Menopause Cafe charity is committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion amongst Trustees, volunteers, social franchisees (aka Cafe Hosts), cafe participants and any employees, and to eliminating unlawful discrimination, bullying or harassment.
1. Purpose of this Policy
Menopause Café charity recognises that inequalities and discrimination still exist in society which may limit opportunities to participate equally and fully in our activities. We promote a culture that values diversity and the worth of each individual.
2. Background
The Menopause Cafe is a Scottish Charity Incorporated Organisation, registration number 048435, registered with the Scottish Charity Regulator, OSCR. Menopause Cafe charity operates on a social franchising model. The Menopause Cafe hosts are social franchisees, running Menopause Cafes in their community or workplace, remotely or in person.
3. Legal Requirements
Menopause Cafe charity operates under the civil law of Scotland. We recognise our legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and any later amendments to such legislation or subsequent equality related legislation.
We do not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics. As set out in the Equality Act 2010, these are age, sex, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and sexual orientation.
4. Discrimination, Harassment, Victimisation and Bullying
Menopause Cafe charity regards any form of discrimination, harassment, victimisation or bullying as unacceptable, although in exceptional circumstances we may discriminate on gender eg host women-only events when held in a women-only centre such as Women’s Aid.
4.1 Discrimination
Direct discrimination is treating someone less favourably than you would treat others for reasons relating to a protected characteristic. Indirect discrimination is applying a provision, criterion or practice which, on the face of it, applies equally to all but which, in practice, can disadvantage individuals with a particular characteristic. Such requirements or conditions should only be applied if they can be objectively justified.
4.2 Harassment
Harassment is any form of unwanted behaviour that violates someone’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them.
4.3 Victimisation
Victimisation is treating someone less favourably because they have, in good faith, used the organisation’s complaints procedure, exercised their legal rights, or have supported somebody who has done so.
4.4 Bullying
Bullying is the misuse of power or position to criticise persistently or to humiliate and undermine an individual’s confidence.
5. Reasonable Adjustments
Menopause Cafe charity recognises that it has a duty to make reasonable adjustments for any persons with special needs providing the event hosts are informed in advance. Its Operating Procedures require hosts to consider all requests for adjustments and to accommodate reasonable adjustments that will enable the individual to participate as fully as possible.
6. Implementation
Menopause Café charity Trustees have an overall responsibility for the implementation of this policy. All Trustees, volunteers and Cafe Hosts have responsibilities to respect, act in accordance with, and thereby support and promote the aims and intentions of this policy.
7. Complaints Procedure
To safeguard individual rights under the policy a Trustee, volunteer, Cafe Host, employee or cafe participant who believes that they have suffered inequitable treatment within the scope of the policy may raise the matter in accordance with the complaints policy, found on our website.
8. Communication
This policy is available on the Menopause Cafe charity website.
9. Training
If not already undertaken,Trustees, hosts and volunteers may wish to consider training in Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) eg https://freecoursesinengland.co.uk/equality-and-diversity/