Introduction
Sethule is cognisant of the impact of racial history and different individual opinions on racial matters. In its endeavour to address the implications of our history, Sethule is committed to its compliance with the following the fundamental rights:
- The recognition of inherent dignity and worth of each human being.
- The recognition of equality of all human beings.
- Recognition of rights of ethnic,racial, cultural, linguistic and religious groups.
- Equality and non-discrimination.
Purpose of the Policy
- To eliminate any form of racism and racial prejudice and unfair discrimination at Sethule.
- To ensure that every person working ator who is affiliated with Sethule is treated with dignity and equality.
- To create an environment where no one is unfairly discriminated on grounds their nationality, race, colour, tribe,place of birth ethnic or social origin, language and culture.
- Enhancing social integration atSethule.
- To provide processes on how to deal with racial discrimination.
Scope and Compliance
- This policy applies all Sethule employees, the board members, student interns, local and international volunteers and third parties.
- It is the duty and responsibility of the above mentioned individuals to ensure that they read, understand and comply with this policy.
Sethule is committed to the following principles;
- The elimination of racism, racial prejudice and unfair discrimination at the workplace.
- Producing,through its policies, procedures, processes, practices and structures, ananti-racist and rights-based culture, which includes respect for human dignity and diversity.
- Promotion of equal opportunity and fair treatment through inclusive policies and practices.
- Being an organisation where all members of staff and the broader community that weserve feel valued and represented at Sethule.
- Creation of conducive working climate that acknowledges and appreciates diversity.
- Promotion of a work-life and career advancement in an environment that is anti-racist and anti-discriminatory.
- Demonstrating anti-racist practices in our organisational and personal behaviours.
- Providing ongoing opportunities for training and education relating to anti- racism.
Conduct that may be considered as racist.
- Sethule acknowledges that racial discrimination and harassment in the workplace can take many forms. It can be subtle or obvious. It can be initiated by aco-worker or a supervisor. While there is no exhaustive list of acts that can be considered racist, the following acts must be immediately reported if they occur within our organisation;
- Making inappropriate comments or jokes about an employee's race, or race-related characteristics, such as skin tone, hair texture, or facial features.
- Referring to employees of a certain race in prejudicial slang terms or code words for example use of the ‘N’ word to refer to people of colour.
- Assigning employees of a certain race different job duties.
- Taking adverse action against an employee for his or her association to someone of a certain race (a spouse, children, etc.)
- Failure to hire employees of a certain race to maintain a "certain look" within the organisation.
- Unfairly disciplining certain employees on the basis of race.
- Prejudice and overt bias, i.e. racial discrimination in the form of overt prejudice, hostility or negative feelings held against an individual of a certain race.
- Stereotyping, i.e. attribution of the same characteristics to all members of a group, regardless of individual differences.
- Racial profiling, i.e. any action undertaken for reasons of safety, security or public protection that relies on stereotypes about race, colour, ethnicity, ancestry,religion or place of origin rather than on reasonable suspicion, to single out an individual for greater scrutiny or different treatment.
- Subtle forms of racial discrimination, such as failing to hire,train, mentor or promote a racialized person. Racialized persons may find themselves subjected to excessive performance monitoring or may be more seriously blamed for a common mistake.
- Any other adverse actor behaviour that the complainant may feel that is racist or racially motivated.
Procedures
- Complaints of racial harassment and/or discrimination must immediately be brought to the attention of the Programs Manager.
- The programs manager must immediately report the incident to the Sethule board.
- If the alleged perpetrator is part of management, the complainant may report the matter directly to the Sethule board.
- The board shall then follow the procedure laid out in the Sethule Code of Conduct.
- It is advisable that incidents of racism be reported as soon as is reasonably
- possible in the circumstances. However, late reporting of an incident by the
- complainant or victim will not necessarily have adverse consequences for the process of decision- making relating to the merits of the case.
- Racial harassment may be brought to the attention of the Programs Manager by the victim or any other person aware of such harassment.
- Any complaint of racial harassment must be recorded in writing by the Programs Manager.
- The Programs Manager will be responsible to take all reasonable steps to ensure that such a complaint is dealt in terms of disciplinary procedure, set out in the Sethule Code of Conduct and such disciplinary procedure must be executed expeditiously and appropriately.
- Sethule considers racial harassment/ discrimination gross misconduct. Any person found guilty of racial harassment and/or discrimination could be discharged from employment.
- In the case of a third party, or independent service provider, the termination of a contract may ensue.
- Subsequent to the exhaustion of available internal remedies, all parties retain their rights to pursue the complaint in a court of law.
Policy Owner
- Sethule is the owner of the Anti-Racism policy. This policy may be reviewed and updated from time to time.