Equal Opportunities Policy

Educated Appointments Ltd is committed to promoting equality, fairness and respect in recruitment. This policy explains our approach to equal opportunities and how we aim to support fair recruitment practice for candidates, clients, employers and training providers.

We aim to ensure that individuals are treated fairly and that recruitment activity is based on relevant skills, experience, qualifications, suitability, conduct, role requirements and evidence.

This policy applies to our work with:

• Candidates seeking work or career opportunities.
• Clients, employers and training providers using our recruitment services.
• Vacancies, candidate searches, candidate submissions, interviews and placement activity.
• Recruitment advertising, screening, shortlisting, matching and communication.
• Employees, workers, contractors, suppliers and representatives acting on behalf of Educated Appointments Ltd.

We are committed to:

• Treating candidates, clients and contacts with dignity and respect.
• Supporting fair access to recruitment opportunities.
• Avoiding unlawful discrimination, harassment or victimisation.
• Considering candidates against role requirements and relevant evidence.
• Using recruitment processes that are fair, consistent and proportionate.
• Encouraging inclusive communication and professional conduct.
• Supporting reasonable adjustments where appropriate.
• Challenging discriminatory behaviour, language or decision-making where identified.

We will not unlawfully discriminate against individuals because of protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. These include:

• Age.
• Disability.
• Gender reassignment.
• Marriage and civil partnership.
• Pregnancy and maternity.
• Race.
• Religion or belief.
• Sex.
• Sexual orientation.

We also aim to treat people fairly regardless of background, working pattern, caring responsibilities, socio-economic background, education route, career break, employment history or other circumstances that may be relevant to fair recruitment practice.

We aim to ensure vacancy adverts and candidate attraction activity are clear, fair and based on genuine role requirements.

When preparing or sharing vacancy information, we aim to:

• Use inclusive and professional language.
• Avoid unnecessary requirements that could unfairly exclude suitable candidates.
• Represent salary, location, working pattern and role expectations clearly where available.
• Avoid wording that suggests unlawful preference or exclusion.
• Focus on skills, experience, qualifications and suitability relevant to the role.
• Encourage clients to consider reasonable adjustments and inclusive recruitment practice.

Candidate screening and matching should be based on relevant evidence, including skills, experience, qualifications, role preferences, location, salary expectations, notice period, right to work, safer recruitment requirements and the needs of the vacancy.

We do not knowingly shortlist, reject or recommend candidates based on protected characteristics or irrelevant assumptions.

Where AI-assisted tools are used to support matching, summarising or profile drafting, the output should be reviewed by a human recruiter before it is used, shared or relied upon.

We encourage clients and employers to use fair and consistent selection processes. Interview questions and selection criteria should be relevant to the vacancy and applied fairly.

We aim to support this by:

• Providing accurate candidate information relevant to the role.
• Encouraging structured interview preparation where appropriate.
• Highlighting candidate strengths and relevant experience clearly.
• Supporting candidates with interview information and preparation.
• Encouraging feedback based on role-related criteria.
• Discouraging discriminatory comments, assumptions or decision-making.

Where a candidate tells us they may need a reasonable adjustment for a recruitment process, we will take reasonable steps to support this and, where appropriate, communicate relevant adjustment requests to the client or employer.

Adjustment information will be handled carefully and only shared where relevant and appropriate for the recruitment process.

We expect clients, employers and training providers working with us to support fair recruitment practice.

Where we become aware of discriminatory requirements, inappropriate comments or unfair recruitment practices, we may challenge this, offer guidance, refuse to act on discriminatory instructions, or end our involvement with the vacancy or client where appropriate.

In some circumstances, employers may be able to take lawful positive action to address disadvantage or underrepresentation. Positive action must be handled carefully and must not become unlawful discrimination.

Where a client wishes to discuss positive action or targeted recruitment activity, they should ensure that they have taken appropriate advice and that any approach is lawful, proportionate and evidence-based.

We do not tolerate harassment, bullying, intimidation or victimisation in recruitment activity.

This includes inappropriate behaviour or communication towards candidates, clients, employers, suppliers, colleagues or representatives of Educated Appointments Ltd.

Where equality or diversity information is collected, it should be used carefully, lawfully and only for appropriate monitoring, reporting or improvement purposes.

Equality monitoring information should not be used to unfairly influence individual recruitment decisions.

We aim to maintain awareness of fair recruitment, equal opportunities, data protection, safer recruitment and professional recruitment practice.

People working on behalf of Educated Appointments Ltd are expected to act professionally, apply this policy in recruitment activity and raise concerns where unfair or discriminatory practice is identified.

Candidates, clients or other individuals who have concerns about equality, fairness or discrimination in relation to our recruitment activity can contact us.

We will review concerns reasonably and take appropriate action where required. This may include correcting information, reviewing communication, speaking with a client or employer, or changing how a recruitment process is handled.

We may review and update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our business, recruitment practice, legal requirements or guidance.

If you have any questions about this policy, or if you want to raise a concern about equal opportunities or fair recruitment, contact:

Educated Appointments Ltd
Email: info@educatedappointments.co.uk