Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy

Policy Statement

Oubaitori Karate Club (“the Club”) is committed to achieving a club environment which provides equality of opportunity and freedom from unlawful discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, pregnancy and maternity, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, disability, religion or beliefs, age or sexual orientation. This Policy aims to remove unfair and discriminatory practices within the Club and to encourage full contribution from its diverse community. The Club is committed to actively opposing all forms of discrimination.

The Club also aims to provide a service that does not discriminate against its clients and customers in the means by which they can access the services and goods supplied by the Club. The Club believes that all employees and clients are entitled to be treated with respect and dignity.

Any and all personal data used in connection with this Policy shall be collected, held, and processed in accordance with the Club’s Data Protection Policy.

Objectives of this Policy

To prevent, reduce and stop all forms of unlawful discrimination in line with the Equality Act 2010.
To ensure that recruitment, promotion, training, development, assessment, teaching, gradings and other martial arts activities are completed on the basis of capability, qualifications and attainment.

Designated Officer

Name:	Matthew Johnson
Position:	Head Coach
Telephone Number	01733 639 192

Definition of Discrimination

Discrimination is unequal or differential treatment which leads to one person being treated more orless favourably than others are, or would be, treated in the same or similar circumstances on the grounds of race, sex, pregnancy and maternity, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, disability, religion or beliefs, age or sexual orientation. Discrimination may be direct or indirect, and includes discrimination by perception and association.

Types of Discrimination

Direct Discrimination

This occurs when a person or a policy intentionally treats a person less favourably than another on the grounds of race, sex, pregnancy and maternity, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, disability, religion or beliefs, age or sexual orientation.

Indirect Discrimination

This is the application of a policy, criterion or practice which the club applies to all students or clients but which is such that:

It is it detrimental to a considerably larger proportion of people from the group that the person the club is applying it to represents;
The club cannot justify the need for the application of the policy on a neutral basis; and
The person to whom the club is applying it suffers detriment from the application of the policy.

Example: A requirement that all 1^st Dan promotions must be 6ft tall if that requirement is not justified by the technical or physical requirements of the style would indirectly discriminate against students with an oriental ethnic origin, as they are less likely to be able to fulfil this requirement.

Harrassment

This occurs when a person is subjected to unwanted conduct that has the purpose or effect of violating their dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.

Victimisation

This occurs when a person is treated less favourably because they have bought or intend to bring proceedings or they have given or intend to give evidence.

Unlawful Reasons for Discrimination

Sex

It is not permissible to treat a person less favourably on the grounds of sex, marital status, civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, gender reassignment or transgender status. This applies to men, women and those undergoing or intending to undergo gender reassignment. Sexual harassment of men and women can be found to constitute sex discrimination.

Age

It is not permissible to treat a person less favourably because of their age. This applies to people of all ages.

Disability

It is not permissible to treat a disabled person less favourably than a non-disabled person. Reasonable adjustments must be made to give the disabled person as much access to any services and classes, including the opportunity to grade or to be promoted as a non-disabled person or with such reasonable adaptions to provide parity.

Race

It is not permissible to treat a person less favourably because of their race, the colour of their skin, their nationality or their ethnic origin.

Sexual Orientation

It is not permissible to treat a person less favourably because of their sexual orientation. For example, a club cannot refuse to teach a person because s/he is homosexual, heterosexual or bisexual.

Religion or Belief

It is not permissible to treat a person less favourably because of their religious beliefs or their religion or their lack of any religion or belief.

Reasonable Adjustments

The Club has a duty to make reasonable adjustments to facilitate the teaching of a disabled person. If a student has a disability and feels that any such adjustments could be made by The Club, they should contact the Designated Officer.

Responsibility for the Implementation of this Policy

All instructors, assistant instructors and volunteers of The Club are required to act in a way that does not subject any other students, volunteers or instructors to direct or indirect discrimination, harassment or victimisation on the grounds of their race, sex, pregnancy or maternity, marital or civil partnership status, gender reassignment, disability, religion or beliefs, age or sexual orientation.

The co-operation of all students and instructors is essential for the success of this Policy. Senior belts are expected to follow this Policy and to try to ensure that all lower grades, volunteers and starters do the same.

Students and clients may be held independently and individually liable for their discriminatory acts by The Club and in some circumstances their right to train may be revoked.

The Club takes responsibility for achieving the objectives of this Policy, and endeavours to ensure compliance with relevant Legislation and Codes of Practice.