Diversity Policy

Details of the British Library's approach to diversity.

Purpose
Scope
Policy statement
Discrimination
Recruitment and staff development
Practical support for a diverse workforce
6.1 Job design
6.2 Provisions for disabled employees during employment
6.3 Assistance with childcare
Redeployment and redundancy
Other policies
Diversity monitoring
Communication
Complaints of discrimination
The British Library and the community
Responsibility

Appendix 1 - Discrimination as covered by current Legislation
Appendix 2 - Sources of assistance
Appendix 3 - Support for staff with a disability during and after a period of absence
Appendix 4 - Performance management and staff with a disability

1. Purpose

To promote a culture within which the British Library actively values difference, recognising that people from different backgrounds and experiences can bring valuable insights to the workplace and enhance the way in which we work. Within this framework the Library specifically refers to the measures it has in place to provide equality of opportunity and the facilities that it can provide to disabled employees and applicants.

The Library also wishes to comply with relevant Equal Opportunities legislation and Codes of Practice. This policies pursues and builds on the statutory position. The intention is to comply as much with the spirit as with the letter of the legislation and to establish and pursue and effective policies of promoting equal opportunity.

Issues regarding harassment and bullying are covered in the Harassment, Bullying and Discrimination Policy. For issues regarding recruitment refer also to the Recruitment policies.

2. Scope

All staff as well as all job applicants. This policies has particular relevance to all those concerned with recruitment and training and promotion procedures and/or decisions. This policy cannot be applied directly to contractors or third parties. However, if any issues become apparent with regards to diversity in relation to any contractor or third party, these will be taken very seriously by the Library and raised in the strongest possible terms with the contractor or third party.

3. Policy statement

The British Library is committed to equality of opportunity in all its employment practices, policies and procedures regardless of race, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, age, religion, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marital status, membership or non membership of a trade union or disability. The British Library is an Equal Opportunity employer and recognises the real benefit of employing a diverse workforce. All applicants are welcomed and are considered solely on the basis of their merits and abilities for the job.

4. Discrimination

Discrimination occurs when someone directly or indirectly treats a person or a group of people unfavourably on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, age, religion, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marital status, membership or non membership of a trade union or disability. This covers all behaviour including remarks and insinuation, both verbal and non-verbal, which cause offence. Specific examples of these types of behaviour are attached at Appendix 1.

The British Library views all incidents of this nature seriously and will take appropriate action against those concerned.

5. Recruitment and staff development

It is critical that diversity issues are addressed when operating all aspects of recruitment and staff development, details are contained in the relevant policies.

6. Practical support for a diverse workforce

6.1 Job design

The Library recognises the need to consider flexible working patterns such as job share and part-time working where a member of staff has a desire to change his/her working hours. These methods of working will be fully considered by line managers, in consultation with HR where appropriate; business needs and/or resources will also be a relevant consideration. Appeals against a manager's decision can be made using the Library's grievance procedures.

6.2 Provisions for disabled employees during employment

Where an employee becomes disabled, whether through accident, illness or injury, every reasonable and practicable consideration will be given to ensuring that he/she may remain in employment.

Examples of steps the Library should take are:

Making reasonable adjustments to premises
Allocating some of the disabled employee's duties to another person
Transfer to an appropriate alternative position
Alteration of working hours
Transfer to a different location/place of work
Time off during working hours for rehabilitation, assessment or treatment
Training and/or re-skilling
Modification or purchase of appropriate equipment
Modification to instruction and/or reference manuals and literature
Modification to testing and/or assessment procedures
Provision of a reader or interpreter
Provision of supervision and assistance

Advice should be provided for the member of staff concerned. In addition, line managers should obtain guidance from the Human Resources Directorate and/or the Health and Safety Office. Advice may also be sought from Occupational Health Advisors or other external specialist organisations as appropriate.

