Equal Opportunities & Diversity Policy 

The Caledonian Crime Writing Festival adopts an equal opportunities policy to ensure that every individual, regardless of their protected characteristics or membership of any group, will have equal access to employment opportunities, training, artistic activity, programmes and services. 

The Caledonian Crime Writing Festival chooses to adopt a diversity policy to validate people’s differences and to value their present and potential contribution, regardless of membership of any group. 

As an organisation, The Caledonian Crime Writing Festival seeks to be representative of and to reflect the diverse community of Scotland. Through this joint policy, The Caledonian Crime Writing Festival aims to create an organisational climate which ensures that different people, be they employees, participants or stakeholders, will and can work together to attain The Caledonian Crime Writing Festival’s mission. As far as practicable, these policies extend to all artistic programmes and audience.

The Caledonian Crime Writing Festival will ensure that no board member or employee, or prospective employee, participant or audience member is discriminated against by reason of race, colour, national origins, culture, gender, marital or parental status, disability, class, sexual orientation, age, political or religious beliefs, or any other protected characteristic or by requirements or conditions which cannot be shown to be justifiable on other grounds. This principle applies to all aspects of employment of staff, including conditions of employment, pay, training, promotion and redundancy. 

The Caledonian Crime Writing Festival will actively seek to eliminate or overcome real or perceived barriers to work, such as physical, economic or emotional, making reasonable adjustments wherever practical. The Caledonian Crime Writing Festival will also seek to eliminate or overcome any real or perceived attitudinal barriers experienced by any individual in the workplace, in relation to their race, colour, national origins, culture, gender, marital or parental status, disability, class, sexual orientation, age, political or religious beliefs or any other protected characteristic. 

All staff will be given equal opportunity in their access to training enabling them to progress both within and outside the company. 

When recruiting, The Caledonian Crime Writing Festival will assess each individual according to their ability to carry out a given job, project or activity.  The main criteria for selecting an individual will be the person’s ability to fulfil the role irrespective of his/her race, colour, national origins, culture, gender, marital or parental status, disability, class, sexual orientation, age, political or religious beliefs. Selection criteria and procedures will be regularly reviewed to ensure that individuals are treated on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities. 

Training in good governance, including abiding with equal opportunities and diversity, will be available to members of the Board. 

The Caledonian Crime Writing Festival is committed to ensuring that all board members and employees, regardless of any special needs, are able to work effectively and to the best of their abilities. The Caledonian Crime Writing Festival will provide adapted equipment and support facilities required by an individual to enable them to carry out their duties, with the understanding that, where such adjustments are not immediately affordable, The Caledonian Crime Writing Festival will seek to raise funds for such adaptations and will offer suitable alternative arrangements, agreed with the employee, in the meantime. 

All board members and employees of The Caledonian Crime Writing Festival hold responsibility for implementation of the policy at a level and in a manner appropriate to their work.