Equality, Inclusion and Diversity Policy

Whittington Cricket Club, in all its activities, is fully committed to the principles of equality of opportunity in cricket, and to ensuring that its employees, members and all other individuals working or volunteering for Whittington Cricket Club, and participating in or watching Whittington Cricket Club’s activities are treated fairly and are able to conduct their activities free from discrimination, harassment or intimidation.

• Whittington Cricket Club in all its activities will not discriminate, or in any way treat anyone less favourably on the grounds of age, gender, disability, race, parental or marital status, pregnancy, religion or sexual orientation.
• Whittington Cricket Club will not tolerate harassment, bullying, abuse or victimisation of individuals.
• Whittington Cricket Club will endeavour to create access and opportunities for all those individuals who wish to participate, and are lawfully eligible to participate, in its activities.
• Whittington Cricket Club will ensure that it complies with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that its employees, members and volunteers adhere to these requirements and this policy.
• This policy is fully supported by the Whittington Cricket Club’s officers and executive committee who are responsible for the implementation of this policy.

Whittington Cricket Club is committed to the investigation of any claims when brought to its attention, of discrimination, harassment, bullying, abuse or victimisation of an individual, and reserves the right to impose such sanction as it considers appropriate and proportionate, where such is found to be the case.

• In the event that any employee, member, volunteer, participant or spectator feels that he has suffered discrimination, harassment, bullying, abuse or victimisation, they should report the matter in writing to the executive committee of Whittington Cricket Club.
• Any such report should include details of what occurred: when and where the occurrence took place: any witness details and copies of any witness statements.
• If the accused individual is an employee, the executive committee will regard the issue as a disciplinary issue and will follow the club’s employment disciplinary procedure.
• If the accused individual is a non-employee, the club’s executive committee:
  • May decide (at its sole discretion) to uphold or dismiss the complaint without holding a hearing.
  • May (at its sole discretion) hold a hearing at which both parties will be entitled to attend and present their case.
  • Will have the power to impose any one or more of the following sanctions on any person found to be in breach of any policy:
    • Warn as to future conduct
    • Suspend from membership or remove from membership
    • Exclude a non-member from the club, either temporarily or permanently and turn down a non-member’s current and/or future membership application
    • Notify both parties in writing of the reasons for its decision.

• A party may appeal a decision of the executive committee to the relevant Staffordshire Cricket board by writing to the Staffordshire Cricket Board within 3 months of Whittington Cricket Club’s decision being notified to that party.
• If the nature of the complaint is about the executive committee of Whittington Cricket Club the complainant may report the complaint directly to Staffordshire Cricket Board.