Scottish Golf Charitable Trust - Equality Policy
Policy Statement
Scottish Golf Charitable Trust (SGCT) welcomes people from all backgrounds, cultures and communities and believe that those who wish to participate at any level or capacity within the sport of golf should be free to do so.
Our vision and strategic framework make it clear that we aim to support everyone to enjoy the benefits of golf and to promote sports equality to the highest standard.
We are committed to ensuring that people can participate in all our activities to the full extent of their own ambitions and abilities, and we will always respect everyone’s rights and dignity.
When we say ‘everyone’ we mean all people without regard to their age, sex, race, faith, gender identity, disability, marital/civil partnership status or sexual orientation.
We warmly welcome all – whether as staff, volunteers, members or supporters – to participate in our sport and we will actively seek to promote diversity at every level of the organisation.
In recognition of our commitment to Equality, SG works with sportscotland to benchmark and develop our work using the Moving to Inclusion Framework.
Legal obligations
SGCT is committed to avoid and eliminate unfair discrimination of any kind in Golf in Scotland and will under no circumstances condone unlawful discriminatory practices. The organisation takes a zero-tolerance approach to harassment. Examples of the relevant legislation and the behaviours in question are given in the Appendix.
Positive action
The principle of Sports Equality goes further than simply complying with legislation. It entails taking positive steps to counteract the effects of physical or cultural barriers – whether real or perceived – that restrict the opportunity for all sections of the community to participate equally and fully.
SGCT will therefore seek to institute, support or contribute to appropriate measures or initiatives that enable access to Golf in Scotland and participation in associated activities by people from any group that is under-represented in the sport or has difficulty accessing it.
Implementation
The following steps will be taken to publicise this policy and promote sports equality in Golf in Scotland:
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A copy of this document will be published on the SGCT Website.
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SGCTs Trustees will take overall responsibility for ensuring the policy is observed.
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The Trustees will take full account of the policy in arriving at all decisions in relation to activities of SGCT.
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SGCT will collaborate fully with any practical surveys or other initiatives designed to assess the level of participation of different sections of the community in Golf and will take account of the findings in developing measures to promote and enhance sports equality in Golf in Scotland.
Responsibility, Monitoring and Evaluation
The Trustees will be responsible for ensuring the implementation of this policy.
The Trustees will review all SGCT activities and initiatives against the aims of the policy on an annual basis.
The Board will review the policy itself at intervals of no more than three years (or when necessary due to changes in legislation).
Owner: Chief Executive Officer
Version Number: 1.0
Date last modified: 24th February 2024
Modified by: Gillian Paton
Authorising Authority: Board of Scottish Golf Ltd
Authorisation Information:
Next Review Date: February 2025
File Location: Scottish Golf Ltd
Relevant Legislation and Forms of Unacceptable Discrimination
Legal Rights
Discrimination has been legally defined through a series of legislative acts, including the Race Relations Act, the Sex Discrimination Act, the Disability Discrimination Act and the Equality Act 2006.
In April 2010, the Equality Act 2010 received Royal Assent. The Equality Act 2010 is a new law which harmonises where possible, and in some cases extends, protection from discrimination. It applies throughout the UK and came into force in October 2010.
Discrimination refers to unfavourable treatment on the basis of particular characteristics, which are known as the ‘protected characteristics’. Under the Equality Act 2010, the protected characteristics are defined as age (employment only until 2012), disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status (employment only), pregnancy and maternity, race (which includes ethnic or national origin, colour or nationality), religion or belief, sex (gender) and sexual orientation.
Under the Equality Act 2010, individuals are protected from discrimination ‘on grounds of’ a protected characteristic[1]. This means that individuals will be protected if they have a characteristic, are assumed to have it, associate with someone who has it or with someone who is assumed to have it.
Forms of discrimination and discriminatory behaviour include the following:
Direct discrimination
Direct discrimination can be described as less favourable treatment on the grounds of one of the protected characteristics.
Indirect discrimination
Indirect discrimination occurs when a provision, criterion or practice is applied to an individual or group that would put persons of a particular characteristic at a particular disadvantage compared with other persons.
Discrimination arising from disability
When a disabled person is treated unfavourably because of something connected with their disability and this unfavourable treatment cannot be justified, this is unlawful. This type of discrimination only relates to disability.
Harassment
Harassment is defined as unwanted conduct relating to a protected characteristic that has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity, or which creates an intimidating or hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that person.
Victimisation
It is unlawful to treat a person less favourably because he or she has made allegations or brought proceedings under the anti-discrimination legislation, or because they have helped another person to do so. To do so would constitute victimisation.
Bullying
Bullying is defined as a form of personal harassment involving the misuse of power, influence or position to persistently criticise, humiliate or undermine an individual.
[1] The exception to this is pregnancy and maternity, which does not include protection by association or assumption – a woman is only protected from discrimination on grounds of her own pregnancy.