Material Cultures has a Dignity at Work Policy which seeks to provide a work environment in which all employees are treated with respect and dignity and that is free of harassment and bullying based upon age, disability, gender reassignment, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief, sex and/or sexual orientation. In this policy, these are known as the ‘protected characteristics’ within the Equality Act of 2010.
Within this policy Material Cultures has now added a Gender Equality Policy. This policy establishes an organisational structure that allows for a healthy work-life balance for all employees regardless of gender, or any other ‘protected characteristics’. We ensure a gender balance in leadership and decision making throughout our organisation and gender equality when recruiting new employees and considering others for career progression. ‘The gender dimension’, will be integrated into research and teaching content, meaning that knowledge created through research and transferred through education is free of gender bias. And as in our Dignity at work policy the GEP has an emphasis of protecting all employees from sexual harassment or any other form of gender based violence.
Material Cultures will protect and ensure our Gender Equality Policy by providing all of those within the organisation with resources dedicated to gender equality and implementation. Annual progress reports will be made based on sex-disaggregated data collected on personnel, including students who work and learn within Material Cultures. And finally, there will be training and awareness raising on gender equality as well as other ‘protected characteristics’ for the whole organisation as well as training on unconscious gender biases for staff and decision makers within Material Cultures.