Brook Cricket Club (the Club) has adopted and implements the
ECB Cricket Equity Policy which is reproduced below:
1. Statement of Intent
1.1 The ECB is fully committed to the principles of equality
of opportunity and aims to ensure that no individual receives less
favourable treatment on the grounds of age, gender, disability, race, ethnic
origin, nationality, colour, parental or marital status, pregnancy,
religious belief, class or social background, sexual preference or political
belief. This includes job applicants, employees, participants, volunteers
and spectators.
1.2 The ECB will ensure that there will be open access to
all those who wish to participate in all aspects of cricket and that they
are treated fairly.
1.3 The ECB specifically supports initiatives by other
organisations within cricket which recognise the principles of equality of
opportunity and treatment such as the International Cricket Council
Anti-Racism Policy and the Professional Cricketers Association’s Racism
Awareness Campaign.
2. Purpose of the Policy
2.1 The ECB recognises that certain sections of the
community may have been affected by past discrimination and may have felt
denied the opportunity to participate equally and fully in sport at all
levels.
2.2 This policy has been produced to prevent/tackle any
potential/current discrimination or other unfair treatment, whether
intentional or unintentional, direct or indirect, against its employees,
members and volunteers.
2.3 This policy is applicable to the game of cricket at all
levels and in all roles.
3. Actions
3.1 The ECB will produce and maintain an action plan to
ensure the intent of this policy is delivered.
3.2 All areas of the organisation will be affected by this
action plan, which will be incorporated in to the overall business plan.
3.3 The ECB recognises that, in some cases, to achieve the
principle of equality, unequal effort is required and, if appropriate, will
consider positive action to tackle under representation.
4. Legal Requirements
4.1 The ECB recognises its legal obligations under, and will
abide by the requirements of, the following:
-
Equal Pay Act 1970
-
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act
1974 (and Exemptions Order 1975)
-
Sex Discrimination Acts 1975,
1986 & 1999
-
Race Relations Act 1976 and the
Race Relations Amendment Act 2000
-
Children Act 1989 and 2004
-
Disability Discrimination Act
1995
-
Data Protection Act 1998
-
Human Rights Act 1998
-
Criminal Justice and Court
Services Act 2000
-
Employment Equality (Sexual
Orientation) Regulations 2003
-
Employment Equality (Religion
and Belief) Regulations 2003
-
Employment Equality (Age)
Regulations 2006
This includes any later amendments to the above Acts /
Regulations, or future Acts / Regulations that are relevant to the ECB.
4.2 The ECB will seek legal advice each time the policy is
reviewed to ensure it continues to comply with all legislation requirements.
5. Discrimination, harassment and victimisation
5.1 Discrimination can take the following forms:
5.1.1 Direct Discrimination. This means treating someone
less favourably than you would treat others in the same circumstances.
5.1.2 Indirect Discrimination. This occurs when a job
requirement or condition is applied equally to all, which has a
disproportionate and detrimental affect on one sector of society, because
fewer from that sector can comply with it and the requirement cannot be
justified in relation to the job.
5.2 Harassment is described as inappropriate actions,
behaviour, comments or physical contact that is objectionable or causes
offence to the recipient. It may be directed towards people because of their
gender, appearance, race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, age, sexual
preference, a disability or some other characteristic. The ECB is committed
to ensuring that its employees, members, participants and volunteers are
able to conduct their activities free from harassment or intimidation.
5.3 Victimisation is defined as when someone is treated less
favourably than others because he or she has taken action against the ECB
under one of the relevant Acts / Regulations (as previously outlined) or
provided information about discrimination, harassment or inappropriate
behaviour.
5.4 The ECB regards discrimination, harassment or
victimisation, as described above, as serious misconduct and any employee,
volunteer or participant who discriminates against, harasses or victimises
any other person will be liable to appropriate disciplinary action.
6. Responsibility, implementation and communication
6.1 The following responsibilities will apply:
6.1.1 The Board is responsible for ensuring that this Equity
Policy is followed and to deal with any actual or potential breaches.
6.1.2 The Chief Executive has the overall responsibility for
the implementation of the Equity Policy.
6.1.3 A specific member of staff, designated by the Chief
Executive, has the overall responsibility for achieving the equity action
plan as this will form part of their work programme.
6.1.4 All employees, volunteers and members have
responsibilities to respect, act in accordance with and thereby support and
promote the spirit and intentions of the policy and, where appropriate,
individual work programmes will be amended to include equity related tasks.
6.2 The new policy will be implemented immediately following
Board agreement and, at a corporate level, will result in the following:
6.2.1 A copy of this document will be available to all staff
(both permanent and contract), members and volunteers of the ECB.
6.2.2 The ECB will take measures to ensure that its
employment practices are nondiscriminatory.
6.2.3 No job applicant will be placed at a disadvantage by
requirements or conditions which are not necessary to the performance of the
job or which constitute unfair discrimination.
6.2.4 A planned approach will be adopted to eliminate
barriers which discriminate. The ECB will ensure that best practice is
extensively promoted and will expect that clubs and members will follow
guidelines that are set down.
6.2.5 Ensure that consultants and advisers used by the ECB
can demonstrate their commitment to the principles and practice of equity
and that they abide by this policy.
6.2.6 The ECB will require all affiliated organisations to
adopt this policy or ensure that current equity policies have the same
stated intent as the ECB cricket policy
6.3 The new policy will be communicated in the following
ways:
6.3.1 It will be part of the staff handbook and reference
will be made to it in any codes of conduct.
6.3.2 It will be covered in all staff and volunteer
induction training.
6.3.3 All participants will be made aware of the policy’s
existence through the ECB website and a summary of any revisions will also
be published there
www.ecb.co.uk.
6.3.4 At time of review, a mechanism will be put in place to
allow all staff, members, participants and volunteers to be part of the
process.
7. Monitoring and Evaluation
7.1 This policy will be reviewed annually and changes made
if required.
7.2 The equity action plan, created to ensure the intent of
the policy is delivered, will be reviewed by the Chief Executive and the
member of staff with the responsibility for its implementation, on a
quarterly basis.
7.3 As part of the overall business delivery plan, the
equity action plan will be reviewed by the Board on an annual basis.
7.4 On an annual basis, statistical information will be
produced by the Chief Executive for the Board, and will be published
internally and externally, to show the impact of this policy.
8. Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures
8.1 To safeguard individual rights under the policy, an
employee, volunteer or participant who believes he/she has suffered
inequitable treatment within the scope of the policy may raise the matter
through the appropriate grievance procedure.
8.2 Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against
any employee, volunteer or participant who violates the ECB’s Equity Policy.
8.3 An individual may raise any grievance and no employee,
volunteer or participant will be penalised for doing so unless it is without
foundation and not made in good faith.