Appendix 2 gives guidance relating to the provisions that may be made. Further guidance on dealing with disability issues can be found on the Internet, for example on the government's website www.disability.gov.uk.

6.3 Assistance with childcare

Childcare support is available for staff with pre-school children. Subsidised holiday playschemes are also available to staff with school age children.

7. Redeployment and redundancy

With reference to the appropriate policies, the selection for redeployment and/or redundancy will be conducted in a manner, which avoids any direct or indirect discrimination.

8. Other policies

All Library policies, remuneration opportunities, hours of work, its appraisal scheme and benefits are designed to promote equal opportunity and protection against discrimination for all staff.

9. Diversity monitoring

The Library undertakes confidential monitoring to inform and improve our employment practices. Such monitoring will be carried out via questionnaires and appropriate statistical analysis, and would normally deal with areas such as ethnic origin, disability, gender, religion and age and ensure compliance with legislation. Any resultant statistics will be kept by the Human Resources Directorate and shared with the trade unions.

Staff Opinion Surveys may also be conducted from time to time in order to gain the views of all employees and will include a section regarding the effectiveness of the Library's arrangements and facilities, and how the Diversity policies works in practice.

The Directors of the Library will prepare a statement reflecting the progress on diversity issues made by the Library during the year for inclusion in the Annual Report.

10. Communication

The details of this policies will be proactively communicated and promoted to all current staff and new starters.

11. Complaints of discrimination

The Library takes all instances of discrimination very seriously.

Any member of staff who is subject to harassment or bullying is encouraged to refer to the Library's policies on Harassment and Bullying. This provides details of the steps that can be taken to deal with such an issue. In addition, staff are reminded that they can obtain external, confidential help if they so wish by contacting the Library's Employee Assistance Programme, and/or their trade union representative.

If a member of staff considers they have not had adequate redress through the Harassment and Bullying procedures then they may seek recourse through the Grievance Procedure.

12. The British Library and The Community

The Library actively encourages its employees to participate in local voluntary initiatives and may provide further support to initiatives, which encourage social inclusion in the Library's local community. This may involve, for example, participation in literacy schemes or employees acting as mentors to local school children. The Library's Diversity Manager can provide further details of such initiatives on request.

13. Responsibility

It is not sufficient to obey the letter of this policies only. Staff at all levels must ensure that there is no discrimination in any of their decisions or behaviour. All staff have a responsibility to guard against any form of discrimination and avoid any action which goes against the spirit of this policies.

The responsibility for the policies lies with the Director of HR under the direction of the Chief Executive of The British Library. For a Diversity policy to be effective it must be adopted at all levels of management and supervision.

The Diversity Manager has the responsibility for co-ordinating and auditing the British Library's activities with reference to the Diversity policy providing advice and guidance for line managers and investigating issues relating to potential discrimination, including those matters concerning members of the general public who visit the British Library.

Individual line managers are required to keep within the spirit and intent of the policies. Any queries on the application or interpretation of this policy will be discussed with the Human Resources Directorate and/or Diversity Manager prior to any action being taken.

It is the responsibility of line managers to ensure that the standards established within this policies are adhered to within their area of responsibility.

All British Library staff must (the list below is not an exhaustive):

Co-operate with any measures introduced to ensure equal opportunity
Report any suspected discriminatory acts or practices
Not induce or attempt to induce others to practice unlawful discrimination
Not victimise anyone as a result of them having reported or provided evidence of discrimination
Not harass, abuse or intimidate others

Any breach of the Diversity policy will be dealt with through the disciplinary procedure. Serious offences, such as harassment, will be treated as gross misconduct.

This policies has been jointly agreed between Management and Trade Union Sides of the British Library Whitley Council. Both Management and Trade Union Side are strongly committed to its full and active implementation.

The Human Resources Directorate has the responsibility for ensuring the maintenance, regular review and updating of this policy. Proposed changes to the policy will follow the process as described in Section A: Introduction: paragraph 1.1 of this Staff handbook.