Anti-Racism Statement

[To be read in conjunction with the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy.]

Beyond the Horizon is committed to being proactive in providing inclusive services which embrace diversity and promote equality and inclusion. We acknowledge that our responsibility is not just to be non-racist, but to be actively and visibly anti-racist in our words and crucially in our actions.

We promote inclusion with everyone able to be themselves, to feel they have a voice, to feel a sense of belonging and to have a desire for shared understanding. We want everyone to feel empowered to speak up and raise issues and concerns and to feel supported in doing so.

As an anti-racist employer, we challenge and will not tolerate racism or any form of discrimination or harassment, thus creating a culture that respects and values each other’s differences and that promotes dignity, equality and diversity.

We are committed wherever practicable to achieving and maintaining the workforce that broadly reflects the local community in which we operate, and we will:

  • support any team member or service user who has been subjected to racism, discrimination or harassment.
  • ensure anti-racist principles and practices are woven into everything we do, and enable children, young people and families to have their voices heard.
  • seek to use clear and appropriate language, recognising that it can be divisive and offensive when used without thought and care.
  • value and welcome the benefits of an inclusive and diverse community and aim to always grow in understanding, sensitivity of inclusion, equality and diversity.
  • challenge racism, discrimination and inequality in any instance.
  • accept all persons without judgement.
  • make an active and conscious effort to regularly encourage honest conversations and take action to address weaknesses through constantly reviewing and challenging what we are doing and what we should be doing.
  • work together to create an accepting culture where all our beneficiaries and team members have a clear sense of belonging.
  • identify and remove barriers to equality and inclusion.
  • promote a **zero-tolerance approach to racism and race discrimination and encourage its reporting.
  • listen to people's lived experiences and offer support.
  • undergo training and discussions to recognise race discrimination, unconscious bias and privilege and are committed to better understanding systemic racism and inequalities.
  • share resources and include Diversity Equality and Inclusion as standing items on meeting agendas.

APPENDIX

Some key terms to understand when discussing race:

Putting someone at a disadvantage because of their skin colour, nationality, national or ethnic origin is a particular cruel and unjust form of discrimination - we are proud to support efforts to eliminate racial discrimination.

** Zero tolerance. We should make sure race discrimination – including racial harassment and victimisation – does not happen at all. We recognise that it's important to talk to staff about appropriate language to use when discussing race. This includes when speaking with individual staff members and in wider communications.

Racist language is not acceptable, including things some might consider as 'banter' or jokes.

We will be sensitive in the terms we use around race and ethnicity. Common terms include:

  • BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic)
  • BME (black and minority ethnic)
  • ethnic minorities
  • minority ethnic
  • people of colour

Each of these terms can be problematic and we encourage our staff to talk about how they feel about these terms. Language and preferences can also change over time.

Where there's a genuine need to refer to race, we will aim to use a specific ethnic identity where it's relevant. For example, if discussing issues that specifically affect black employees, we will make sure that this is clear and that broader terms like 'BAME' or 'ethnic minorities' might not be appropriate.

For more advice, read frequently asked questions about race in the workplace from the CIPD.

And read this article about Race discrimination at work on the ACAS website.