Company Policies - Barclays Bank - Summary of the Provisions

Company, its home country and policy	Barclays Bank United Kingdom Equal Opportunities in Barclays 1998 ILO Survey
Employment and working condition provisions related to equal employment opportunities
Commitment to equal opportunity/non-discrimination	"The Bank is committed to provide equal opportunities in employment. This means that all job applicants and employees shall receive equal treatment regardless of sex, marital status, race, colour, nationality or ethnic or national origins, trade union membership/non membership or disability."
Categories of discrimination	"The overriding principle is that each person must be judged on merit and on his/her ability to do a job. Extraneous circumstances such as family commitments must not influence a person's career unless the member of staff concerned expresses a wish for them to be considered. Where family commitments are discussed it should be in a positive way and women should not be regarded as being less committed or less ambitious if they wish to combine a career with a family." "We would ask all staff not to be complacent and to question such attitudes. Discrimination is rarely a deliberate act - it usually occurs inadvertently. In particular, we should check the results of our actions. Do they lead to the recruitment of a higher proportion of applicants of one - sex or race than the other? Are particular jobs always filled by one sex or race? If the answer is yes to questions such as these, it is possible that: decisions have been influenced by sex or race." "All staff should take care to ensure that their actions are not influenced: by stereotyped views of who are "career staff" or not. There should b. no assumptions that individuals, because of their sex, marital status or race possess characteristics which might put them either at an advantage: or disadvantage. Examples of assumptions might be: Women and black people have limited career aspirations. A woman should not be the main breadwinner in the family. All male staff are expected to progress to management. Women with children are likely to want more time off work. People from ethnic minorities lack the qualifications and skills for a banking career. Customers would not like a female or a black bank manager. Women and racial minorities are less mobile and, therefore, not likely to progress to management. Disabled people are less effective employees. Part-timers have little or no prospects beyond Grade 2." "The eradication of erroneous assumptions such as these is one of the most important steps we can all take in contributing towards equality in employment." "Sexual and racial harassment are unacceptable in the workplace. Harassment can be upsetting to individuals singled out for such treatment and bystanders as both may feel threatened by such behaviour." "Sexual Harassment is unwanted comments, looks, suggestions or physical contact of a sexual nature which cause a person to feel upset, embarrassed or offended." "Racial Harassment comprises derogatory remarks or actions of a racial nature directed at a person of different ethnic origin which cause a person to be upset, embarrassed or offended." "Recruiters should take special care to ensure that they apply consistently the same criteria to both sexes and all races and that such criteria are relevant to the job. For example, it would clearly be wrong to demand higher educational qualifications for male applicants than for females because of any assumptions that all the males would be expected to become managers. It would also be wrong to demand particular types of qualifications if this excludes a higher proportion of black than white. applicants and is not necessary for the job." "In all stages of the recruitment procedure an applicant must be considered only on merit. Questions must not be asked about family commitments unless they are clearly relevant to the demands of the job. Discussions and encouragement to take the Chartered institute of Bankers examinations should not be influenced by sex, race or marital status. In the selection process, emphasis should not be placed on sport, hobbies, interests, etc. which may be more applicable to one sex or race than another." "Performance appraisals must be carried out in a non-discriminatory way. It should not be assumed that members of one sex or race have different qualities, strengths, weaknesses etc., than the other and would therefore, be suitable for particular jobs." "In considering career prospects and whether to recommendation, an interviewer should encourage all staff equally regardless of their sex, race or marital status. Women/racial minorities should be encouraged to consider themselves as candidates for jobs which have not traditionally been done be members of their sex or race." "Family commitments should be discussed with women staff only when they would also be discussed in similar circumstances with male staff. Such discussions should take place only where they are of relevance to the job and it should not be assumed that family commitments, for men or women, lead to limited career aspirations." "Mobility should be realistically assessed on a short term basis. The Bank recognises that there may be times in a person's career when a house move might be more inconvenient than at other times. However, an interviewer should not make assumptions, e.g. that women with children are not mobile or that ethnic minority staff would not be prepared to live in a different area. Equally, an interviewer should not assume that personal inhibitions on mobility are permanent and these should be regularly reviewed and discussed with the individual." "The purpose of the Bank's job evaluation scheme is to ensure that the relative value of the contribution made by each job is determined objectively, without regard to the sex of the job holder. "
