CHERT Policy for equality, diversity and inclusion

1. Background

1.1 CHERT is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), approved by the Charity Commission in June 2022. The objects and purpose of the Trust are as follows:

  1. To advance education for the public benefit about the history of the struggle for LGBT+ rights, including but not limited to the origins and history of the Campaign for Homosexual Equality and by contributing to the safe preservation of LGBT+ archives.
  2. To promote equality and diversity by encouraging a deeper understanding of the causes and progress of changes in public acceptance of LGBT+ rights.

The CHE Research Trust is committed to best practice in encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion within our organisation and in our decision-making. The aim is to provide equality, fairness and respect for everyone involved in our organisation, including Trustees, Associates, Grant holders and Grant applicants. The objects of CHERT are to promote education about the struggle for LGBT+ rights, to support research that provides a deeper understanding of public attitudes to LGBT+ rights and to preserve archives. We are opposed to all forms of prejudice and we recognise the need to advance equality of opportunity by taking steps to minimise disadvantages, meet the different needs of different groups, and to encourage participation when it is disproportionately low.

2. Our policy’s purpose

2.1 This policy’s purpose is to:

  1. Provide a public statement of our principles and practice.
  2. Oppose and avoid all forms of unlawful discrimination.
  3. Ensure we adhere to the Equality Act 2010 and the Disability Discrimination Act 2010 preventing unlawful discrimination on the basis of protected characteristics:
    • age
    • disability
    • gender reassignment
    • marriage or civil partnership
    •  pregnancy and maternity
    •  race (including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin)
    • religion or belief
    • sex
    • sexual orientation

3. Our commitments

3.1 The organisation commits to:

  1. Encourage equality, diversity and inclusion in our organisation, working towards greater diversity in our Trustees and Associates.
  2. Create a working environment free of bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination, promoting dignity and respect for all, and where individual differences and the contributions of all are recognised and valued.
  3. Take seriously complaints of unlawful or unfair discrimination by Trustees, Associates, Grant Holders, Grant Applicants, and any others in the course of the organisation’s work activities.
  4. Take account of under-researched areas of socially excluded groups when deciding on topics for potential research funding.
  5. Make decisions concerning the award of grants based entirely on merit (apart from any necessary and limited exemptions and exceptions allowed under the Equality Act).
  6. Ensure applications for funding are peer-reviewed, including reviewers with personal experience of the issues being researched, e.g. Experience of being gay in Black and Ethnic Minority cultures.
  7. Ensure that all researchers in receipt of CHERT funding are aware of, and sign up to, this policy.
  8. Review policy, procedures and practice to ensure fairness, and also update the policy to take account of changes in the law. Annual review will assess how the equality, diversity and inclusion policy, and any supporting action plan, are working in practice, and consider the need to take action to address any issues.
  9. Monitor the make-up of the organisation regarding information such as age, sex, ethnic background, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion or belief, and disability in encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion, and in meeting the aims and commitments set out here.
  10. Ensuring our written and online communications are accessible to those with specific needs, for example, visual or hearing impairments.

4. Revision of the Policy

This policy was debated at a meeting of the Board of the Trust on 10 October 2022. and further debated and agreed at a Board meeting on 11 November 2022.

Along with the Trust’s other policies it will be reviewed annually. Feedback on the process, and suggestions for improving it, will always be welcome.