Equality and Diversity Policy

Last reviewed and updated on: 16th February 2024

This document is to ensure we fully implement the Equality Act of 2010 and protect all stakeholders from discrimination - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance 

1.  Statement  

OpenClassrooms is committed to promoting equal opportunities and ensuring that all learners, apprentices, and employees (regardless of the length of contract) who join OpenClassrooms feel valued and welcome by creating a positive and fully inclusive learning/working environment where discrimination, harassment, bullying, and prejudice will not be tolerated. 

All employees, both current and potential, apprentices, adult learners, non-employed, and visitors will be treated with respect, courtesy, and dignity and will receive equal treatment regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation (Protected Characteristics).

OpenClassrooms opposes and avoids all forms of unlawful discrimination. This includes pay and benefits, terms and conditions of employment, dealing with grievances and discipline, dismissal, redundancy, leave for parents, requests for flexible working, and selection for employment, promotion, training, or other developmental opportunities.

2.  About this policy

This policy sets out our approach to equality and diversity and the avoidance of discrimination in the learning/working environment. It applies to all aspects of working with us, including learning, appraisals, conduct, and disciplinary procedures. 

All staff, users of OpenClassrooms, apprentices, learners, associates, partners, and contractors are required to embrace this policy.

The aims of this policy are:

• to make employees, learners and mentors aware of the principles for inclusion and to develop cultures, policies and practices to enable us to respond to and support all learners.
• to ensure OpenClassrooms recruits, trains and promotes people based on qualifications, experience and abilities for all roles within OpenClassrooms.
• to ensure that OpenClassrooms complies with its obligations under equality legislation and demonstrates our commitment to treating people equally and fairly.
• to take effective action to provide encouragement and support to individuals and groups whose progress has been limited by stereotyping and cultural misconceptions linked to their Protected Characteristics.
• to promote mutual respect and tolerance so that a positive attitude towards self and others is encouraged and maintained.
• to develop awareness of the diversity of society and to learn to value diversity in others.
• to promote equal opportunities and prevent stereo-typing on the basis of race, gender, disability, sexuality, age, religion, colour, ethnic origin, marital status or nationality.
• to ensure that every individual is included and not disadvantaged.
• to provide a safe and caring environment, free from discrimination and to promote equality of access and opportunity for all people at OpenClassrooms.
• To promote and nurture equality and diversity within OpenClassrooms.

3.  Roles and responsibilities  

OpenClassrooms will: 

• ensure publications, marketing, and promotional materials, key documents such as handbooks, and apprentice and learner recruitment procedures endorse and support equality and diversity;
• ensure that learning and working take place in a supportive and inclusive environment, free from discrimination or harassment;
• ensure that equality and diversity are built into all aspects of the apprenticeship programme processes and working environments;
• adopt a zero-tolerance approach for bullying, harassment, victimisation, and unlawful discrimination aimed at staff, apprentices, partners, learners mentors and providers;
• remove/minimise disadvantages experienced by individuals who share a relevant Protected Characteristic that is connected to that characteristic;
• take steps to meet the needs of individuals who share a relevant Protected Characteristic which are different from the needs of individuals who do not share it;
• encourage individuals with a relevant Protected Characteristic to participate in public life or in any other activities where participation by such individuals is disproportionately low;
• foster good relations, including having due regard to tackle prejudice and promote understanding. 
• deliver training to managers and all other employees about their rights and responsibilities under the equality, diversity, and inclusion policy. Responsibilities include staff conducting themselves to help OpenClassrooms provide equal opportunities in employment and prevent bullying, harassment, victimisation, and unlawful discrimination.

Learners are responsible for: 

• treating everybody, including staff, tutors, mentors, providers, other learners and apprentices within OpenClassrooms, with dignity and respect;
• not discriminating against others because of a Protected Characteristic;
• reporting any issues of discrimination, bullying, and/or harassment.    

Other people or companies, including Employers, partners and providers are expected to: 

• embrace this policy; and/or
• have their own equality and diversity policies in place. 

4.  Discrimination 

The following forms of discrimination are prohibited under this policy and are unlawful:

A. Direct discrimination: treating someone less favourably because of a Protected Characteristic. For example, rejecting an applicant because of their religious views.

B. Indirect discrimination: a provision, criterion, or practice that applies to everyone but adversely affects people with a particular Protected Characteristic more than others and is not justified. For example, requiring a job to be done full-time rather than part-time. Such a requirement would be discriminatory unless it can be justified.

C. Harassment, Physical or Emotional Abuse and Bullying: this includes sexual harassment and other unwanted conduct related to a Protected Characteristic, which has the purpose or effect of violating someone’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment for them. 

D. Victimisation: retaliation against someone who has complained or has supported someone else’s complaint about discrimination or harassment.

E. Disability discrimination: this includes direct and indirect discrimination, any unjustified less favourable treatment because of the effects of a disability, and failure to make reasonable adjustments to alleviate disadvantages caused by a disability.

Please don't hesitate to take a look at our Whistleblowing procedure available here.

5.  Recruitment, selection, and assessment 

Recruitment, promotion, assessment, and other selection exercises will be conducted on the basis of merit against objective criteria that avoid discrimination. 

Vacancies and courses should generally be advertised to a diverse section of the labour market. Advertisements should avoid stereotyping or using wording that may discourage particular groups from applying. 

Any entry requirements, content, and assessment demands for employees, apprentices, and learners will be appropriate to the knowledge, understanding, and skills specified and will not act as unnecessary barriers to achievement. 

6.  Disabilities  

We will encourage the integration and inclusion of learners, apprentices, and employees, who have disabilities or Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Learners and apprentices may be offered specialised programmes of development to assist to achieve their learning goals. All reasonable adjustments will be made to support employees, apprentices, and learners, where appropriate.  

We respect the individual’s right to confidentiality, so any information provided will be kept private and will not be passed to anyone without the person’s consent. 

7.  Breaches of this policy 

We take a strict approach to breaches of this policy. For OpenClassrooms employees, such acts will be dealt with as misconduct under the organisation’s grievance and/or disciplinary procedures, and appropriate action will be taken. Particularly serious complaints could amount to gross misconduct and lead to dismissal without notice. For learners, this may involve disciplinary action, including suspension or withdrawal from the training programme. For employers, this may involve cessation of the employer contract.  For providers, this may involve the termination of the contract and damage for non-respect of this policy and the Code of Conduct.

If you believe that you have suffered discrimination, you can raise the matter by contacting us as appropriate. Complaints will be treated in confidence and investigated as appropriate. Please see our Complaints Policy.

There must be no victimisation or retaliation against anyone who complains about discrimination. However, making a false allegation deliberately and in bad faith will be treated as misconduct and may result in the consequences listed above. 

8. Monitoring and review

OpenClassrooms will review this policy regularly and, where otherwise necessary, may revise it as required in response to the findings of any review. 

OpenClassrooms monitors its progress regarding its Diversity and Inclusion practices with the help of an anonymous and optional survey, done at least every two years. 

We will ensure that we regularly monitor equality and diversity practices, including: 

• recruitment and enrollment practices;
• training;
• checking that policies are up to date and relevant; and
• reviewing the current procedures in place.

9.  Related Policies 

This policy is supported by the following other policies and procedures:

• Complaints Policy 
• Safeguarding Policy 
• Disciplinary & Grievance policy (for staff, this can be found on BambooHR, under the “Files” section.

10.  General

OpenClassrooms will review and amend this policy on an annual basis and, where otherwise necessary, may revise it as required in response to findings of any review or testing.

The next date of planned reviews is 31st October 2024