Introduction
This document is a statement of The Adactus Housing Group Limited's policy for achieving equality of opportunity in all of its housing, employment practices and provision of services. As well as accepting its responsibilities under the Sex Discrimination Act, 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976, Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and Race Relations (Amendment) Regulations 2003, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and 2005 (DDA 2005), the Equal Pay Act, 1970 and Equal Pay (Amendment) Regulation 1983, Human Rights Act 1998, Sex	Discrimination (Gender Reassignment) Regulations 1999, Gender Recognition Act (GRA) 2005, Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003, Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003, Gender Recognition Act 2004, Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 and relevant EU Legislation, the Group is also committed to the relevant codes of good practice, recommendations and performance expectations produced by The Equal Opportunity Commission, The Commission For Racial Equality, The National Housing Federation and The Housing Corporation. This is not an exhaustive list.
Statement of policy
The Group's aim is to initiate developments through its subsidiaries for those in housing need. The Group and its subsidiaries aim to provide homes for families, for the elderly,	for single people and for those with special needs, and to take positive steps to ensure that all sections of the community receive equal treatment.
The scope of the policy
The Group's Equality and Diversity Policy applies to the following functions: • The provision of housing services • Recruitment and selection • Training and career development • Housing development • The use of contractors and sub contractors • Shareholders, Board and Committee Members In implementing the policy, the Group recognises the different and special needs of the following groups of people: ETHNIC MINORITIES The Group is totally opposed to racism and will seek to combat all forms of racial hatred and discrimination. WOMEN The Group is totally opposed to discrimination on the basis of gender. The aim of the policy is to improve the opportunities available to women, particularly in relation to employment opportunities. PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES The Group is totally opposed to discrimination on the grounds of disability. Through its subsidiaries it will encourage positive steps to be taken in the way new housing is designed and developed in order to meet the housing needs of people with disabilities.	In employment the Group will also take positive steps to attract people with a disability to apply for jobs. Applicants with a disability will not be excluded from selection on the grounds of their disability. The Group will take into account the needs of people with disabilities when providing and/or adapting premises, facilities, policies or equipment wherever possible to meet its objectives. LESBIANS, GAY MEN OR BISEXUAL PERSON The Group recognises the diversity of people's needs and strives to ensure that our services are accessible to everyone in the communities we serve. We will ensure that no employee or other person connected to the work of the Group, will receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of their sexuality when determining their suitability for access to housing obtaining contracts to provide services, recruitment, promotion or training. TRANSSEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER PEOPLE The Group will ensure that trans people regardless of whether they have decided to go through the process of medical reassignment, and regardless therefore of their formal legal standing, will be treated with equal respect.
Religion or Belief
The Group believe that all individuals have the right to follow the religion of their choice and to adhere to the customs of their culture and as such will respond reasonably and sensitively to	any request from an employee or other person connected with the work of the Group regarding their cultural or religious needs.
Age
The Group will not discriminate on the grounds of age in the recruitment and selection of employees, Shareholders Board and Committee members, the promotion of employees and the provision of access to training opportunities and career development. The Group will operate a common normal retirement age of 65 years for all posts.	The only occasions when the Group will stipulate an age barrier is in the following circumstances: Membership of the pension scheme requires employees to be age 16 years and under normal retirement age of 65 years. Membership of the permanent health insurance scheme requires employees to be aged between 16 years and 64 years.
Recruitment and selection
Job criteria and selection practices will not discriminate directly or indirectly against any of the groups covered by this policy.	The Group will provide access to individuals targeted by this policy to become shareholders and members of the Board of Management or its Committees by setting targets for recruitment.
Training and career development
The Group will provide resources for the provision of training and development opportunities and will ensure that training is	provided on an equitable basis to all employees.
Responsibility for implementation
The Chief Executive will be responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the policy through the Group Compliance Manager (Equality & Diversity) and the Group Personnel Manager. All employees have a responsibility not to discriminate and to ensure the positive application of the policy.	The Group Compliance Manager (Equality & Diversity) and the Group Personnel Manager have a particular responsibility to ensure that the requirements of the policy are planned and met.
Monitoring
The effectiveness of the policy can only be judged by using information about how it is operating. The Group will collect data and assess the progress of developing effective equal opportunity practices.	The Board will monitor the effectiveness of the policies of its subsidiaries through review of the monitoring reports received by the subsidiaries.
Complaints
The Group will take seriously all complaints of discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, creed, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, appearance, trade union activity or responsibility for dependants. Anyone who makes a complaint or gives evidence will not be victimised, treated less favourably than other employees or otherwise treated as if they are over sensitive about discrimination.	The Group will maintain grievance and disciplinary procedures to deal effectively with complaints of sexual harassment and in instances of harassment of staff by members of the public the Group will be supportive of the staff member and take action as appropriate to stop the harassment.
Confidentiality
Information provided to the Group will be treated in the strictest confidence in line with our Confidentiality Policy	and the Data Protection Act.