1. Introduction
Buro Happold aims to be an equal opportunity employer. Our employment policies and procedures are designed to ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment than another on the grounds of their gender, race, ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation, disability, religion or belief, age or marital status.
Our goal is to ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and otherwise treated in a consistent manner that is solely on the basis of the relevant aptitudes, skills and abilities necessary to carry out the duties of the position for which they are employed.
In addition to the legal, moral and social benefits of encouraging diversity in the workplace, Buro Happold will also gain from better access to and understanding of market segments and behaviours, and improve its employee brand through the development of an employee value proposition.
In this way we aim to improve attraction and retention of talent with a commensurate improvement on bottom line results. Our employees will also benefit from a more representative workforce with people valued and respected solely on the basis of their contribution.
2. Commitment to Equal Opportunities
Buro Happold aims to ensure that all employees enjoy a harmonious work environment that is free from harassment, bullying, victimisation and all forms of offensive behaviour arising from discriminatory behaviour. Harassment is unlawful, and is defined as unwanted (i.e. uninvited) conduct that violates a person’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. All complaints of harassment and similar offensive behaviour will be fairly investigated using our Grievance Procedure (OP12) and where necessary disciplinary action may be taken.
Please note our commitment and obligations include post-employment actions which could be interpreted as discriminatory.
3. Recruitment and Selection
No job applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment than another on the grounds stated in Section 1 above. In addition, no job applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment than another on the grounds of disability, provided that:
a) his/her disability does not significantly impair his/her ability to undertake the work normally associated with the job in question;
b) there are reasonable measures which can be taken to overcome or accommodate the disability.
The company collect information (supplied voluntarily by applicants and employees) regarding applicants’ racial origins, gender and disability solely for the purpose of monitoring in order to ensure this policy is operating effectively. This information is in a separate section of the application forms in order to emphasise that they relate only to monitoring and not to selection. Thos who submit their CVs containing this type of data are also stored for monitoring purposes and where possible the details will be separated from the CV during the first sift.
Wherever possible, more than one person is involved in the selection interview and recruitment process, and we request interviewers maintain notes, which show reasons for selection, in order to promote a fair selection process. All applicants will be considered on their merits and fully comparable qualifications will be considered on an equal level to British qualifications.
4. Conditions of Employment
Buro Happold aims to ensure that no-one will receive less favourable treatment or will be disadvantaged by any terms and conditions of employment (including pay and benefits) or requirements of the Company than cannot be justified for operational reasons or by way of recognition for the specific contribution of the employee.
5. Employee Responsibilities
In order for the Company’s Equal Opportunity’s Policy to be effective, all employees need to be aware that they have a responsibility to ensure that they do not behave in a manner that could be offensive to others, in particular by:
not discriminating against, harassing or victimising fellow employees, customers, suppliers or members of the public whom they come into contact with during the course of their duties
reporting any action perceived to be discriminatory to your line manager or, where the complaint is against your own immediate manager, to the personnel officer in your local office.
Failure to support the company’s commitment to equal opportunities could result in disciplinary action being taken.
6. Amendments to Policy
Buro Happold will update and implement its equal opportunity policy in line with amendments to relevant legislation and in conjunction with guidance and codes of practices issued by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) and relevant government departments.
(Updated in August 2005.)
