Equality, diversity and inclusion policy
This policy will be considered for approval in Michaelmas Term 2025
Introduction
- This policy applies to all members of the College community, including students, fellows, professional services and support staff, applicants, associate and honorary members, and visitors.
2. All visitors to the College, including contractors, and people working, acting or operating on behalf of the College, whether on College premises or elsewhere, have a responsibility to understand their obligations with regard to this policy.
3. The University of Oxford and colleges are considered, under the Equality Act 2010 and Public Sector Equality Duty 2011, as public bodies that are required to observe the Public Sector Equality Duty. In all activities, the collegiate University must demonstrate due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between different groups.
4. Green Templeton is an independent charity with its own mission and character. However, as a member of the collegiate University we understand how our members’ experiences are connected to a University department, Division, Centre or Institute. Our EDI work is strengthened by reflecting, where relevant to us, the University’s EDI Strategy.
5. In exercising its policies, practices, procedures, and other functions, Green Templeton College will have due regard to its duties under the Equality Act 2010 and to the protected characteristics specified within it, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities, contract type, and working hours.
6. The characteristics protected by the Equality Act 2010 are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status (in employment), pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, and sexual orientation.
Our commitment
7. Green Templeton College is committed to fostering an inclusive culture which promotes equality, values diversity, and maintains a working, learning, and social environment in which the rights and dignity of all its staff and students are respected, and where all members of our community are valued and able to succeed. The College recognises that equality should be embedded in all its activities and seeks to promote awareness of equality, to foster good practice and to celebrate diversity.
8. Green Templeton seeks to achieve equity in the experience and support of all students, fellows, and staff through the implementation of transparent policies, practices, and procedures. Green Templeton will identify and remove barriers to inclusion and will take prompt action over alleged discrimination, victimisation or harassment.
9. Green Templeton recognises the intersections between different elements of individuals’ identities and experiences, acknowledging that there may be multiple factors that affect people’s sense of belonging.
10. The college also recognises that diversity and inclusion goes beyond the characteristics protected by law. While we acknowledge that people experience unjust discrimination involving protected characteristics, we are committed to ensuring that EDI is about everyone and that everyone in our community feels included at Green Templeton. This involves attention to dimensions that are either not explicitly covered by the Equality Act, or are only imperfectly captured by protected characteristics: for example, caring responsibilities, socioeconomic status and cognitive diversity.
Our approach
11. Green Templeton is committed to a programme of action to support its equality policy, to monitor its effectiveness, and to publish information on progress towards its equality aims.
12. Green Templeton will use an evidence-based approach where possible to inform its activities to increase equality and to measure the impact of any changes.
13. We will take steps to meet the particular needs of individuals from protected groups where these are different from the needs of others, and offer development opportunities to increase awareness of equality and diversity issues and requirements.
14. We will be proactive in eliminating discrimination, including harassment and bullying, through training and the production and dissemination of codes of practice and guidance.
15. Specifically, Green Templeton will:
- a) Have regard to our obligations under relevant legislation, including the requirement to carry out impact assessments in certain areas, and for our policies, codes of practice and guidance to mirror the same and be changed to meet the demands of new legislation
- b) Agree equality objectives and an action plan, and report on progress towards attaining our objectives in our annual Public Sector Equality Duty Report;
- c) Use the annual Public Sector Equality Duty Report as a space to assess our polices on and our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion;
- d) Monitor and publish anonymized equality data on our fellows, staff and students;
- e) Encourage applications for study and employment from the widest pool of potential candidates, especially where representation is disproportionately low;
- f) With respect to students, seek to attract applicants of the highest quality and potential, regardless of background;
- g) In the provision of residential accommodation, will seek to provide an inclusive living and studying environment;
- h) With respect to staff, ensure that entry into employment and progression within employment are determined primarily by criteria which relate to the duties of a particular post and the relevant salary scale; and support career development and progression, where possible in a small organisation, to encourage diverse representation and participation at all levels;
- i) Take steps to ensure that the teaching and other academic activities carried out or facilitated by the college are inclusive;
- j) Regularly review the terms of this policy and all associated codes of practice and guidance;
- k) Publicise this policy, and any relevant codes of practice and guidance, and make them available to all fellows, staff and students.
Responsibilities
16. All College staff, students, fellows, contractors and visitors have a responsibility under this policy. Individuals are:
- a) Responsible for making themselves aware of the College Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.
- b) Expected to participate in training which supports the implementation of the college’s Equality Policy, as appropriate.
- c) Responsible for their behaviour and expected to treat others with dignity and respect. This includes cases where alleged or proven discrimination, harassment, bullying or victimisation has occurred.
- d) Staff responsible for dealing with appeals, complaints, grievances, staff discipline and student conduct matters should demonstrate sensitivity to equality and diversity issues.
Monitoring and auditing
17. The college has in place arrangements to monitor the selection and recruitment of members of staff and the admission of students, in reference to gender, ethnicity and disability. The results of this monitoring process are collated by the Academic Registrar and HR Manager and reported to the Academic Committee, HR Committee and Governing Body.
18. In addition to the monitoring and assessment arrangements already in place, the college will consider procedures to ensure that such additional monitoring is undertaken as is necessary to ensure that the college is able to identify possible improvements in its practices, for example in relation to management and governance; admissions, access and participation; students’ support and guidance; behaviour and discipline; partnership and community links; staff recruitment, training and career development; and service delivery.
19. Green Templeton will evaluate the impact of its actions and will publish information on our progress annually as part of annual diversity and inclusion reporting under the Public Sector Equality Duty.
Governance
20. The Governing Body agrees Green Templeton College’s strategic objectives for equality and diversity. These are presented to Governing Body annually at its first meeting of Michaelmas Term by the Senior Tutor, who has the role of Equality and Diversity Lead.
21. The Principal with the support of the Executive Management Group and the Governing Body will provide leadership on equality and diversity and oversee the development of equality policy frameworks and their application in the College.
22. The HR Committee and Academic Committee have responsibility for co-ordinating policy development and identifying priorities in their respective areas, and will report to Governing Body annually. The Senior Tutor presents student-related data and the Human Resources Manager presents staff data.
23. The college will appoint a current Governing Body Fellow as Equality and Diversity Champion, who will work with the Equality and Diversity Lead and the Equality and Diversity Forum to provide oversight for projects that seek to meet these objectives. The Equality and Diversity Forum does not report formally to any college committee and is comprised of members of college staff, GCR representatives, fellows and students who volunteer to be members each year. Its role is to provide input into EDI-related policy, objectives and reporting. The output from this work will be communicated to the relevant college committees for discussion and approval by the Equality and Diversity Lead
24. College Officers and managers are responsible for the day-to-day implementation of this policy and for supporting the delivery of Green Templeton’s College strategic objectives for equality and diversity within the College constituency for which they are responsible. All managers are responsible for ensuring that equality is embedded in the work of their teams.
Concerns and Complaints
25. Staff should approach their line manager or HR in the first instance to resolve concerns informally.
26. Students should approach the Senior Tutor in the first instance to resolve concerns informally.
27. Fellows and Associates should approach the Fellowships Manager in the first instance to resolve concerns informally.
28. If this an informal resolution is unsuccessful, a formal grievance or complaint concerning a breach of this policy may be made to the College.