
Under the Equality Act 2010, it is unlawful to discriminate against employees, job applicants or workers who have any or more than one of the protected characteristics.
Discrimination can be:
- Direct - where a person is treated less favourably than another due to a protected characteristic. An example would be not offering a woman a job because she is pregnant
- Indirect - where a provision, criteria or practice is discriminatory to a person with a protected characteristic, in that it is detrimental to people who hold that protected characteristic in comparison to those who do not. One example would be a requirement for employees to work at weekends. This may indirectly discriminate against employees who practice certain religions and cannot work on certain days. In some circumstances indirect discrimination can be justified, if there is a “genuine occupational requirement”.
- Associative - where a person is directly discriminated against for association with another person who has a protected characteristic. An example could be where a person is discriminated against because they have a disabled child
- Perceptive - where a person is directly discriminated against because of a perception that they have a protected characteristic when they do not. For example, a person could be directly discriminated against because another person thinks they are gay and treats them less favourably because of this.
Protected characteristics are age; sex; gender; gender identity, expression or reassignment; sexual orientation; race (which includes colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins); religion or beliefs (including lack of religion or belief); disability; family/marriage or civil partnership status; and pregnancy/maternity.
How do I raise a complaint about discrimination at work?
Do not ignore unacceptable behavior. Any person who feels that they have suffered from discrimination at work should consult the Grievance Policy. Any person who witnesses what they believe to be discrimination should report this to their manager or Human Resources.
Disciplinary action will be taken against any employee who is found, following investigation, to have committed an act of discrimination. Any serious breaches of this Policy, for example rejecting an applicant on the grounds of their race, will be treated as gross misconduct.
All incidents will be taken seriously and used as an opportunity to learn and improve the working environment at the Crick.
Where can I get support and advice?
All members of the Crick Community must receive equality and diversity training so that they understand the Crick’s expectations in terms of behaviour in the workplace.
Human Resources team can provide advice and guidance on the implementation of this Policy and on how to address any concerns of unacceptable behaviour.
Please also be aware that the Crick has an Assistance Programme, provided by Health Assured, that is an independent, confidential 24-hour helpline for the Crick Community that provides advice and guidance on a range of issues.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee
The Sponsor is assisted by the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, which monitors the Crick’s diversity data and advises the Sponsor on setting targets and equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives. The Crick is benchmarked against comparable organisations and the populations from which we wish to recruit and progress is monitored annually. Diversity statistics are reviewed by the Executive Committee and published annually.
Crick Equality, Diversity and Inclusion action plan
The Crick Equality, Diversity and Inclusion action plan includes more information about the Crick’s ambitious measures to improve our practice. The Crick action plan report is published annually on CrickNet showing trends and priorities.
Where can I find out more?
The Dignity at Work Policy provides guidance on how to recognise, challenge and, where necessary, raise concerns about bullying, harassment and victimisation should it arise.
