Equal Opportunities Policy

It is the policy of the Church in Wales to promote a culture of dignity, respect and fairness for all its members. The Church in Wales recognises the gifts, talents and vocations of its lay and clergy members.

The Church in Wales is committed to ensure:

• Equality of access to participate in the full life of the Church in Wales.
• Promotion of an understanding of equality issues within the Church in Wales and the wider community.
• Equality of access to employment by the Representative Body and other employers or agencies within the Church in Wales.
• Equality of access to the process of selection and training for ordination or lay ministry.
• Equality of opportunity for representation on the Governing Body, the Representative Body and other committees and boards within the Church in Wales.
• Equality of access to training and on-going ministerial education of clergy and trained laity.

The law provides for the Church in Wales (and other faith communities) to discriminate in certain circumstances where not to do so would cause offence to a substantial minority of its members. In this context the Church in Wales will as far as it is reasonable to do so and where the law allows:

• Act positively to redress the inequalities faced by minority groups within the Church in Wales.
• Promote equal opportunity in all relevant policy considerations including the allocation of resources.
• Seek to counteract the effects of discrimination through the language and images it uses.
• Keep practices, policies and procedures under review to ensure that minority groups are not treated less favourably.
• Encourage all its members, employees and others acting on its behalf to work towards the elimination of practices and attitudes which may be considered discriminatory.

The Governing Body of the Church in Wales will monitor the application of this policy and will encourage the introduction of positive action if it appears that the policy is not fully effective.