Cell Project Space

Cell Project Space and Cell Studios are committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion, and to preventing unlawful discrimination. This commitment applies to all employees and individuals working on our behalf, as well as those we work with or serve, including studio holders, freelancers, suppliers, participants, and audiences.

This policy supports that commitment by setting out the standards we expect. By following it, you help us to create an inclusive environment in which everyone is treated fairly, with dignity and respect, and is able to realise their potential.

We are committed to maintaining a working and public environment that is free from discrimination, harassment, and bullying.

We also have a separate Bullying and Harassment Policy, which sets out in more detail how we prevent and address unacceptable behaviour and support a safe and respectful environment.

 

It is unlawful to discriminate, whether directly or indirectly, in recruitment or employment on the basis of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origins), sexual orientation, religion or belief, or marriage and civil partnership. These are known as “protected characteristics.”

 

Discrimination can also be unlawful after the employment relationship has ended—for example, refusing to provide a reference for reasons related to a protected characteristic.

 

Employers have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments where a provision, criterion, practice, or physical feature of the workplace places a disabled person at a substantial disadvantage. Where appropriate, the organisation will take reasonable steps to remove or reduce such disadvantages, including providing auxiliary aids where required.

 

When working with studio tenants, colleagues, exhibiting artists, and contractors, we are committed to treating everyone with dignity and respect. We do not tolerate discrimination or harassment of any kind.

 

We are also committed to ensuring that people with disabilities can access our services. This includes making reasonable adjustments, such as removing, adapting, or altering physical features where necessary. We take a proactive approach by anticipating potential barriers and addressing them in advance to support disabled people in accessing both the studios and the gallery.

 

Direct discrimination is where a person is treated less favourably than another because of a protected characteristic (for example refusing to employ a woman because she is pregnant).

In very limited circumstances, the organisation may lawfully treat an individual differently in relation to a protected characteristic where there is a genuine occupational requirement. This requirement must be essential to the role and a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.

 

Indirect discrimination is where a provision, criterion, or practice is applied that is discriminatory in relation to individuals who have a relevant protected characteristic compared with people who do not, and it cannot be shown to be a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim (for example requiring employees to have held a driving licence for 10 years may be indirect age discrimination, unless that requirement could be objectively justified).

 

Harassment is unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic (with the exception of marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity, which are addressed under direct discrimination provisions in the Equality Act 2010). It occurs where the conduct has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity, or of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment. It is not necessary for the conduct to have been intended to have this effect.

 

Associative discrimination occurs where an individual is treated less favourably or harassed because of their association with someone who has a protected characteristic. This does not extend to harassment related to marriage and civil partnership, or (in line with Government and ACAS guidance) pregnancy and maternity.

 

Perceptive discrimination arises where an individual is treated less favourably or harassed because they are perceived to have a protected characteristic, whether or not that perception is correct. This does not apply to marriage and civil partnership, or pregnancy and maternity.

 

Victimisation occurs where an individual is subjected to a detriment—such as being denied training or promotion—because they have made, supported, or are suspected of making or supporting a complaint or grievance under the Equality Act 2010. For example, a blind employee who raises a grievance about a failure to make reasonable adjustments and is subsequently excluded from meetings may be experiencing victimisation. However, protection does not apply where a complaint is made maliciously or in bad faith.

 

Failure to make reasonable adjustments occurs where a physical feature, or a provision, criterion, or practice, places a disabled person at a substantial disadvantage compared with someone who is not disabled, and the employer has not taken reasonable steps to remove or reduce that disadvantage.

 

The organisation is committed to preventing unlawful discrimination in all aspects of employment, including recruitment, promotion, training opportunities, pay and benefits, disciplinary actions, and redundancy selection.

 

Person and job specifications are limited to the qualifications, skills, and experience genuinely necessary for the effective performance of the role. Candidates for employment or promotion will be assessed objectively against these requirements, taking into account any reasonable adjustments needed for applicants with disabilities. Factors such as disability or personal and home commitments will not influence employment decisions, except where they are directly relevant and necessary for the role.

 

We review our working practices to ensure they do not have an indirectly discriminatory effect, including considerations such as working hours, schedules, and work locations. Requests to vary these practices will only be refused for legitimate business reasons that are unrelated to any protected characteristic. We will comply with all statutory obligations regarding contract variation requests and will make reasonable adjustments to working practices to support employees with disabilities.

 

We monitor the workforce and applicants for employment and promotion by ethnicity, gender, age, and disability status. Where the monitoring process identifies potential issues or underrepresentation, we will consider and take appropriate action to address them in line with equality and employment law.

 

We have a separate Anti-Harassment Policy that outlines our commitment to maintaining a workplace free from harassment and bullying, and the processes in place to support this commitment.

 

Customers, suppliers, and other people outside our workforce

We will not unlawfully discriminate against customers or anyone seeking to use our goods, facilities, or services.

If you experience bullying or harassment from customers, suppliers, visitors, or any other person in the course of your work, you should report it to your line manager or director, who will take appropriate action.

 

All employees, including new starters and others engaged to work for us, receive training to help them understand their rights and responsibilities under the Anti-Harassment Policy and how to contribute to a workplace free from bullying and harassment. Managers receive additional training to help them handle complaints effectively and in line with our procedures.

 

Everyone has a role in creating a working environment free from harassment and bullying, where all individuals can reach their potential.

Acts of discrimination, harassment, bullying, or victimisation against employees or customers are disciplinary offences and will be addressed under our disciplinary procedure. Such conduct is treated extremely seriously and may result in dismissal without notice.

 

We encourage anyone who believes they have been subjected to harassment, victimisation, or discrimination to come forward. Our procedures are designed to support open communication, facilitate dispute resolution, and, where appropriate, implement disciplinary action.

If you feel you have been discriminated against, bullied, or harassed, you may raise your concerns under our Grievance Procedure.

If you think you have been discriminated against, bullied or harassed you can raise this under our grievance procedure.

All complaints will be taken seriously. You will not be penalised for raising a grievance, even if it is not upheld, except in the rare case where a complaint is deliberately false and made in bad faith.

 

We will regularly monitor this policy to ensure its effectiveness and update it to reflect any changes in the law. This includes monitoring the ethnic, gender, and disability composition of our workforce and job applicants (including promotion), and reviewing our equality and diversity policies based on the findings. Where necessary, appropriate changes will be implemented.

 

We will periodically monitor this policy to judge its effectiveness and we will update it if there are any changes in the law. In particular, we will monitor the ethnic and gender composition of our existing workforce and job applicants (including promotion), and the number of people with disabilities within these groups, and will review our equal opportunities policy in line with the results shown. If changes are required, we will implement them.

 

All personal data collected for monitoring equality of opportunity in recruitment and selection will be handled in accordance with our Data Protection Policy. Details about how we use personal data and the legal basis for processing it are provided in our Privacy Notice.