• The Croquet Association (CA) welcomes and values people from diverse backgrounds and identities.
• Our leaders promote and support inclusivity and diversity in all our activities.
• We actively encourage everyone to reach their potential in our sport, no matter what challenges they may face.
• We promote croquet across a wide range of communities.
• We do not tolerate discrimination.

Scope

This policy applies to the CA, our members (Federations, Clubs and Individuals), and we urge everyone in our sport to adopt, promote and support it. We have published a comprehensive document entitled Improving Inclusivity and Diversity in Croquet which contains recommendations for the CA, the Federations, clubs and individual members and a suggested action plan for implementation. We suggest that everyone should take some time to have a look at this and decide how they can make it work.

Complaints and Disciplinary Procedure

The CA regards any action or inaction contrary to this policy to be conduct that is injurious to the character or interests of the Association. Any complaint relating to such conduct will be taken seriously and dealt with under the CA Complaints Procedure.

Appendix - Guidance on the Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society. This Appendix provides a brief summary of its provisions for the croquet community. It is drawn from UK Government guidance (gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance) which should be considered the definitive source of advice.

It is against the law to discriminate against anyone because of any of the following protected characteristics:

• age
• gender reassignment
• being married or in a civil partnership
• being pregnant or on maternity leave
• disability
• race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin
• religion or belief
• sex
• sexual orientation

You're also protected from discrimination if:

• you're associated with someone who has a protected characteristic, for example, a family member or friend
• you've complained about discrimination or supported someone else's claim

Discrimination can come in one of the following forms:

• Direct discrimination - treating someone with a protected characteristic less favourably than others.
• Indirect discrimination - putting rules or arrangements in place that apply to everyone, but that put someone with a protected characteristic at an unfair disadvantage.
• Harassment - unwanted behaviour linked to a protected characteristic that violates someone's dignity or creates an offensive environment for them.
• Victimisation - treating someone unfairly because they've complained about discrimination or harassment.

However, it can be lawful to have specific rules or arrangements in place, as long as they can be justified.

You can do something voluntarily to help people with a protected characteristic. This is called 'positive action'. Taking positive action is legal if people with a protected characteristic:

• are at a disadvantage
• have particular needs
• are under-represented in an activity or type of work