Quoox Ltd., aims to be an equal opportunity employer in all things.

The Equal Opportunities & Non-Harassment Policy (EONHP) applies to all aspects of employment, from vacancy advertising, selection recruitment and training to conditions of service and reasons for termination of employment.

To ensure that this policy is operating effectively (and for no other purpose) the company maintains records of employees' and applicants' racial origins, gender, age and disability.

Ongoing monitoring and regular analysis of such records provide the basis for appropriate action to eliminate unlawful direct and indirect discrimination and promote equality of opportunity.

The company's long term aim is that the composition of our workforce should reflect that of the community. We may take special steps, as permitted by the relevant law, to help disadvantaged and/or underrepresented groups to compete for jobs on a genuine basis of equality.

The company directors are responsible for the effective operation of the company's Equal Opportunities & Non-Harassment Policy.

1.          Definition

For the purpose of the policy, “Discrimination” means treating someone less favourably on grounds of race, religion, politics, sex, age, marriage or because someone intends to undergo, is undergoing or has undergone gender reassignment. It includes applying requirements or conditions which, though applied equally to all, have a disproportionately detrimental effect on particular racial groups or on one sex or on married people (as the case may be) and which cannot be shown to be justifiable (for instance to be job-related).

2.          Objectives

The objectives of the Equal Opportunities & Non-Harassment Policy are to:

2.1.        Ensure that the company has access to the widest labour market and secures the best employees for its needs.

2.2.        Ensure that no applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment, and that, wherever possible, they are given the help they need to attain their full potential to the benefit of the company and themselves.

2.3.        Achieve an ability based workforce which is in line with the working population mix in the relevant labour market areas.

3.          Vacancy advertising

3.1.        Wherever possible, all vacancies will be advertised simultaneously internally and externally.

3.2.        Steps will be taken to ensure that knowledge of vacancies reaches underrepresented groups internally and externally.

3.3.        Wherever possible, vacancies will be notified to job centres, careers offices, schools, colleges, polytechnics, etc, with significant minority group rolls, as well as to minority press/media and organisations.

3.4.        All vacancy advertisements will include an appropriate short statement on equal opportunity.

4.          Selection and recruitment

4.1.        Selection criteria (job description and employee specification) will be kept under constant review to ensure that they are justifiable on non-discriminatory grounds as being essential for the effective performance of the job.

4.2.        Wherever possible, more than one person must be involved in the selection interview and recruitment process, and all should have received training in equal opportunities.

4.3.        Reasons for selection and rejection of applicants for vacancies must be recorded.

4.4.        Positive action - training, promotion and conditions of service

4.5.        Underrepresented groups will be encouraged to apply for training and employment opportunities with the company. Wherever possible, special training will be provided for such groups to prepare them to compete on genuinely equal terms for jobs and promotion. However, actual recruitment to all jobs will be strictly on merit.

4.6.        Wherever necessary, use will be made of lawful exemptions to recruit suitably qualified people to cater for the special needs of particular groups.

4.7.        Wherever possible, efforts will be made to identify and remove unnecessary/unjustifiable barriers and provide appropriate facilities and conditions of service to meet the special needs of disadvantaged and/or underrepresented groups.

5.          Personnel records

5.1.        In order to ensure the effective operation of the equal opportunity policy (and for no other purpose) a record will be kept of all employees' and job applicants' gender, racial origins and disability.

5.2.        Where necessary, employees will be able to check/correct their own record of these details. Otherwise, access to this information will be strictly restricted.

5.3.        Such records will be analysed regularly and appropriate follow up action taken.

6.          Disability discrimination

The company will not discriminate in its recruitment or promotion policies against prospective or current employees who have any disability. We shall make reasonable adjustments where appropriate to facilitate the effectiveness of a disabled employee.

7.          Employee obligations

7.1.        The cooperation of all employees is essential for the success of this policy. Employees are expected to comply both as individuals and as representatives of the company. Behaviour or actions against the spirit and/or the letter of the law on which this policy is based will be considered serious disciplinary matters, and may, in some cases, lead to dismissal.

7.2.        Examples of activities which contravene the policy include:

7.2.1        victimisation;

7.2.2        sexual harassment;

7.2.3        bullying;

7.2.4        unfair exclusion.

8.          Sexual harassment

8.1.        Sexual harassment is the most common form of work place bullying. While not diminishing the importance of other types of bad behaviour, this Equal Opportunities & Non-Harassment Policy sets out guidance on what constitutes sexual harassment.

8.2.        There being no legal definition, the test is how the recipient feels about the behaviour.

Harassment may be:

8.3.        Verbal, for example:

8.3.1        comments about appearance, body or clothes;

8.3.2        indecent remarks;

8.3.3        questions or comments about your sex life;

8.3.4        requests for sexual favours;

8.3.5        Sexual demands made by someone of the opposite sex, or by someone of your own sex;

8.3.6        promises or threats concerning a person;

8.3.7        employment conditions in return for sexual favours.

8.4.        Non verbal, for example:

8.4.1        looking or staring at a person’s body;

8.4.2        display of sexually explicit material such as calendars, pin-ups or magazines.

8.5.        Physical, for example:

8.5.1        physically touching, pinching, caressing, kissing or hugging;

8.5.2        sexual assault;

Sexual assault and some forms of harassment may be criminal offences, and could be reported to the police.

9.          Age discrimination

9.1.        Age discrimination is taken very seriously. The company neither discriminate in its recruitment or promotion policies, nor in retirement and training against prospective or current employees in relation to their age.

9.2.        Bully and harassment in relation to an employee’s age will not be accepted. Reports of such behaviour will be treated as a serious breach of conduct and in some cases, may be cause for summary dismissal.