Equality and Diversity
Registered Charity No. 1216036
Note on this version: This policy was updated on 18 May 2026 to reflect the change of the Charity’s name from “Mitre Impact” to “Impact Buckingham”, effective 1 June 2026. The Charity’s registered number, 1216036, is unchanged. The substance of the policy is otherwise unchanged from the version previously adopted.
1. Policy Statement
Impact Buckingham (“the Charity”) is committed to promoting equality, valuing diversity, and ensuring that everyone the Charity comes into contact with — beneficiaries, volunteers, trustees, partner schools, donors, supporters, and members of the public — is treated fairly, with respect, and free from discrimination.
The Charity recognises that the families and individuals it exists to support are themselves diverse, and that the experience of poverty and financial hardship affects people of all backgrounds. The Charity’s aim is that no one is excluded from its services, volunteering opportunities, or trusteeship on the basis of any characteristic protected by law or by reason of social or economic background.
2. Purpose of this Policy
This policy sets out the Charity’s commitment to equality and diversity, the legal framework within which the Charity operates, and the responsibilities of trustees and volunteers in upholding the policy.
3. Scope
This policy applies to all trustees and volunteers acting on behalf of Impact Buckingham, and to every aspect of the Charity’s work — including the recruitment of volunteers, the selection of beneficiaries, the conduct of fundraising events, and dealings with partner schools, suppliers, donors and the wider public.
Where we rely on legitimate interests, this means running a small charity efficiently and keeping in touch with the people who support it, while respecting your rights. You can object to this at any time (see section 9). We do not use your information to make decisions about you by automated means.
4. Legal Framework
This policy has been drawn up with reference to the following legislation and guidance:
- The Equality Act 2010
- The Human Rights Act 1998
- Charity Commission guidance on charities and equality
5. Protected Characteristics
The Equality Act 2010 protects people from discrimination on the basis of the following characteristics. The Charity will not discriminate, directly or indirectly, on the basis of any of these:
- Age
- Disability
- Gender reassignment
- Marriage and civil partnership
- Pregnancy and maternity
- Race (including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin)
- Religion or belief (including lack of belief)
- Sex
- Sexual orientation
In addition to the protected characteristics above, the Charity will not discriminate on the basis of socio-economic background, family structure, or any other characteristic that is unrelated to a person’s eligibility for the Charity’s services or to their suitability for a volunteering or trustee role.
6. Forms of Discrimination
The Charity recognises that discrimination can take a number of forms, all of which are unacceptable:
- Direct discrimination: treating someone less favourably because of a protected characteristic.
- Indirect discrimination: applying a rule, criterion or practice which appears neutral but which puts people sharing a protected characteristic at a particular disadvantage.
- Harassment: unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic which has the purpose or effect of violating someone’s dignity or of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.
- Victimisation: treating someone unfairly because they have made, or supported, a complaint about discrimination.
7. Responsibilities
The Board of Trustees has overall responsibility for equality and diversity within the Charity. Trustees collectively:
- Ensure that this policy is implemented, reviewed and updated.
- Lead by example in their own conduct and decision-making.
- Take any complaint of discrimination, harassment or victimisation seriously and act on it promptly.
An Equality & Diversity Lead will be appointed from among the trustees to act as the principal point of contact for matters arising under this policy. The Equality & Diversity Lead is currently Peter Edwards, Chair of Trustees.
Volunteers are responsible for:
- Treating everyone they meet through the Charity — beneficiaries, fellow volunteers, school staff, members of the public — with dignity and respect.
- Following this policy in their work for the Charity.
- Reporting any concerns about discrimination, harassment or victimisation to the Equality & Diversity Lead.
8. Beneficiaries
Impact Buckingham’s charitable object is the prevention or relief of poverty and financial hardship among individuals and families in Buckingham and surrounding areas. The trustees recognise that this is, in itself, a focused beneficiary class, and that the Charity’s decisions about who to support must always be made on the basis of need.
The Charity primarily takes referrals from partner schools, using the schools’ own knowledge of family circumstances and their Pupil Premium lists. The trustees rely on this professional referral process to ensure that support reaches the families who need it most, without regard to any protected characteristic. The trustees will challenge any pattern in referrals which appears, on review, to be excluding any group of families without good reason.
Beneficiaries will be treated with dignity at all points of contact with the Charity. Hampers, vouchers, grants and other forms of support will be presented in a way that does not single people out or cause embarrassment. Wherever practicable, support will be delivered through the school setting rather than to the home, in order to preserve privacy.
9. Volunteers and Trustees
Opportunities to volunteer with the Charity are open to all, subject only to the suitability of the individual for the specific role and to the requirements of the Charity’s Safeguarding Policy. The Charity will make reasonable adjustments where it can to enable people with disabilities to volunteer.
Trustee appointments are made by resolution of the existing trustees in accordance with the Charity’s constitution. In selecting individuals for appointment, the trustees will have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the Charity, and will actively consider diversity of background and perspective alongside those skills.
10. Reasonable Adjustments
Where a beneficiary, volunteer or trustee has a disability or other characteristic that would otherwise place them at a disadvantage in their dealings with the Charity, the Charity will make reasonable adjustments to its arrangements where it can. This may include (but is not limited to): adjusting the time, location or format of an activity; providing information in an accessible format; or arranging additional support during an event.
11. Partner Organisations and Suppliers
The Charity expects partner organisations — in particular partner schools, host venues, and suppliers — to share its commitment to equality and diversity. The Charity will avoid working with any organisation whose practices are inconsistent with this policy.
12. Complaints
Anyone who believes they have been treated in a way that is inconsistent with this policy — whether as a beneficiary, volunteer, trustee, supplier, donor or member of the public — may raise the matter with the Equality & Diversity Lead. Where the complaint relates to the conduct of the Lead themselves, the matter should be raised with any other trustee.
Complaints will be taken seriously, investigated promptly and proportionately, and the outcome will be communicated to the complainant. Where a complaint also engages safeguarding issues, the Charity’s Safeguarding Policy will apply alongside this policy.
13. Confidentiality and Data Protection
Any information about a complaint, or about a person’s protected characteristics, will be handled confidentially and in accordance with data protection law. Information will only be shared with those who need to know in order to investigate the matter or to provide support.
14. Training and Awareness
Trustees and volunteers will be made aware of this policy on appointment and will be expected to act in accordance with it. The trustees will keep themselves informed of developments in equality and diversity law and good practice relevant to the Charity’s work.
15. Review
This policy will be reviewed annually by the Board of Trustees and updated as necessary. It will also be reviewed if there is any material change in the Charity’s activities or in relevant legislation.
Contact Details
|
Equality & Diversity Lead |
Peter Edwards, Chair of Trustees |
|
Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) |