Celebrating Unity in Diversity

The Findhorn Foundation is an equal opportunities organisation committed to eliminating discrimination and creating an environment that celebrates and encourages the diversity of life. We aim to reflect this in our employment practices as well as in the experience we create for our volunteers, visitors and participants on our courses.

We are an international community and as such have representatives from different nations, religions and cultures working for us as well as taking part in our educational programmes. Our aim is to create a transparently fair environment evidencing equity, diversity and inclusion for all.

Society consists of many diverse groups and individuals and we affirm that each individual is a unique expression of humanity and of equal value. It is our responsibility to create an inclusive environment and respect the dignity and diversity of all people.

We also recognise that certain groups and individuals are discriminated against and that we have a moral and legal responsibility to promote equal opportunities in all aspects of our charitable and educational work.

Our Common Ground, a statement of the common values of the Findhorn Foundation and the New Findhorn Association Community, is a living document, a code of conduct, and used as a tool for transformation for ourselves, the community and the world.

It is the Foundation’s policy to provide an inclusive working and learning environment to all, irrespective of:

• Gender, including gender reassignment
• Marital or civil partnership status
• Having or not having dependents
• Religious belief or political opinion
• Race (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin)
• Disability
• Sexual orientation
• Age
• Pregnancy or maternity

It is the Findhorn Foundation’s commitment to provide an environment for all coworkers, volunteers, visitors and participants on our programmes:

• In which individual differences and contributions are recognised and celebrated
• That provides dignity and respect
• That does not tolerate any form of bullying, intimidation, or harassment
• That fosters and advances a culture of inclusion

And also in the case of employees and coworkers, an environment

• In which training and development opportunities are available
• In which any breaches of the equality policy will be regarded as misconduct and could lead to disciplinary actions being taken against the employees involved.

Serious cases of discrimination may amount to gross misconduct resulting in dismissal.

This policy aims to set out the Findhorn Foundation’s approach to equal opportunities and the avoidance of discrimination.

• The Findhorn Foundation does not tolerate discrimination or harassment against other people including current and former employees, job applicants, clients, customers, suppliers and visitors, programme participants, whether during the application process, during employment or in relation to the terms of employment offered.
• The following forms of discrimination are prohibited under this policy and are unlawful:
  • Direct discrimination: treating someone less favourably because of a Protected Characteristic.
  • Indirect discrimination: a provision, criterion or practice that applies to everyone but adversely affects people with a particular Protected Characteristic more than others, and is not justified.
  • Harassment: this includes sexual harassment and other unwanted conduct related to a Protected Characteristic, which has the purpose or effect of violating someone’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them.
  • Victimisation: retaliation against someone who has complained or has supported someone else’s complaint about discrimination or harassment.
  • Disability discrimination: this includes direct and indirect discrimination, any unjustified less favourable treatment because of the effects of a disability, and failure to make reasonable adjustments to alleviate disadvantages caused by a disability.

If you believe you have been discriminated against, or treated unfairly in contravention of this statement, please contact [email protected] or submit a grievance in line with our Grievance Policy.

The Findhorn Foundation is an NGO associated with the Department of Public Information of the United Nations