Equality & Diversity Policy

The Big Blue Box is a small business and employs few people, and is not planning to employ significant numbers of others at this stage or for the foreseeable future. However, the coaching service we provide puts us into positions of trust and confidentiality with a large number of people.

The Big Blue Box is wholeheartedly committed to the principle of equality of opportunity, both in its capacity as an employer and as a provider of services to others.

The Big Blue Box is absolutely opposed to discriminatory attitudes, and is committed to translating this into all aspects of its everyday work.

We are determined to make all efforts to promote equality of opportunity for users of our services, our Coachees, and prevent discrimination or unfair treatment against them because of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, pregnancy, maternity, race (which includes colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), sexual orientation, religion or belief, responsibilities for dependents, offending background, or marital or civil partnership status.

Policy Objectives

The objectives of The Big Blue Box’s Equality and Diversity policy are:

To have equality and diversity integrated into all parts of The Big Blue Box’s planning, service delivery, standard setting and evaluation
To ensure that the diversity of our Clients is respected and their needs and issues of equality and diversity integrated into day to day operation and planning for the future
To ensure as far as possible that the diversity of The Big Blue Box is appropriate to the communities we serve
To eliminate all forms of unlawful discrimination from our activities
To ensure that all our policies and procedures are assessed to take into account any detrimental impact on equality and diversity and/or opportunities to promote equality and diversity
To take all necessary steps to remove organisational barriers to equality and diversity where it is practicable and legal to do so

Scope

This policy covers all those who work at The Big Blue Box Ltd.

We support the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) Diversity Statement:

Our Values

All individuals should have the opportunity to live autonomous and socially responsible lives
Respect is given to the individual and common humanity of all people
Relationships shall be carried out without discrimination on the basis of religion, race, colour, creed, disability, nationality, socio-economic status, gender, age, sexual preference, or any other form of diversity
Physical, psychological and social violence and oppression are opposed
Individuals are encouraged to be aware of their relationship to the world around them, and to choose effectively their own responses and be responsible in their behaviour
These values and subsequent actions are to enhance the well-being of individuals and society
EMCC aims to conduct its activities in ways that reflect the values listed above and the practices listed on the next page.
In order to achieve this for EMCC as a body, we also expect our members and member organisations, and any employees, consultants, advisers or suppliers working with us, to likewise conduct their activities in ways that reflect the same values and follow the same practices.

Our Practice

We avoid knowingly discriminating on any grounds
We constantly seek to enhance our own awareness of possible areas of discrimination
We aim to challenge in a supportive way any colleagues, employees, service providers, clients or participants whom we perceive to be using discriminatory behaviour
We monitor our language, both spoken, written and non-verbal, for inadvertent discrimination
We engage in developmental activities that are likely to increase our self awareness, especially in relation to diversity