Equal Opportunities Policy
Company Details
The Fund is committed to providing a service and following practices that are free from unfair discrimination of either a direct or an indirect nature.
The aim of this policy is to ensure that no applicant (for employment or funding) or member of staff receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of gender, marital status, disability, ethnic origins, or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be relevant to performance. In short, applications will be evaluated solely in accordance with commercial criteria.
The Fund also affirms its commitment to treat part-time staff as equally as full-time staff, having regard to conditions of service.
The Fund believes that an effective equal opportunities policy is an essential means of increasing the value of its personnel by developing the potential of all its individual employees to meet service objectives.
This organisation aims to be an equal opportunity employer, and has a policy for this purpose.
This policy covers all aspects of employment, from selection, recruitment, training and promotion to conditions of service and reasons for termination of employment.
The Fund recognises that its employment practices are bound by the Sex Discrimination Act (1975), the Equal Pay Act (1970), the Race Relations Act (1976), the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act (1944 and 1958), and the Disability Discrimination Act 1996, as well as other legislation. Codes of Practice produced by the Equal Opportunities Commission, the Commission for Racial Equality and the Disability Advisory Service will form the basis of any measures introduced to ensure greater equality of opportunity.
Vacancy advertisements and details sent out to individuals and recruitment agents will include the following statement: 'MSIF is striving to be an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community'.
To ensure that this policy is operating effectively (and for no other purpose) the Fund maintains records of employees' and applicants' racial origins, gender and disability. Whenever necessary, employees will be able to check/ correct their own record of these details. Otherwise, access to this information will be heavily restricted. Such records will be examined regularly, and appropriate follow-up action taken. As the staff employed directly and permanently by the firm number very few, monitoring by the Board of Directors will ensure that discrimination does not take place.
Merseyside Special Investment Fund will also monitor the gender and ethnic origins of those applying for support from the Small Firms Fund. As the numbers are significantly greater, the monitoring of this information will be done electronically. This will enable the Fund to identify - the total number of applicants to the Small Firms Fund - the total number of applicants by gender and ethnic origins - the characteristics of the successful candidate.
The Board of Directors have responsibility for the implementation and monitoring of this policy. While specific responsibility for avoiding discrimination and providing equal opportunity lies with the Board of Directors, individuals at all levels have responsibilities too and must not discriminate or aid others to do so.