Internal Policies

Environmental Management & Sustainability Policy

The Directors and Members of the Celtic Heritage Trust are committed to minimising the environmental impact of the Trust’s activities via continuous evaluation and improvement in environmental performance.

Clearly because our main aim is to assist in the global movement towards sustainable development we seek to develop an ethos of environmental responsibility in all its staff and members.

The Directors recognise that in the pursuit of the Trusts educational and research objectives, there will be opportunity to protect its direct environments this achievable through the promotion of sustainable use of resources and discourage wasteful or damaging practices. To drive this vision forward it is the policy of the Celtic Heritage Trust to:

Promote sustainable development
Comply with all relevant environmental legislation and take such additional environmental protection measures as it considers necessary.
Develop an Environmental Management System following guidance endorsed by National Bodies
Promote awareness and understanding of environmental issues among all staff and members and external communities.
Integrate environmental management policies and practices at all levels
Manage and conserve energy and water efficiently within all its premises.
Reduce waste of natural resources, promote waste reduction and recycling.
Regulate where possible waste production and disposal and discourage litter, graffiti and noise pollution.
Reduce and where practicable prevent pollution by avoiding the unnecessary use of hazardous materials and processes
Promote the use of green transport options.
Employ the use of recognised Environmental Impact Assessment, in the case of new development and the
Work towards clear goals that will eventual gain accreditation to a nationally or internationally recognised environmental management standard as a bench mark of good environmental practice.
Disseminate Trust policy and all reports and reviews of environmental performances to all staff and members and where possible to the public.

Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy

The base principles of the Celtic Heritage Trust clearly resist known explicit or implicit discrimination and thus strive to identify and remedy those that are unknown. The objectives of the Trust clearly sets out our positive viewpoint to the diversity of humankind, these embody our policy on human creativity in all its different cultural expressions. It would be a failing of the Trust to be disrespectful of people for the misdeeds of individuals or of their government, or else thoughtlessly speak with contempt about persons or groups on the basis of their race, religion, or sex. On the contrary the Trust will strive to provide opportunity to all communities and work hard towards providing unencumbered pathways for those coping with particular disabilities."

Introduction: Statutory obligations

The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and the Race Relations Act 1976 proscribe discrimination in, among others, the spheres of employment and education, on grounds of sex (including gender reassignment) and marriage (in the case of the former Act) and on racial grounds.

According to the Acts, there is direct discrimination where an individual, on the grounds of his or her sex or racial group, is treated less favourably than a member of the other sex or someone of a different racial group would be treated; there is indirect discrimination where a requirement or condition is applied (i) which is such that a considerably smaller proportion of persons of one sex or of the same racial group can comply with it than the proportion of persons of the other sex or not of that racial group who can comply; and (ii) which cannot be shown to be justifiable irrespective of the sex, colour, race, nationality, or ethnic or national origins of the person to whom it is applied; and (iii) which is to the detriment of the person concerned because he or she cannot comply with it.

It is also unlawful for an individual to be victimised for having brought proceedings under the Acts, or for giving evidence or information relating to such proceedings, or for alleging that discrimination has occurred.

The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) and the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), set up by the Acts to work towards the elimination of discrimination and to promote equality of opportunity, have both produced codes of practice on equal opportunities in employment which have been endorsed by Parliament. The codes do not have the force of law, but they can be brought in evidence in employment tribunals. The Celtic Heritage Trust's code of practice, is consistent with these codes.

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) introduced measures to prevent discrimination against disabled people in employment, in the provision of goods and services, and in buying and renting land and property. The DDA defines a disabled person as a person with 'a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities'. A Disability Rights Commission (DRC) has been created under the DDA with similar functions to those of the EOC and CRE. Guidelines on the implementation of the DDA have been issued by the Government, and the code of practice below is consistent with these guidelines.

The Human Rights Act 1998 incorporates the European Convention of Human Rights into UK law. Article 8 guarantees the right to respect for private and family life and Article 14 prohibits discrimination on any reasonable ground (which will include sexual orientation).

