Diversity and Equalities Policy

This policy was updated with input from staff, trustees and the Wikimedia UK volunteer community and approved by the board in March 2017.

Introduction

Wikimedia UK is committed to increasing diversity within our community and our workforce, and ensuring respectful and professional working relationships irrespective of individuals’ personal characteristics. This policy aims to outline Wikimedia UK’s commitment to ensuring equality of opportunity and equal treatment for staff, volunteers, and Trustees, in terms of employment and access to services; and to provide guidance on anti-discriminatory practice; and to support best practice in terms of diversity and equalities within the workplace.

Scope

The policy applies to potential and existing employees directly employed by Wikimedia UK, to workers employed via agencies, contractors in terms of employment, Trustees and volunteers in terms of service provision. The policy applies specifically to discrimination and equality of opportunity in respect of 'protected characteristics' as defined in the Equalities Act 2010:

• Age
• Disability
• Gender Reassignment
• Marriage and civil partnership
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Race
• Religion or belief
• Sex
• Sexual orientation

The policy applies across the range of employment policies and practice, including those relating to Discipline, Grievance, Harassment and Complaints.

Responsibilities

Wikimedia UK values its staff, contractors, workers, Trustees and volunteers, and expects them to be treated in a respectful manner. Accordingly, all have a responsibility to treat others with dignity and respect. The Chief Executive is responsible for providing advice and guidance on equality and diversity issues, and to ensure the Policy document is kept up to date.

Aims

As diversity is one of Wikimedia UK’s core values is "Ethical Behaviour", the charity Wikimedia UK aims to:

• Promote equality of opportunity
• Celebrate and value diversity
• Eliminate unlawful direct and indirect discrimination

Wikimedia UK will provide equality of opportunity and equal treatment as an integral part of good practice. The organisation is committed to a working environment in which the contribution and needs of everyone are fully valued and recognised. We will support our staff, workers, Trustees and contractors in not tolerating any inappropriate, violent or abusive behaviour from colleagues, other organisations or customers.

General purpose

Wikimedia UK’s practices will ensure that staff, workers, Trustees, and volunteers will not be discriminated against on any grounds including age, disability, race, sex, religion or cultural beliefs, gender reassignment, gender identity and expression, marital status and civil partnership, sexual orientation, pregnancy, and maternity and paternity. We have a zero tolerance policy towards discriminatory language or actions that could create a hostile environment, and do not accept behaviour that amounts to harassment or exclusion of any individual. Wikimedia UK’s commitment to anti-discriminatory practice relates to all kinds of discrimination, as set out below:

• Direct discrimination - where someone is treated less favourably than another because they have a protected characteristic
• Indirect discrimination – when a requirement or a condition is applied which has a detrimental effect on a particular group or individual. This applies even if there was not a deliberate intention to discriminate.
• Associative discrimination – direct discrimination against someone because they associate with another person who has a protected characteristic.
• Perceptive discrimination - direct discrimination against someone because others think they have a protected characteristic even if they do not possess that characteristic.
• Harassment – unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic which violates a person’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them. This applies even if the conduct is not directed at the individual or if they do not have the protected characteristic.
• Third party harassment – potential liability for the harassment of staff by others such as clients or volunteers.
• Victimisation – when someone is treated badly because they have made or supported a complaint under the Equalities Act or it is thought that they have done so.

Employment Practices

Wikimedia UK aims to promote equality and diversity as an employer and grant giver and to ensure that no job or grant applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements that cannot be shown to be justifiable in the context of the policy. Selection, recruitment, training, promotion and employment practices will be subject to regular review to ensure that they comply with the Diversity and Equalities Policy. Wikimedia UK regards discrimination, abuse, harassment, victimisation or bullying of staff, customers or others in the course of work as disciplinary offences that could be regarded as gross misconduct.

To further our aims of being an equal opportunity employer, all office accommodation provided by Wikimedia UK for the use of staff or volunteers will be fully wheelchair accessible, and special arrangements will be made to accommodate other needs, for example in the case of a hearing impaired employee.

Wikimedia UK as Service Provider

In offering events or materials Wikimedia UK will seek to ensure equal access for everyone to our programmes. This will include making sure that venues chosen for events or meetings are wheelchair accessible, and wherever practicable making specific access arrangements for volunteers or participants with disabilities or learning difficulties, or any other protected characteristic which may apply, such as religion and belief. Wikimedia UK will attempt to ensure that none of its policies discriminate directly or indirectly against any group or individual.

Data Collection

Wikimedia UK complies with the requirement of the Data Protection Act. Any data, either qualitative and or quantitative, required in order to monitor the requirements or the impact of the Equalities Act 2010, will be collected where it is reasonable, proportionate and practical to do so. Any such requirements will be notified to Wikimedia UK volunteers, participants, partners or prospective employees customers and will follow a common data format.

This policy will be reviewed on a regular basis and amended in line with new developments in best practice.