Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy

Guru Systems is an equal opportunity employer and is fully committed to encourage equality, diversity and inclusion through a policy of treating all its employees and job applicants equally.

Equality of opportunity, valuing diversity and compliance with the law is to the benefit of all individuals in our company as it seeks to develop the skills and abilities of all the employees.

All employees, whether part-time, full-time or temporary, will be treated equally, fairly and with respect. Guru will take all reasonable steps to employ, train and promote employees on the basis of their experience, abilities and qualifications without regard to race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, national origin, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership, age or disability.

Guru opposes all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination. Guru will also take all reasonable steps to provide a work environment in which all employees are treated with respect and dignity and that is free of harassment based upon an employee’s race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, national origin, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, age or disability. Guru will not condone any form of harassment, whether engaged in by employees or by outside third parties who come in to contact or do business with Guru. Guru opposes all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination.

While specific responsibility for eliminating discrimination and providing equality of opportunity lies with managers and supervisors, employees at all levels have a duty to cooperate with Guru to ensure that this policy is effective in ensuring equality, diversity and inclusion opportunities and in preventing discrimination or harassment. Action will be taken under the Guru’s Disciplinary Procedure against any employee who is found to have committed an act of improper or unlawful discrimination, harassment, bullying or intimidation. Serious breaches of this equal opportunities and dignity at work statement will be treated as potential gross misconduct and could render the employee liable to summary dismissal. Employees should also bear in mind that they can be held personally liable as well as, or instead of, the Guru for any act of unlawful discrimination.

Employees should draw the attention of their Manager to suspected discriminatory acts or practices or suspected cases of harassment. Employees must not victimise or retaliate against an employee who has made allegations or complaints of discrimination or harassment or who has provided information about such discrimination or harassment. Such behaviour will be treated as potential gross misconduct in accordance with the Guru’s Disciplinary Procedure.

Recruitment, Advertising and Selection

The recruitment process will be conducted in such a way as to result in the selection of the most suitable person for the job in terms of experience, abilities and qualifications. Guru is committed to applying its equality, diversity and inclusion opportunities policy statement at all stages of recruitment and selection.

Advertisements will encourage applications from all suitably qualified and experienced people. When advertising job vacancies, in order to attract applications from all sections of the community, Guru will, as far as reasonably practicable:

• Ensure advertisements are not confined to those publications which would exclude or disproportionately reduce the numbers of applicants of a particular gender, sexual orientation, religion or racial group;
• Avoid prescribing any unnecessary requirements which would exclude a higher proportion of a particular gender, sexual orientation, trans-gender status religion or racial group or which would exclude disabled job applicants;
• When establishing criteria for recruitment or promotion the minimum or maximum number of years of relevant experience will be considered carefully when deciding whether it is necessary for the effective performance of the job;
• Avoid prescribing any requirements as to marital/civil partnership status;
• Where vacancies may be filled by promotion or transfer, they will be published to all eligible employees in such a way that they do not restrict applications from employees of any particular gender, sexual orientation, trans-gender status, religion or racial group or from employees with a disability;
• Ensure that the setting of age limits as a criterion of any specific job is justifiable.

The selection process will be carried out consistently for all jobs at all levels. All applications will be processed in the same way. The staff responsible for short-listing, interviewing and selecting candidates will be clearly informed of the selection criteria and of the need for their consistent application. Wherever possible, all applicants will be interviewed by at least two interviewers and all questions asked of the applicants will relate to the requirements of the job. The selection of new staff will be based on the job requirements and the individual’s suitability and ability to do, or to train for, the job in question.

With disabled job applicants, Guru will have regard to its duty to make reasonable adjustments to work arrangements or to work premises in order to ensure that the disabled person is not placed at a substantial disadvantage in comparison with persons who are not disabled.

Training and Promotion

Guru will train all line managers in Guru’s policy on equality, diversity and inclusion opportunities and in helping them identify discriminatory acts or practices or acts of harassment or bullying. Line managers will be responsible for ensuring they actively promote equal opportunity within Guru.
Guru will also provide training to all employees to help them understand their rights and responsibilities in relation to dignity at work and what they can do to create a work environment free of bullying and harassment.

Where a promotional system is in operation, it will not be discriminatory and it will be checked from time to time to assess how it is working in practice. When a group of workers predominantly of one race, religion, sex or sexual orientation or a worker with a disability appears to be excluded from access to promotion and training and to other benefits, the promotional system will be reviewed to ensure there is no unlawful discrimination.

Terms of Employment, Benefits, Facilities and Services

All terms of employment, benefits, facilities and service will be reviewed from time to time, in order to ensure that there is no unlawful discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, national origin, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, age or disability.

Equal Pay

Guru is committed to equal pay in employment. It believes its male and female employees should receive equal pay for like work, work rated as equivalent or work of equal value. In order to achieve this, Guru will endeavour to maintain a pay system that is transparent, free from bias and based on objective criteria.

Monitoring Equal Opportunity and Dignity at Work

Guru will regularly monitor the effects of selection decisions and personnel and pay practices and procedures in order to assess whether equal opportunity and dignity at work are being achieved. This will also involve considering any possible indirectly discriminatory effects of its working practices.