Equal opportunity
Decisions should be based on legitimate requirements, capability, conduct and relevant evidence.
Corporate Policy
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.
Black Fleet London is committed to fairness, dignity, equal opportunity and respectful treatment across employment, contracting, supplier relationships and passenger service.
This public policy summarises Black Fleet London’s equality and inclusion commitments. Individual circumstances, reasonable adjustments and confidential employment or passenger information are handled through appropriate private processes.
Purpose
Fair treatment embedded across people, partnerships and passenger service.
The purpose of this policy is to establish Black Fleet London’s commitment to preventing unlawful discrimination, promoting equal opportunity and supporting respectful, inclusive professional conduct.
Equality considerations form part of recruitment, employment, contracting, supplier relationships, chauffeur allocation, passenger communication, accessibility and complaint management.
Scope of this policy
- Directors, employees, applicants and workers
- Contractors, consultants and authorised representatives
- Licensed private hire operators and suppliers
- Chauffeurs supporting managed passenger journeys
- Clients, passengers, bookers and business contacts
- Recruitment, allocation, procurement and commercial decisions
- Communication, complaints and service recovery
Policy Statement
Dignity and fairness without unlawful discrimination.
Black Fleet London does not tolerate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation, bullying or exclusion in connection with its employment, contracting, supplier or passenger-service activities.
Respectful treatment
Individuals should be treated professionally and with dignity throughout their relationship with the company.
Inclusive service
Passenger-service arrangements should consider accessibility, communication and reasonable individual requirements.
Reasonable adjustments
Reasonable steps should be considered where disability creates a substantial disadvantage.
Safe reporting
Genuine equality concerns should be raised without fear of retaliation.
Continuous improvement
Complaints, feedback and operational experience should inform better processes and awareness.
Protected Characteristics
Protection across the nine characteristics recognised by the Equality Act.
Black Fleet London applies this policy with regard to the protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010.
Protection against unlawful treatment because of age or age group.
Protection for disabled people, including appropriate consideration of reasonable adjustments.
Protection against unlawful discrimination connected to gender reassignment.
Protection within the relevant areas covered by equality law.
Protection against unlawful disadvantage connected to pregnancy or maternity.
Including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins.
Including religious and qualifying philosophical beliefs, or lack of belief.
Protection against unlawful treatment because of sex.
Protection against unlawful treatment because of sexual orientation.
Prohibited Conduct
Unlawful discrimination and related conduct are not acceptable.
Direct discrimination
Treating someone less favourably because of a protected characteristic.
Indirect discrimination
Applying a provision, criterion or practice that creates an unjustified disadvantage.
Harassment
Unwanted conduct that violates dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.
Victimisation
Subjecting someone to detriment because they raised or supported an equality complaint or protected act.
Disability discrimination
Including failure to make reasonable adjustments where the legal duty applies.
Bullying and exclusion
Unreasonable intimidation, humiliation or exclusion may breach this policy even where it is not unlawful discrimination.
Inclusive Operating Principles
Inclusion demonstrated through decisions, behaviour and service design.
Equality requires more than neutral language. It requires practical consideration of barriers, respectful communication and decisions that can be explained through legitimate operational requirements.
Fair decisions
Use relevant evidence and legitimate criteria.
Respectful conduct
Communicate professionally and protect individual dignity.
Accessible service
Consider reasonable passenger and worker needs.
Accountability
Review concerns and correct inappropriate conduct.
Recruitment and Employment
Employment decisions based on role requirements and relevant capability.
Recruitment, selection, pay, development, performance and termination decisions should be based on legitimate business requirements and relevant evidence.
Requirements that may exclude or disadvantage particular groups should be reviewed to confirm whether they are genuinely necessary and proportionate.
Employment principles
- Use clear and relevant selection criteria
- Avoid discriminatory language and assumptions
- Consider reasonable adjustments during recruitment
- Apply performance standards consistently
- Provide fair access to relevant development opportunities
- Protect confidential personal and adjustment information
- Address bullying, harassment and victimisation promptly
Contractors, Operators and Suppliers
Professional standards extending through the operating network.
Licensed private hire operators, chauffeurs, contractors and suppliers supporting Black Fleet London are expected to treat passengers, workers and business contacts fairly and respectfully.
Fair onboarding
Supplier and operator decisions should use legitimate operational, commercial and compliance criteria.
Professional conduct
Discriminatory, abusive or degrading behaviour is incompatible with Black Fleet London service standards.
Passenger respect
Passengers should receive respectful service regardless of background, identity or personal characteristics.
Accessibility cooperation
Relevant passenger requirements should be considered when selecting suitable capacity and communicating instructions.
Confidentiality
Sensitive equality, disability or adjustment information must be shared only where genuinely required.
Corrective action
Serious or repeated breaches may affect allocation, access or the supplier relationship.
Inclusive Passenger Service
Passenger care shaped around dignity, access and operational suitability.
