West Highland Wheelers Equality Policy

1 Statement of intent

West Highland Wheelers (thereafter referred to as ‘The Club’) is fully committed to the principles and active promotion of equality of opportunity. The club is responsible for ensuring that no member or volunteer receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of a protected characteristic. Protective characteristics are disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, sex (gender) and age.
1. The club will ensure that there will be open access to all those who wish to participate in the sport or associated recreational activity and that they are treated fairly.
1. The “active promotion of equality of opportunity” implies that the club is seeking to move from simply complying with legislation and good practice towards embracing diversity.

2 Purpose of the equality policy

The club will ensure that no sections of the community are denied the opportunity to participate and make progress in the sport or recreational activity.
- The club will take steps to prevent discrimination or other unfair treatment for its (delete as required) employees, members or volunteers, whether intentional or unintentional, direct or indirect.

3 Legal requirements

3.1 Discrimination has been legally defined through the Equality Act 2010. Discrimination refers tounfavourable treatment on the basis of particular characteristics, which are known as the ‘protected characteristics’. Under the Equality Act 2010, the protected characteristics are defined as age (employment only until 2012), disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status (employment only), pregnancy and maternity, race (which includes ethnic or national origin, colour or nationality), religion or belief, sex (gender) and sexual orientation.

3.2 Under the Equality Act 2010, individuals are protected from discrimination ‘on grounds of a protected characteristic. This means that individuals will be protected if they have a characteristic, are assumed to have it, associate with someone who has it or with someone who is assumed to have it.

Discrimination / Harassment / Bullying / Victimisation
- The club is committed to ensuring that its employees, members and competitors are able to conduct their activities in an environment that is free from harassment, intimidation or bullying.
- The club regards discrimination, harassment or bullying, as described below, as gross misconduct. Any member of the club, who discriminates against any other person, may be liable to appropriate disciplinary action.

Direct Discrimination: This occurs by treating a person worse than someone else because of a protected characteristic. In the case of pregnancy and maternity this can occur if they have the protected characteristic without needing to compare treatment to someone else. Additionally direct discrimination can occur because someone is thought to have a protected characteristic or because they associate with someone who has a protected characteristic.
- Indirect Discrimination: This occurs by putting a rule or way of doing things that has a worse impact on someone with a protected characteristic that someone without one, when this cannot be objectively justified.
- Discrimination Arising from Disability: This occurs by treating a disabled person unfavourably because of something connected with their disability when this cannot be justified.
- Failing to make Reasonable Adjustment: This occurs by failing to make reasonable adjustment for disabled people which cannot be justified.
- Harassment: Is unwanted conduct which has the purpose or effect of violating someone’s dignity or which is hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive to someone with a protected characteristic or in a way that is sexual in nature.
- Bullying: Bullying is one form of personal harassment. It is the misuse of power or position to persistently criticise or to humiliate and undermine an individual’s confidence.
- Victimisation: Treating someone less favourably because they have taken (or might be taking) action under the Equality Act or supporting someone who is doing so.

5 Implementation

A copy of this document will be available to all members and volunteers of the club.
- All members and volunteers have responsibilities to respect, act in accordance with and thereby support and promote the spirit and intentions of this policy.
- The club will take measures to ensure that its recruitment and employment practices are non- discriminatory.
- A planned approach will be adopted to eliminate barriers which discriminate against particular groups.
- The club will ensure that consultants, advisers and suppliers used by the club can demonstrate their commitment to the principles and practice of equality.

6 Positive action

The club may take positive action for any group which is under-represented in membership, workforce or participation events that share a protected characteristic and suffer a disadvantage connected to the characteristic. Additionally, the club may take positive action in the provision of services for people who share a protected characteristic.

7 Monitoring and evaluation

The club will regularly monitor and evaluate the policy, practices, procedures and operations on an ongoing basis and will inform members of their impact.
- The Wellbeing and Protection Officer has overall responsibility for the implementation of the Equality Policy.
- The Club Board/Committee is responsible for ensuring that this Equality Policy is followed and to provide appropriate procedures to deal with the investigation and disciplinary hearing in connection with any alleged breach of the Equality Policy and/or any related Codes of Conduct.

8 Disciplinary and grievance procedures

To safeguard individual rights under the policy a member or volunteer who believes that he/she has suffered inequitable treatment within the scope of the policy may raise the matter through the appropriate grievance procedure.

Appropriate disciplinary action may be taken against any employee, member or volunteer who contravenes the Equality Policy.

The club is committed to ensuring that individuals feel able to raise any grievance and no member or volunteer will be penalised for doing so unless it is untrue and not made in good faith.

Adopted _01/04/2026_________________________ Due for review ___01/05/27______________________

To safeguard individual rights under the policy a member or volunteer who believes that he/she has suffered inequitable treatment within the scope of the policy may raise the matter through the appropriate grievance procedure.
- Appropriate disciplinary action may be taken against any employee, member or volunteer who contravenes the Equality Policy.
- The club is committed to ensuring that individuals feel able to raise any grievance and no member or volunteer will be penalised for doing so unless it is untrue and not made in good faith.

Adopted _01/04/2026_________________________ Due for review ___01/05/27______________________

To safeguard individual rights under the policy a member or volunteer who believes that he/she has suffered inequitable treatment within the scope of the policy may raise the matter through the appropriate grievance procedure.
- Appropriate disciplinary action may be taken against any employee, member or volunteer who contravenes the Equality Policy.
- The club is committed to ensuring that individuals feel able to raise any grievance and no member or volunteer will be penalised for doing so unless it is untrue and not made in good faith.

Adopted _01/04/2026_________________________ Due for review ___01/05/27______________________