Equity, Diversity, and
Inclusion Policy
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Purpose
At RM we want to celebrate the fact that everyone is different yet valued and ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect. We are committed to promoting equality, preventing discrimination at work, and providing an inclusive work environment.
The purpose of this policy is to set out the principles that enable us to create a fair, diverse, and inclusive work environment, where our people feel safe, can contribute their best work and develop to their full potential.
As a global organisation we recognise that each geography is subject to different legal requirements, and subsequently whilst this policy details the core principles we will adopt as a Group, there may be additional supporting documents which cover local requirements.
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Who does this policy apply to?
This policy applies to all current and potential RM employees, agency staff and contractors.
We will work with our customers, suppliers, and partners, to ensure they actively support this policy and help us provide a safe, diverse, and inclusive environment.
We are committed to ensuring that all of our polices and processes across the group reflect our commitment to Diversity, Inclusion and Equity, and the principles detailed in this policy.
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Improving our understanding:
1. What is diversity
Diversity is all about recognising, accepting, and respecting our individual differences.
Allowing people to be themselves in the workplace regardless of age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, nationality or ethnicity, religion or religious beliefs, physical and mental abilities, caring responsibilities, pregnancy, marital or civil partnership status, or physical appearance.
2. What is inclusion?
Inclusion is about how we engage with and recognise our differences, creating a working environment where people are comfortable and confident to be themselves, and feel they are valued and respected.
3. What is equity?
We often talk about equality, but to truly achieve equality we must have equity, which is at the most basic level, providing everyone with what they need to be successful.
This does not mean we give everyone the exact same thing due a perception of this being fair and equal; equity is recognising that everyone is different and has different needs, so we need to adapt systems, provide resources, and foster the right opportunities to reach an equal outcome.
4. What is discrimination?
Discrimination means treating people unfairly because of their differences. Treating someone unfairly due to their differences is unlawful in many geographies, the extent of the differences protected by law varies across the Globe.
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Our Commitments:
As a global Company with employees based around the world including the UK, India, Spain, Australia and Singapore, it is important to us that we go beyond what legislation says we need to do, but deliver what we know to be right, and build a diverse and inclusive environment, which celebrates our peoples’ differences.
We will achieve this through building and implementing a plan designed to deliver against the following commitments:
We will promote equality of opportunity for everyone through the application of fair and transparent processes.
We will actively build a diverse workforce representative of our communities, through targeted planning and engagement activities.
We will create a genuinely inclusive workplace environment, where our people are comfortable, confident and feel safe to be themselves.
We will promote our passion and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion through communication and education opportunities, ensuring we use inclusive language.
We will not tolerate discrimination, bullying or harassment in any form.
We will work with our Customers and Partners to encourage them to uphold similar commitments and standards as we do, and we’ll do our best to protect our people from negative treatment from third parties.
We will actively review our processes, activities and data to identify potential barriers, and areas for improvement needed to remove or mitigate any disadvantage to people.
We will actively work with our employee networks and forums, as well as our allies on EDI matters.
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Our Responsibilities
1. Recruitment
We will ensure that our advertisements actively promote our commitment to EDI.
Job descriptions and person specifications will only include requirements that are necessary for the effective performance of the role.
We will use platforms to advertise our roles which will encourage applications from a diverse range of individuals.
We will undertake a consistent process and ensure that our interviews are adjusted where required to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity.
Selection will be based on the requirements necessary for the performance of the job only.
2. Training
Everyone will be required to undergo basic training on EDI and confirm that they have read and understand this policy.
People Managers will be provided with training on our core processes, which uphold our EDI commitments and responsibilities, and encouraged to raise awareness of the EDI networks.
We will embed inclusion and diversity within other learning modules where appropriate.
We will offer equal access to development and training opportunities.
3. Employment
We are committed to ensuring a fair process and equal treatment regarding our remuneration policies.
We will offer appropriate and fair access to training, promotion, and benefits to fixed term or part time employees.
We will ensure the process for career progression within RM is clear and transparent and free from any form of bias.
Progression will be based on performance and merit only and will be monitored to assess that there is equal opportunity for all.
All of our internal policies and procedures will be applied without discrimination.
We will make reasonable adjustments where required to ensure inclusion and accessibility relating to physical and mental disabilities.
4. People Managers
You are responsible for upholding and applying this policy on a day-to-day basis and acting as role models for inclusive behaviour.
You must treat all our people, customers and suppliers with respect, dignity, and fairness.
You must foster an inclusive and safe work environment that supports EDI by:
Ensuring that the work environment is free from unlawful discrimination, harassment and retaliation.
Adopting an inclusive leadership style, including valuing and listening to diverse point of view.
Being EDI role models in compliance with the EDI policy and encouraging the people to do the same.
You must ensure that employment related decisions are free from any form of unlawful discrimination, unconscious bias, harassment and retaliation.
You must strive for a diverse pool of talent to create diverse teams.
If any concerns are raised regarding the treatment someone has received and or observed, you must treat this with the utmost concern, and address any unacceptable behaviour as quickly, and sensitively as possible.
Allow colleagues to take time away from their “day jobs”to attend EDI Network meetings or EDI events.
5. Employees
You must treat all our people, customers and suppliers with respect, dignity, and fairness.
If you observe behaviour you believe to be unacceptable you should raise this with a Line Manager., please refer to the Raising Concerns section regarding this process.
Actively share with us how we can improve our inclusivity and create an environment in which you feel comfortable and confident.
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Raising concerns
If you believe you have been unfairly, or that you are being bullied or harassed you are encouraged to raise your concerns with your Line Manager, or a Senior Manager on an informal basis in the first instance.
Depending on the nature of the concern, employees may wish to proceed straight to the formal grievance stage. Further information can be found in the RM Grievance Policy and or the Dignity at Work Policy.
All concerns will be dealt with seriously and promptly. We have a zero-tolerance approach towards negative behaviours and actions that amount to unlawful discrimination, bullying, harassment or victimisation.
We will make every effort to prevent victimisation occurring to anyone who makes a complaint, or who acts as a witness under this process.
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Implement, Monitoring and Review
RM’s Chief People Officer has the ultimate responsibility for ensuring that this policy is fully implemented.
The RM Equality, Diversity and Inclusion steering group, championed by senior leaders across the business, has responsibility for leading the implementation of RM’s EDI strategy, and responsibility for the successful support and delivery of EDI initiatives.
This policy will be reinforced by our EDI strategy and relevant action plans.
Progress against objectives and actions will be reviewed and reported in the quarterly Equality, Diversity and Inclusion steering group meetings.
We will assess the impact of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy, and our EDI strategy by collating and monitoring data as follows:
Collate and holding accurate workforce demographic data in the UK on:
Age
Gender Identity
Sexual Orientation
Ethnicity
Religion or Belief
Neurodiversity
Mental or Physical ability
We will use this data to analyse our processes for recruitment, promotions, pay increases, and performance reviews, and assess the impact of current and proposed policies and initiatives on different groups and help us to identify and remove barriers being faced.
The submission of this data is completely voluntary, and there is no obligation on our people to complete their diversity information on their profile.
Outside of the UK, we will adhere to legal reporting requirements and continually review how we can improve our workforce data collection considering social and cultural barriers to collation.
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Further reading
You can access further information relating to your commitment to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion, as well as our EDI networks on the Company Intranet:
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Version Control
Information Security Classification: Public
Published Date: 01/12/2023
Author: Claire Crew
Owner: Sam Walby
Version: 2.0
Issue Date: 01/12/2023
Next Review Date: 30/11/2024