Our vision for equality, diversity and inclusion goes beyond establishing processes to achieve change. Through interaction with colleagues, members and stakeholders we work to embed these responsibilities in our everyday working practices. This allows us to more effectively embrace the diversity of all our membership and the clients they serve.

Our aims

We recognise the contribution of all our employees, members and associates. We aim to be supportive, fair, just and free from discrimination.

In line with these objectives, we will challenge discrimination based on age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation while actively promoting equality and diversity.

Action

As part of our interaction with our employees, members, member institutions and suppliers, we aim to be proactive and monitor progress made towards meeting our objectives to:

  • encourage diversity and eliminate unfair treatment and discrimination through a full range of policies and procedures
  • recognise that employees have rights to work in a supportive, safe and harassment-free environment and have individual and collective responsibility to value and respect each other's contributions

Discrimination and victimisation

We respect and uphold the dignity of all our employees, members and associates and value the contribution they make in the workplace. We are committed to providing a working environment that is free from bullying and harassment and where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

Accessibility

Our vision is to create an environment in which all people have equal, dignified and ease of access to our goods, services and facilities. We want to eliminate discrimination and promote equality of opportunity throughout BACP. We are committed to becoming fully accessible and inclusive, as befits the largest counselling and psychotherapy body in the UK. We are actively working to increase and improve the usability and accessibility of our services and resources and in doing so aim to meet our legal, moral and ethical obligations.

Procurement

We aim to:

  • ensure that the purchase of goods, services and facilities is undertaken in line with our equality and diversity commitments
  • use suppliers who share our values on equality of opportunity and diversity
  • establish procedures to ensure that businesses from diverse communities have an equal opportunity of competing for collaborative procurement contracts to supply goods and services
  • influence our external operations to ensure that they are inclusive and uphold the principles of equality and diversity mindfulness within the operational aspect of these functions

Employment

We will ensure that we:

  • do not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation in the allocation of employees employed in any post
  • consider all employees solely on their merits for career development and promotion with equal opportunities for all
  • develop employees so they understand the context of and the specific issues influencing equality and diversity
  • require all employees of BACP to comply with our equality aims and to treat colleagues with dignity and respect
  • support and adhere to family-friendly and flexible working policies