1. Purpose

At The Medics Lodge, we are committed to creating an environment that celebrates equality, diversity, and inclusion. We believe that everyone — regardless of background, identity, or circumstances — should have equal opportunities to participate in our training, workshops, and employment.

This policy sets out our commitment to promoting fairness, preventing discrimination, and fostering a culture of respect and inclusion in all areas of our work.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• All employees, contractors, trainers, and consultants.
• All delegates attending courses, workshops, or events.
• All suppliers, business partners, and stakeholders working with The Medics Lodge.

It covers all activities, including recruitment, training delivery, assessment, workplace behaviour, and interactions with clients and delegates.

3. Our Commitments

We are committed to:

1. Promoting Equality
   • Treating everyone fairly and with respect.
   • Providing equal access to training and opportunities.
2. Celebrating Diversity
   • Recognising and valuing differences in culture, background, experience, and perspectives.
   • Ensuring our learning environment is welcoming to all.
3. Preventing Discrimination and Harassment
   • Prohibiting discrimination based on protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, including:
     • Age
     • Disability
     • Gender reassignment
     • Marriage and civil partnership
     • Pregnancy and maternity
     • Race
     • Religion or belief
     • Sex
     • Sexual orientation
   • Addressing bullying, harassment, and any inappropriate behaviour promptly and fairly.
4. Ensuring Accessibility
   • Making reasonable adjustments to support delegates or staff with disabilities.
   • Striving to remove barriers to learning and participation wherever possible.
5. Promoting Awareness and Training
   • Providing equality and diversity training to staff and trainers.
   • Encouraging a culture of respect, inclusion, and accountability.

4. Responsibilities

• All staff and trainers are responsible for upholding this policy and promoting equality and inclusion in their daily work.
• Managers and course leaders must ensure that the policy is embedded in all training delivery, assessments, and interactions with delegates.
• Delegates are expected to respect the rights of others and report any behaviour that may breach this policy.

5. Reporting Concerns

If anyone experiences or witnesses discrimination, harassment, or inequality:

• They should report it to a manager, trainer, or the HR lead.
• All reports will be taken seriously, investigated promptly, and handled confidentially.
• No one will face retaliation for raising a genuine concern in good faith.

6. Monitoring and Review

• We will monitor our training, recruitment, and workplace practices to ensure fairness and compliance with this policy.
• This policy will be reviewed annually and updated to reflect changes in legislation or organisational practice.