EQUALITY & ANTI-DISCRIMINATION POLICY
Flint Town United Football Club is responsible for setting standards and values to apply throughout the club at every level. Football belongs to and should be enjoyed by anyone who wants to participate in it.
Aim
This policy aims to create an inclusive environment where everyone is treated fairly and with respect and can take part in and enjoy our activities. It ensures the club provides access and opportunities for all members of the community.
Implementation
A club official will be designated as an “Equality Champion” who will be responsible for the implementation of this policy and for achieving any equality related actions resulting from it. A member of the Board will also be appointed as an “Equality lead” and will ensure that equality is included as an agenda item at Board meetings when appropriate and that the Board considers equality issues when making decisions.
Commitment
Our commitment is to confront and eliminate all discrimination and to provide equal opportunities for all.
Flint Town United Football Club is committed to a policy of equal treatment of all its members and requires all members to abide and adhere to these policies and the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.
Flint Town United Football Club in all its activities will not discriminate or in any way, treat anyone less favourably on grounds of age, ability or disability, gender, gender reassignment sex, sexual orientation, marital status, ethnic, natural or social origin, skin colour, race, religion or belief, language, political opinion, or wealth.
The club will ensure it treats people fairly and with respect and that it will provide access and opportunities for all members of the community to take part in and enjoy its activities.
Flint Town United Football Club operates a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination whether physical, emotional or verbal and will not tolerate harassment, bullying, abuse or victimisation of an individual or group of people on the above grounds.
Flint Town United Football Club commits itself to take complaints seriously and will immediately investigate any claims of discrimination on the above grounds when brought to its attention, in whatever context it occurs. All complaints where necessary may be passed to external organisations, such as the police or football authorities. Where found to be the case, appropriate immediate action will be taken to stop such behaviour and any disciplinary sanctions will be imposed as appropriate, to hold perpetrators to account.
Flint Town United Football Club are committed to providing ongoing training and awareness-raising events, to promote the eradication of discrimination and promote equality in football.
Flint Town United Football Club will monitor the representations of the club’s officers and members regarding information such as age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion or belief, and disability and will take positive action where under-representation and or inequalities exist in meeting the aims and commitments set out in the equality policy. Monitoring will also include assessing how the commitments in the equality policy, are working in practice, reviewing them annually, considering and taking action to address any issues that arise.
Flint Town United Football Club will review employment practices and procedures frequently to ensure fairness, and also update all policies to take account of changes in the law.
This policy is fully supported by the Clubs Board and Officers.
Policy approval date: 4th March 2021
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APPENDIX – Relevant legislation and forms of unacceptable discrimination
Discrimination has been legally defined through the Equality Act 2010.
In April 2010, the Equality Act 2010 received Royal Assent. The Equality Act 2010 is a law which harmonised where possible, and in some cases extended, protection from discrimination. It applies throughout the UK and came into force in October 2010.
Discrimination refers to unfavourable treatment on the basis of particular characteristics, which are known as the ‘protected characteristics’. Under the Equality Act 2010, the protected characteristics are defined as age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex (gender) and sexual orientation.
Under the Equality Act 2010, individuals are protected from discrimination ‘on grounds of’ a protected characteristic. This means that individuals will be protected if they have a characteristic, are assumed to have it, associate with someone who has it or are with someone who is assumed to have it.
Forms of discrimination and discriminatory behaviour include the following:
Direct discrimination
Direct discrimination can be described as less favourable treatment on the grounds of one of the protected characteristics.
Indirect discrimination
Indirect discrimination occurs when a provision, criterion or practice is applied to an individual or group that would put persons of a particular characteristic at a particular disadvantage compared with other persons.
Associative discrimination
Discrimination can also occur when someone discriminates against someone because they associate with another person who possesses a protected characteristic. An example of this is if ‘A’ does not give ‘B’ – a job applicant, for example – the position, even though they have met all of the competencies for the role, just because ‘B’ has told ‘A’ they have a partner with one or more Protected Characteristics.
Discrimination by perception
Discrimination by perception can occur when someone discriminates against an individual because they think they possess a particular protected characteristic and this applies even if the person does not actually possess that characteristic. An example of this is if ‘B’ is selected for redundancy by ‘A’ because they perceive ‘B’ to have a progressive condition i.e. they are disabled.
Discrimination arising from disability
It is unlawful when a disabled person is treated unfavourably because of something connected with their disability and such unfavourable treatment cannot be justified. This type of discrimination only relates to disability.
Harassment
Harassment is defined as unwanted conduct relating to a protected characteristic that has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity, or which creates an intimidating or hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that person.
Victimisation
It is unlawful to treat a person less favourably because he or she has made allegations or brought proceedings under the anti-discrimination legislation, or because they have helped another person to do so. To do so would constitute victimisation.
Bullying
Bullying is defined as a form of personal harassment involving the misuse of power, influence or position to persistently criticise, humiliate or undermine an individual.
For further information and advice on the Equality Act visit: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/equality-act-2010/what-equality-act