Commitment to affirmative action and categories of affirmative action	"Training on equal opportunities legislation and on the implementation: of the Bank's Equal Opportunities policy has been given to Resources Directors and Personnel Managers. Training seminars are regularly held for other staff in the personnel function and in other areas of work where a knowledge of equal opportunity issues, including Disability Awareness is particularly relevant. All aspects of equal opportunities~ have been incorporated within appropriate management and supervisory courses. A computer-based distance learning pack is available from Staff Control Points, this is recommended for any member of staff with, responsibility for the recruitment, appraisal, selection and promotion of staff." "The Bank's pension arrangements were changed (from 1st January 1986). On the death of a married female member of staff or pensioner, the surviving widower is eligible for a widower's pension on the same terms and conditions applying to widows' pensions." "Maternity and Parental Leave A flexible Career Break Scheme has been introduced to enable qualifying staff to combine family and career responsibilities." "The Bank provides an extended Maternity Break Scheme which pro, vides 6 months' or 1 year's Maternity Leave for staff who qualify. An Adoption Break of 41 weeks is also available for adoptive parents." "A separate booklet - When Becoming a Parent - has been published, advising staff of their legal rights to maternity pay and outlining the range of schemes for parents, including Barclays Extended Maternity Break Scheme. Guidelines advocating flexibility in employing pregnant women and new mothers have been issued to staff control points." "Parental Leave allows fathers to take a period of up to 12 weeks unpaid leave at any time during the year following the birth of their child." "Flexible Working A number of improvements have been made to the terms and conditions of part-time staff, of whom the vast majority are women." "The Bank has introduced a Job Sharing Scheme and continues to increase the options available to staff in all grades who seek flexible working arrangements." "Holiday Float allows staff the opportunity to accumulate and carry forward up to 5 days holiday entitlement." "Carers' Responsibilities Emergency Carer's Leave has been introduced to help staff who need. urgent time off to look after a dependent adult or child." "A Responsibility Break has been introduced to provide our staff who face caring responsibilities for sick, elderly or disabled people. This scheme allows staff to reduce their hours or take a complete break for up to 6 months, returning to work at their previous status." "Mobility Revisions have been effected to the contractual Clause which reflect the degree of mobility required from each member of staff to fulfill his/her career potential and meet the needs of the business. This move will help to eliminate potentially discriminatory practices; The appraisal form has been changed to allow staff to comment on their own. mobility." "Recruitment All advertisements and recruitment literature will encourage applications for employment from suitable candidates of both sexes, all races and disabled people. There are no age barriers to employment." "In selecting potential sources of recruitment a conscious effort must be made to reach both sexes and all races. If dealing with single sex. schools, both boys' and girls' schools should be approached." "Career Development In promotion and career development, it should be assumed that both sexes and all races are potentially suitable for all jobs and could provide the Bank's future management." "Where jobs have been done mainly by one sex or race in the past, efforts should be made to ensure that members of the other sex or races are encouraged to apply and are actively considered for such jobs, e.g. encouraging males to be Personal Bankers and females to become Managers." "The Bank will ensure that a woman who wishes to pursue a career not disadvantaged if she has children."
EEO Structures	"Appointment of the Manager Equal Opportunities who has responsibility for advising the Bank on implementation and development of its policies and for monitoring the effectiveness of the policies; Personnel. Managers have specific responsibility for policy implementation." "The Bank discusses its policies and action plans with the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Commission for Racial Equality and also with the Barclays Group Staff Union and the Banking, Insurance and Finance Union; the Employment Service of the Department of Employment has been consulted on the employment of people with disabilities."
Implementation of the policy
Monitoring	"Monitoring systems have been set up to record statistics for all stages of the recruitment process to enable the Bank to ensure that applicants, are treated equally regardless of sex or race. Applicant monitoring has been followed by an ethnic audit of the workforce." "The Codes of Practice of the Commission for Racial Equality and the Equal Opportunities Commission have been distributed throughout the Bank. Regions, all Head Office Departments and Subsidiary Companies should be aware of the recommendations in the Codes of Practice issued by the EOC, CRE and The Employment Service re the employment of people with disabilities." "Prompt action will be taken to stop harassment as soon as it is identified. Informal and Formal Grievance Procedures are available to staff who, having experienced such treatment, feel unable to prevent repetition of it without support. Guidance and further details of these procedures are in the Staff Manual, available in every Branch and Department." "The effectiveness of implementation of the Bank's equal opportunities policy is monitored by Regional Offices, Head Office Departments and, by Personnel Department. It is necessary to keep some statistics e.g. relating to the sex and ethnic origins of new applicants and existing staff, to see if there are any anomalies and to ensure that the policy is being, effective. The prime purpose of such statistics is to ensure that the Bank's equal opportunities policy is being put into practice." "There will be no quotas relating to sex or race of applicants or employees, as this could lead to discriminatory practices. However, any. anomaly, e.g. one sex or race apparently having a considerably better chance than the other of being promoted, will be investigated fully and', if necessary, any discriminatory practices will be changed."
Sanctions	"Where a perpetrator, having been made aware of his/her unacceptable behaviour, persists with it, he/she will be dealt with under the Disciplinary Procedure. Management have a duty to invoke the Procedure if the harassment, once identified, does not cease immediately. In certain circumstances such behaviour may be unlawful and a claim of harassment can be pursued at an Industrial Tribunal under the provisions of both the sex and race discrimination legislation." "Should a member of staff fail to carry out the Bank's equal opportunities policy as set out in this booklet, he/she may be the subject of disciplinary action for misconduct. Details of the disciplinary procedure are, set out in the Staff Manual."