Equality and diversity

Our tenants and our staff members come from many ethnic, religious, socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, and will vary in their health, experiences, beliefs, genders and sexualities. We believe that every individual should an equal opportunity to make the most of their lives and talents. No-one should have poorer life chances due to circumstances out of their control.

A diverse group, community, or organisation is one in which a variety of social and cultural characteristics exist, including:

• Race
• Ethnicity
• Nationality
• Religion
• Socio-economic status
• Education
• Marital status
• Language
• Age
• Gender
• Sexual orientation
• Mental or physical ability
• Learning styles

What we do to ensure equality for tenants and staff members?

We follow all the legal and regulatory requirements set down by:

• Equality Act 2010
• Human Rights Act 1998
• Regulatory Framework for Social Housing in England
• Care Quality Commission

We aim to improve equality and inclusion outcomes for our residents, customers and partners. We actively promote community cohesion and social, digital and financial inclusion.

In addition, we aspire for our workforce to be truly representative, and for every one of our employees to feel respected and able to give their best.

How do we ensure that equality and diversity is integral to everything we do?

We have an Equality and Diversity Policy, and we embrace best practice to tackle incidents of:

• harassment
• domestic violence
• bullying
• anti-social behaviour

We ensure that we offer fair access to our information and services, while our office meets the physical access requirements of the Equality Act 2010. Vulnerable and marginalised groups benefit from a full range of information, and we consider the needs of speakers whose first language is not English. It is also important for us to consider different levels of literacy or those who experience sensory deprivation.

As a provider of affordable housing, we aim to reduce the disadvantages faced by some of our residents by tailoring our services to their needs. Our practices and procedures are consistently monitored and reviewed to ensure they do not discriminate against anybody.

Equality and Diversity Action Plan

This plan sets out how we are working to improve and promote equality. We track our performance alongside our Action Plan each quarter through our Equality and Diversity Forum. 

Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs)

EIAs help us check the impact of our work on tenants, stakeholders and members of staff. All relevant policies and procedures are assessed on a three-yearly cycle or as necessary.

Who is responsible for equality and diversity at Havebury?

We have effective arrangements in place to monitor equality and diversity.

• The day-to-day responsibility lies with the Chief Executive and Management Team
• The Director of Operations is the nominated and controlling authority
• Our Equality Policy is fully supported by the Board of Directors. Members of the board are responsible for the document and provide leadership to ensure that it is successful
• Diversity champions are in place at various levels within the business
• All staff undergo equality and diversity training
• The Equality and Diversity Forum helps us prioritise our Equality and Diversity Action Plan

Inclusive Employers

Havebury is a member of Inclusive Employers. Established in May 2011, Inclusive Employers is the UK’s first and leading membership organisation for employers looking to build inclusive workplaces.

Inclusive Employers are responsible for providing creative, engaging initiatives to build inclusive cultures. They support us in developing ways to increase inclusion within the workplace and share best practice.

For further details regarding Inclusive Employers, please click here.