diversity policy.

Captivate

Diversity & Inclusion Policy 2020

Policy Statement

It is Captivate’s policy to treat employees, clients, all job applicants, colleagues and suppliers fairly and equally, regardless of actual or perceived age, sex, race, colour, nationality, national or ethnic origins, religion or belief, pregnancy, trans-gender status, sexual orientation, marital status, civil partnership status or disability.

Through this Policy Statement, and the below Guiding Principles, alongside our Recruitment Policy, we will do all we can to promote good practice in the area of Diversity and Inclusion in order to eliminate discrimination and harassment as far as is reasonably possible. We understand that this needs to be done alongside continuous and consistent training and will be reviewed and critiqued regularly.

Guiding Principles

Company

We are open, honest and transparent when it comes to our Diversity Policy and expect the same from our suppliers and clients.

  • – Our Diversity and Inclusion Policy Statement is published on our group and individual agency websites

  • – Our clients and customers are sent a copy of the policy at the start of our working relationship and know the standards we work to and expect

  • – We request the diversity policies of all our suppliers and aim to work with companies with a track record for supporting diversity

  • – We annually review our workforce diversity data to create accountability for our agency

  • – We annually audit our policies and culture to ensure the environment we work in is more equitable and inclusive to a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives

 Culture

We are committed to an inclusive social and office culture, including our social activities as well as within the office

  • – Zero-tolerance approach to racial discrimination, harassment (including third party), victimisation, bullying, intimidation and microaggressions and will not hesitate to take disciplinary action. To help with giving people the confidence to come forward we have set up a “Voice Box” for people to post anonymous statements identifying this type of behaviour

  • – We have set up an annual anonymous survey to seek employee’s feedback on the inclusivity of our working environment with a commitment to address all feedback within 1 month of receiving it

Recruitment

The separate Recruitment Policy Statement applies to the process of recruitment and selection (including of beneficiaries), promotion, training, conditions of work, pay and benefits and to every other aspect of employment, including general treatment at work and the processes involved in the termination of employment. Guiding principles are:

  • – We ensure our job descriptions are fair, based on level of experienced required and aim to remove conscious and unconscious bias based on anything other than that

  • – We specify the minimum criteria for each role advertised and will interview all candidates that meet the requirements

  • – We always have a minimum of two people on a recruitment panel and, where possible, we include a person from different genders, race and nationalities

  • – We provide detailed, constructive feedback after interviews for all candidates

  • – We only work with recruitment consultants that are actively committed to diversity and can, and will, put forward candidates from ethnic minority backgrounds for interviews

  • – Where possible we request the following data to be removed from CVs – age, race, sex, nationality, education – in order to focus on the relevance and level of experience for the role only

  • – We keep a record of roles advertised, responses received, interviews given and quantity of responses and interviews from a diverse background to assist with our audit and progression

 Nurturing talent

We promote, champion, seek out and encourage talent based on merit and level of experience only. In order for this to be the case we implement:

  • – Objective, transparent and accessible pay levels per role, applicable bonus schemes per role and training schemes across the group regardless of age, sex or race

  • – Salaries are based on the role, level and experience of the individual are are no way linked to race, sex or background

  • – Offer each Black, Asian, mixed race and ethnic minority members of staff the opportunity to be mentored by a fellow member of staff from a similar background if this option is available and possible

  • – Cultivate talent from a diverse representation of colleges, universities and schools

  • Run internships for candidates who have transferable skills but who may not have taken a traditional educational path

 Training and Education

We are committed to ethnic diversity across all levels from boardroom to work experience.

  • – Our senior management team from across the business have attended Diversity and Inclusion workshop training

  • – Our training is done by an external team of experts and we do not rely on our diverse staff to educate us on topics of diversity and inclusion

  • – We have a Diversity and Inclusion Committee including black and NBPOC employees to help shape diversity and inclusion within the agency and create actionable and monitored improvements

Work

We aim to create work that is inclusive and recognises diverse audiences.

  • – We review creative work and content to ensure it promotes diversity and ensure insensitive or offensive work is never published

  • – Regularly review each employee’s client work to ensure staff have equal opportunity to work on big clients and award-winning campaigns

 Staff

  • – The organisation does not have a compulsory retirement age, and each employee may choose for him/herself when to stop working, subject to them continuing to be sufficiently fit to perform their job to a satisfactory standard

  • – Employees who are disabled or become disabled in the course of their employment should inform the organisation about their disability. Management will then arrange to discuss with the employee what reasonable adjustments to their job or working conditions or environment might assist them in the performance of their duties. The employee will also be encouraged to suggest any adjustments that they believe would be helpful. Careful consideration will be given to any proposals and, where reasonable and reasonably practicable, such adjustments will be made. There may, however, be circumstances where it will not be reasonable or reasonably practicable for the organisation to accommodate proposals put forward by the employee

  • – Responsibility for ensuring that there is no unlawful discrimination rests with all staff and the attitude of staff as well as their freedom to speak out against discrimination is crucial to the successful operation of fair employment practices

 Closing Statement

Responsibility for ensuring the effective implementation and operation of the guidelines set above will rest with the Board. Directors and Managers will ensure that they and their staff operate within this policy and arrangements, and that all reasonable and practical steps are taken to avoid discrimination.