Policy Statement

The policy and practice of the Celtic Heritage Trust require that all staff are afforded equal opportunities within employment and that entry into employment with the Trust and progression within employment will be determined only by personal merit and the application of criteria which are related to the duties of each particular post and the relevant salary structure. In all cases, ability to perform the job will be the primary consideration. Subject to statutory provisions, no applicant or member of staff will be treated less favourably than another because of his or her sex, marital status, sexual orientation, racial group, or disability.

Code of Practice

The Celtic Heritage Trust welcomes diversity amongst its staff and seeks to ensure that all candidates for employment are treated fairly, and that selection is based solely on the individual merits of candidates and on selection criteria relevant to the post. In pursuance of this aim and of its statutory duties, the Celtic Heritage Trust, as an employer is committed to the principle of equality of opportunity and will adhere to the following procedure in the conduct of the recruitment and selection process for all posts.

Selection criteria

Selection criteria for all posts will be clearly defined and reflected in the further particulars sent to candidates, which will also include details of the Trusts commitment to equality of opportunity. Job qualifications or requirements which would have the effect of inhibiting applications from members of particular groups, such as those of one sex, persons of a particular marital status or sexual orientation, persons of a particular racial group, or those with a disability, will not be demanded or imposed except where they are justifiable in terms of the job to be done. (For the purposes of this code, "racial group" means a group of persons defined by reference to colour, race, nationality, or ethnic or national origins.)

Advertising

Job advertisements will be widely publicised so as to encourage applications from a broad range of suitable candidates from all backgrounds. All job advertisements placed on behalf of the Trust will state commitment to equality of opportunity by including a footnote or final note indicating this. Further particulars should also be made available in large print, tape, or other formats when they are requested by disabled applicants.

Selection methods

All those handling applications and conducting interviews must be aware of the principles of the Sex Discrimination Act, the Race Relations Act, the Disability Discrimination Act, and other relevant legislation. The Trust will ensure that training and advice are available in furtherance of this requirement. All candidates will be compared objectively with the selection criteria, and all applications will be processed in the same way. Information sought from candidates and passed to those responsible for appointments will relate only to the qualifications for or requirements of the job. It is recognised that the Trust has a statutory obligation to make such adjustments to the workplace and to working arrangements as are reasonable to accommodate suitably qualified disabled applicants.

Interviews

Wherever suitably qualified persons are available, there will be at least one member of each sex on the bodies responsible for shortlisting, interviewing, and making or recommending an appointment. Interview questions will relate to the selection criteria. No questions will be based on assumptions about roles in the home and the family, or the assumed suitability of different ethnic groups for the post in question. In particular, questions about private personal relationships, marital status, children, domestic obligations, marriage plans, or family intentions will not be asked at interview. Questions about a candidate's ability to 'fit in' with colleagues may also be construed as unlawful discrimination. Where it is necessary to obtain information on personal circumstances (for example, in relation to a selection criterion such as flexibility to work irregular hours) or on whether a candidate will be able to work well with colleagues, questions about this will be asked equally of all candidates and, like other questions, will relate only to the job requirements. In the case of disabled applicants who identify

Health and Safety Policy

Policy Statement: The Celtic Heritage Trust will comply with and implement all duties regarding the health, safety and welfare of staff, members and public.

The Management Team, will provide and maintain safe and healthy working conditions, equipment and systems of work for all employees, temporary staff, volunteers and visitors to the Trusts premises and will provide necessary information, training and supervision for this purpose.

The Trust is committed to taking all reasonable practicable action in developing systems to ensure the health and safety of its employees and users of the Trusts premises. It aims to safeguard employees and users of the premises from injury and health hazards, to prevent damage to property and actively promote the health of employees, through the development, implementation and monitoring of positive strategies.

The Trust will stimulate encourage Employee participation in the establishment and maintenance of a safe and healthy environment. The organisation’s Health and Safety Policy, allocation of duties for Health and Safety matters and the particular arrangements made to implement the Health and Safety Policy are made readily available for employees; this is kept up to date and therefore will reflect possible changes in the organisation’s activities. The effectiveness of the policy, manual and procedures will be reviewed annually and amended accordingly.