Equality, Diversity, and Anti-Harassment Policy

1. Our commitment

LIBT is committed to equality of opportunity and to a culture in which every student, member of staff, and visitor is treated with dignity and respect, free from harassment, bullying, or victimisation. This commitment informs every policy in this portfolio, rather than sitting alongside them as a separate procedure. This document also carries the reporting procedure for harassment and bullying specifically, since that needs more than a statement of principle.

2. Protected characteristics

No one is disadvantaged, in admission, study, employment, or any other part of their relationship with LIBT, because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

3. What this means in practice

• Every LIBT policy is applied without discrimination on any of the grounds in section 2.
• Recruitment, admission, assessment, and progression decisions are based on merit, potential, and the ability to benefit from study or employment, not on a protected characteristic.
• Course materials are reviewed to ensure they are not discriminatory or offensive to any individual or group.
• Students and staff have a positive duty not to discriminate against, harass, or victimise others, and to challenge such behaviour where they see it.

4. Harassment, bullying, and victimisation

Harassment is unwanted conduct related to a personal characteristic that has the purpose or effect of violating a person's dignity, or of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment. It can happen in person or digitally, for example by email, message, or social media, and does not need to be intentional. A reasonable person's view of the effect on the recipient is what matters. Normally, though, the conduct has to continue after an objection is made, or be serious enough on its own.

Bullying is the abuse of power or position to undermine a person's confidence, self-esteem, or self-worth, for example through persistent, unwarranted criticism, or intimidating behaviour. It's distinguished from rigorous academic debate, or a tutor's reasonable (if unwelcome) requests or feedback.

Victimisation is subjecting someone to a detriment because they have made, or supported, a genuine complaint of harassment or bullying in good faith.

Zero tolerance applies: every complaint under this section is taken seriously and handled under this policy, regardless of who it's against.

5. Reporting harassment or bullying

• A student complaining about a member of staff, another student, or a third party (for example, a work placement contact) raises this with the Student Counsellor, who refers it onward, or under the Academic Appeals and Complaints Policy directly if that's preferred. An allegation of a kind serious enough to amount to gross misconduct may be referred straight to the Staff Conduct, Grievance, and Whistleblowing Policy instead of waiting on an informal step.
• A member of staff complaining about another member of staff raises this under the Staff Conduct, Grievance, and Whistleblowing Policy.
• A member of staff complaining about a student raises this with the Academic Registry, who handles it under the Assessment Malpractice Policy or the Academic Appeals and Complaints Policy, as appropriate to what's alleged.

Whichever route applies, the complaint is handled with appropriate confidentiality, and information is shared only as needed to investigate and resolve it.

6. Raising any other concern

A student who believes they have experienced discrimination on a ground in section 2, outside of harassment or bullying specifically, should raise it under the Academic Appeals and Complaints Policy. A staff member should raise it with their line manager or, where that isn't appropriate, under the Staff Conduct, Grievance, and Whistleblowing Policy, which allows for a confidential report. No one is treated less favourably for raising a concern in good faith.

Where a concern is about the safety or wellbeing of a young person or an adult at risk of harm, rather than discrimination, harassment, or bullying, it's a safeguarding matter. See the Safeguarding Policy.

7. Review

This policy is reviewed annually by the Board of Directors. Any change must be checked against the Cross-Reference Map, in particular against the Academic Appeals and Complaints Policy and the Staff Conduct, Grievance, and Whistleblowing Policy.

Company information: London Institute of Business & Technology Limited (LIBT) Hillary House, Prospect Hill, Douglas, IM1 1EQ, Isle of Man, British Isles.