Equal Opportunities Policy

Our approach

Customer Interpreter Ltd strives to be an equal opportunities employer.  

Our policy

The company will adhere to, as a minimum, to the compliance requirements of the following legislatives Acts associated with this policy:

· The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 (as amended) (the SDA) which prohibits sex discrimination prohibits sex discrimination against individuals in the areas of employment, education, and the provision of goods, facilities and services and in the disposal or management of premises. Likewise we do not discriminate in employment against married people. 

· The Equal Pay Act 1970 (as amended) (the EPA) which gives an individual a right to the same contractual pay and benefits as a person of the opposite sex in the same employment, where the man and the woman are doing: Like work; or Work rated as equivalent under an analytical job evaluation study; or Work that is proved to be of equal value.

· The Race Relations Act 1976 (as amended) (the RRA) that outlaws discrimination (including harassment) in recruitment and employment on grounds of colour, race, nationality and ethnic or national origins and the provisions of the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003 SI 2003/1660 ('the Religion or Belief Regulations') that prohibit discrimination on grounds of religion or similar philosophical belief.

· The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended)

Our values

As a small business we believe that we are able to offer any employee more in terms of flexibility and a unique working environment where they can be made to feel they are really valued as individuals.  We of course require much simpler procedures than organisations with complex structures and it may not always be reasonable for us to carry out all the Code's detailed recommendations.  However, in adapting the Code's recommendations, our aim has been to ensure that our practices comply with the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, The Equal Pay Act 1970 and the Race Relations Act 1976 (as outlined above).  As such we believe that:

· each individual should be assessed according to his or her personal capability to carry out a given job. It should not be assumed that men only or women only will be able to perform certain kinds of work;

· any qualifications or requirements applied to a job which effectively inhibit applications from one sex or from married people should be retained only if they are justifiable in terms of the job to be done;

· any age limits should be retained only if they are necessary for the job. An unjustifiable age limit could constitute unlawful indirect discrimination, for example, against women who have taken time out of employment for child-rearing;

· where trade unions uphold such qualifications or requirements as union policy, they should amend that policy in the light of any potentially unlawful effect.

Instructions for recruiting, training and promotion

Recruitment

· All recruitment advertising should state that we are an equal opportunities employer

· Interviews shall consist of an interview panel including at least one third party

· To ensure objectivity, a Job Description, Required Competences sheet, description of Terms and Conditions and ideal Language and Behaviour (LaB) profile will be drawn up before the interviews and candidates assessed against these

· Interviews shall follow a standard pattern and notes will be taken. Assessments will be made separately by members of the panel who will then compare notes and, where necessary, challenge any preconceptions.

Training and promotion

· All staff will have an annual appraisal following established appraisal sheets. These are carried out by the director and line manager (which is often the same person).

· Part of this process will be to identify training needs as perceived by both the employer and the employee. These will be discussed openly and suggestions welcomed. All staff are encouraged to develop their skills throughout their working life.

· Promotion is in accordance with contribution to the business in the ways identified in the appraisal form.

Track record

Although we are a small company we have employed males and females, between the ages of 21 and 60, representing several different nationalities, religions and racial groups. We enjoy the stimulus of the diverse population of South-East London and are privileged to learn from so many different cultures.

Back to About us