We care about people.

It’s as simple as that. At Kent, we want people to find a place they belong. A place that will keep them safe and make sure they’re OK and feel happy. A place that wants the best for their future.

We want our people to feel at home at Kent and comfortable enough to unleash their wonderful uniqueness and quirks, while knowing that they are celebrated and rewarded for their differences.

Our people are not only important to our success at Kent. They are our success. And we’re building our business with equality, diversity and inclusion at the core. We want to get this right for everyone within our walls and within our community.

We strive for an inclusive work environment where co-workers feel valued and recognised and where inclusivity is a reflex, not an initiative, and where diversity thrives as a result. We want people to thrive just being themselves with a common sense of belonging that transcends any role, business unit, language or country. We know through experience that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger and more creative work culture. And that delivers even better results.

Ultimately, we believe our workforce should be representative of the communities in which we operate. That means we are free from discrimination or bias. Whether that is age, disability, sex, gender, marital status, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, socio-economic background or neurodiversity.

Our policy’s purpose

This policy strives to make sure that every person employed at Kent, whether temporary, part-time, or full-time, is treated with equality, fairness and respect. We oppose and avoid all forms of discrimination, including in:

• terms and conditions of employment,
• dealing with grievances and discipline,
• dismissal,
• redundancy,
• access to leave for carers in line with local policy,
• requests for flexible working,
• selection for employment, promotion, training or other development opportunities.

Our commitments

We are committed to:

1. Encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace
2. Valuing the contributions of every member of the Kent family, treating everyone with dignity and respect. We foster an environment that celebrates individuality and where bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination have no place.
   All our managers and employees are trained on the Inclusion and Belonging policy, so they know their rights and responsibilities and, more importantly, our culture. Our people should understand they are accountable for acts of bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination against fellow employees, customers, suppliers or member of the public. Any misconduct will be disciplined, and gross misconduct could lead to dismissal without notice.
   Sexual harassment is both an employment rights matter and, in the case of sexual assault allegations, a criminal matter. Harassment, whether related to a protected characteristic or not, may be treated as a criminal offence.
3. Creating opportunities for our people to train, develop and progress so that everyone can reach their full potential and their talents and resources put to the best possible use.
4. Making decisions concerning staff based on merit (apart from in any necessary and limited exemptions and exceptions allowed under relevant equality acts).
5. Ensuring that fairness is paramount in the workplace and that our employees are regularly updated on this policy and changes in the law.
6. Monitoring diversity at Kent through factors such as age, gender, ethnic background, sexual orientation, religion or belief, and disability. This way we encourage equality, and it helps make sure that any supporting action plans are working. We will monitor diversity every 12 months and take action to address any issues.
7. Transparency on the progress of this policy with every employee at Kent, so that inclusion becomes everyone’s business.

Agreement to follow this policy

At Kent, as caretakers of our people, the planet and the social environments we work and live in, we hold ourselves and each other responsible and accountable for our words and actions. We call out behaviour that falls “below the line” and we challenge the excellence that is our ambition and commitment to a sustainable future. For this generation, and the next