Black Fleet London seeks to make its services reasonably accessible and to avoid assumptions about passengers based on appearance, identity, disability, language or background.
Known passenger requirements should be considered early enough to assess suitable vehicles, assistance, communication and meeting arrangements.
Passenger-service expectations
- Treat each passenger professionally and respectfully
- Avoid assumptions about capability or assistance needs
- Confirm relevant access requirements where appropriate
- Use respectful and clear communication
- Protect sensitive passenger information
- Escalate requirements that cannot be met safely
- Provide reasonable alternatives where practicable
Reasonable Adjustments
Barriers considered through practical and proportionate adjustments.
Where a disabled applicant, worker or passenger is placed at a substantial disadvantage, Black Fleet London will consider reasonable steps to remove or reduce that disadvantage.
What is reasonable depends on the circumstances, including effectiveness, practicality, cost, available resources, safety and the nature of the service or role.
Adjustments may include
- Alternative communication methods
- Additional time for relevant processes
- Adjusted meeting or collection arrangements
- Suitable vehicle or luggage planning
- Modified duties or working arrangements where reasonable
- Accessible documents or instructions
- Assistance agreed within safe operational limits
Early communication supports suitable arrangements
Applicants, workers, clients and passengers are encouraged to communicate relevant adjustment or accessibility requirements as early as reasonably possible. This allows time to assess availability, safety and practical implementation.
Respectful Communication
Professional language across every interaction
Communications should avoid insults, stereotypes, degrading language, discriminatory jokes or comments about protected or personal characteristics.
Individuals are expected to correct inappropriate conduct and cooperate with reasonable guidance concerning respectful terminology.
Cultural and Religious Consideration
Reasonable consideration without compromising lawful operation
Reasonable cultural, religious and personal requirements may be considered where they are compatible with safety, contractual duties and operational requirements.
No individual should be expected to tolerate harassment, discrimination or unsafe conduct in the name of cultural preference.
Raising a Concern
Equality concerns reported safely and without retaliation.
Employees, contractors, operators, chauffeurs, suppliers, clients and passengers may raise concerns about discrimination, harassment, victimisation, exclusion or failure to consider reasonable adjustments.
Concerns should be raised promptly so that immediate risks can be addressed and relevant information preserved.
Reporting principles
- Explain what happened and when
- Identify relevant individuals or witnesses where possible
- Preserve relevant messages or records
- Avoid retaliation or confrontation
- Protect sensitive personal information
- Escalate immediate safety concerns
- Cooperate with a fair and proportionate review
Responding to Concerns
Concerns handled fairly, confidentially and proportionately.
01
Receive
Record the concern and identify any immediate support or protection needed.
02
Assess
Consider seriousness, context, evidence and the people affected.
03
Review
Obtain relevant information and provide a fair opportunity to respond.
04
Act
Apply proportionate corrective, operational, contractual or disciplinary action.
05
Improve
Review whether policies, training or operational controls require change.
Protection against victimisation
Black Fleet London does not tolerate retaliation against a person who raises a genuine equality concern, supports another person’s complaint or participates honestly in a review.
Roles and Responsibilities
Inclusion supported by leadership, operations and individual conduct.
01
Director
Provides leadership oversight, approves the policy and reviews significant equality concerns and corrective actions.
02
Operations team
Applies fair operational decisions, considers passenger requirements and escalates relevant concerns.
03
Operators and suppliers
Maintain professional conduct, cooperate with accessibility requirements and address discriminatory behaviour.
04
All individuals
Treat others respectfully, avoid unlawful conduct and raise material concerns through the appropriate route.
Awareness and Communication
Expectations communicated according to role
Relevant employees, contractors, operators and suppliers should receive proportionate information concerning equality, respectful conduct, accessibility, reasonable adjustments and reporting routes.
Additional guidance may be issued where operational experience or identified risk demonstrates a need.
Monitoring and Review
The policy reviewed against experience and change
Black Fleet London may review complaints, adjustment requests, supplier concerns, workforce feedback and passenger-service issues relevant to equality and inclusion.
This policy should be reviewed at least annually and following a significant concern, operational change or relevant legal development.
Breach of policy
Serious or repeated breaches may result in corrective action, removal from an assignment, restriction of access, disciplinary action or termination of a supplier or contracting relationship.
Related Governance
Fair treatment supported by connected policies.
Health and Safety Policy
Passenger welfare, safe working, accessibility considerations and incident reporting.
Whistleblowing Policy
Protected routes for raising serious wrongdoing and unlawful conduct.
Supplier Code of Conduct
Equality, dignity and professional-conduct expectations for suppliers and operators.
Equality and Corporate Due Diligence
Need equality, accessibility or supplier information?
Corporate clients and prospective partners may contact Black Fleet London regarding accessibility, equality controls, supplier onboarding or proportionate supporting evidence.