Wellesley Hotel is committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion and to ensuring that all employees, job applicants, guests and visitors are treated with dignity and respect. We will not tolerate discrimination, harassment or victimisation on any protected or non‑protected characteristic. Our aim is to create a working environment in which everyone has equal opportunity to participate, develop and progress.
Scope This policy applies to:
All employees (permanent, fixed‑term, casual and agency staff).
Job applicants, contractors, volunteers and trainees.
Guests, visitors and anyone engaged with Wellesley Hotel in a business context.
It covers all work‑related activities including recruitment, selection, training, promotion, discipline, dismissal, procurement, service provision and contractor management.
Definitions
Protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage & civil partnership, pregnancy & maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation (as defined in the Equality Act 2010).
Discrimination: direct or indirect unfair treatment because of a protected characteristic.
Harassment: unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic which violates dignity or creates a hostile environment.
Victimisation: subjecting someone to detriment because they have made or supported a complaint about discrimination or harassment.
Responsibilities
Directors / Management: set the tone, ensure implementation, allocate resources and review performance.
Line managers: ensure fair practice in recruitment, training, promotion and discipline; address concerns promptly; support reasonable adjustments.
Employees: treat others with respect, follow this policy, take part in training and raise concerns.
HR / Responsible Person: maintain records, monitor equality data, manage complaints and coordinate training. Contact: [HR name/email/phone].
Recruitment & Selection
Advertising: job vacancies will be advertised fairly and widely using inclusive language. Job descriptions and person specifications will be limited to essential requirements.
Applications and shortlisting: applicants will be assessed against objective criteria linked to the job. Shortlisting decisions will be documented.
Interviews and offers: interviews will be conducted by at least two trained interviewers where practicable, using structured questions and scoring. Offers will be based on merit.
Reasonable adjustments: candidates disclosing a disability will be offered reasonable adjustments during recruitment (e.g., accessible interview location, additional time).
Training & Development
Access: all staff will have equal access to training, development and learning opportunities relevant to their role.
Equality training: mandatory induction training will include equality, diversity and harassment awareness; refresher training will be provided periodically.
Career development: promotion and development decisions will be based on objective criteria, performance and potential. Support (mentoring/coaching) will be offered to address identified barriers.
Promotion, Discipline & Dismissal
Promotion: internal promotion will follow transparent selection processes and objective assessment. Shortlisting and selection records will be retained.
Discipline & dismissal: disciplinary processes will follow the Wellesley Hotel Disciplinary Procedure (see Disciplinary Procedure, v.[version], dated [date]). Managers must follow the steps set out in that procedure, including investigation, formal meetings, right to be accompanied, and the right of appeal.
Monitoring: decisions on promotion, disciplinary action and dismissal will be monitored for equality impacts and reviewed where disparities are identified.
Victimisation, Discrimination & Harassment
Prohibition: victimisation, discrimination and harassment are strictly prohibited and constitute disciplinary offences under the Disciplinary Procedure.
Examples: insulting remarks, offensive jokes, unwanted physical contact, exclusion, discriminatory decision‑making, or retaliation for raising a complaint.
Zero tolerance: proven incidents of discrimination, harassment or victimisation will result in appropriate disciplinary action up to and including dismissal in accordance with the Disciplinary Procedure.
Reporting, Complaints & Grievance Procedure
Informal resolution: employees are encouraged to raise concerns informally with their line manager or HR in the first instance. Managers should seek to resolve matters quickly and confidentially.
Formal complaint: if informal resolution is not appropriate or fails, employees may raise a formal grievance under the Wellesley Hotel Grievance Procedure (see Grievance Procedure, v.[version], dated [date]). Formal complaints of discrimination or harassment will be investigated promptly and impartially.
Safeguards: complaints will be treated confidentially to the extent possible. Complainants will be protected from victimisation. Malicious or knowingly false complaints may be dealt with under the Disciplinary Procedure.
Contacts: To submit a complaint or grievance contact hello@wellesley-hotel.co.uk
Investigation & Outcomes
Process: investigations will be timely, fair and documented. Investigators will be impartial and may be internal or external depending on conflict risks.
Outcomes: following investigation, corrective or disciplinary action may include mediation, training, written warnings, suspension, or dismissal in line with the Disciplinary Procedure. Complainants will be advised of outcomes subject to confidentiality and legal constraints.
Appeals: both complainant and respondent have the right to appeal outcomes using the appeals process set out in the Disciplinary or Grievance Procedure.
Monitoring & Record‑keeping
Data collection: Wellesley Hotel will collect voluntary equality monitoring data and maintain records of recruitment, promotion, training, disciplinary and dismissal outcomes.
Reporting: aggregated EDI data will be reviewed regularly by management and used to inform action plans. Individual data will be held securely and processed in line with the Privacy Notice and GDPR.
Review: the policy and related practices will be reviewed at least annually or sooner if required.
Reasonable Adjustments & Accessibility
We will make reasonable adjustments for employees, applicants and guests with disabilities to remove barriers to employment and service access. Managers must consider adjustment requests promptly and involve HR where necessary.
Contractors, Suppliers & Partners
We expect contractors and suppliers to comply with this policy in relation to services provided on our premises or on our behalf. Compliance will be included in contractual terms where appropriate.
Communication
This policy will be publicised to staff, available on the staff noticeboard and shared at induction. Training materials and guidance will be provided to managers.
Legal framework
This policy is informed by the Equality Act 2010 and associated guidance and reflects our legal obligations not to discriminate and to make reasonable adjustments.
Breach of policy
Breaches of this policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. Serious breaches may also lead to civil or criminal liability.
Review
This policy will be reviewed annually and updated as necessary to reflect changes in law, best practice and organisational needs.
Related documents
Wellesley Hotel Disciplinary Procedure (v.1.0, dated 04/01/2026
Wellesley Hotel Grievance Procedure (v.1.0 dated 04/01/2026
Recruitment & Selection Policy
Equality Monitoring Form and Privacy Notice
Signed: Mohammed Ali
Proprietor / Director
Wellesley Hotel
Date: 04.01.2026