Equal Opportunities Policy

1.        PURPOSE

1.1 To communicate our commitment to promoting equal opportunities and eliminating discrimination and harassment, including discrimination and/or harassment on grounds of sex, pregnancy, marital status, age, disability, family status, national or ethnic origins, race, color, nationality, descent, sexuality, or religious belief in all aspects of employment, training, and career development.

1.2 To ensure everyone is treated with respect and dignity, and no one will be subjected to any unwelcome conduct or to an environment that is hostile or intimidating on grounds of his or her sex, pregnancy, marital status, age, disability, family status, national or ethnic origins, race, color, nationality, descent, sexuality, or religious belief.

2.       SCOPE

The document applies to all Globalink employees. This policy also extends to Globalink business partners for their benefit.

3.       GUIDELINES

3.1 It is the responsibility of each employee to adhere to this policy at all times to maintain a work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment.

3.2 Each individual will be assessed on the basis of the job requirements and their relevant capabilities, and not on other irrelevant considerations.

3.3 Each employee should not take part in, encourage, or condone cases of any form of harassment that offends equality of opportunities.

4.       DISCRIMINATION

4.1 Globalink will not tolerate direct or indirect discrimination based on sex, pregnancy, marital status, age, disability, family status, national or ethnic origins, race, color, nationality, descent, sexuality, or religious belief. In preventing discrimination, employment-related decisions such as recruitment, promotion, transfer, training, dismissal, and redundancy, as well as terms and conditions of employment, should be based on consistent selection criteria. Individuals who make employment-related decisions should not assume that persons of a particular sex, marital status, age, family status, national or ethnic origins, race, color, nationality, descent, sexuality, or religion, or who are not pregnant or without a disability, are only able to do certain kinds of work and should ensure that these factors are not used as grounds for making decisions.

4.2 Direct discrimination is when an individual is treated less favorably than others in the same or comparable circumstances because of the individual’s sex, pregnancy, marital status, age, disability, family status, national or ethnic origins, race, color, nationality, descent, sexuality, or religious belief.

4.3 Indirect discrimination can occur when the same requirements or conditions are imposed on everyone, but the individual belongs to a particular group (such as people of a particular sex, pregnancy, marital status, age, disability, family status, national or ethnic origins, race, color, nationality, descent, sexuality, or religious belief) which is less likely to be able to comply with the requirements or conditions because of one of those particular characteristics, and the requirements or conditions cannot be justified.

4.4 Records or notes of employment-related decisions should be made and filed with the relevant Human Resources Department. These notes will serve as a valuable explanation and protection against any unfounded suggestion of discrimination.

5.       HARASSMENT

Globalink will not tolerate sexual harassment, harassment on the ground of disability or race, or any other forms of harassment offending equality of opportunities. Harassment can take the form of unwelcome conduct or subjecting another person to an environment that is hostile or intimidating.

6.       GRIEVANCE

6.1 Employees and business partners with inquiries, complaints, or requests for assistance on discrimination or harassment issues may contact the Head of Human Resources & Administration of the relevant local office or of the Head Office, as the case may be. Complaints about discrimination or harassment will be dealt with seriously.

6.2 Investigations into the complaints will be conducted effectively and promptly by the relevant Division/Department/Business Unit Head, who is not interested in the subject of the complaint, jointly with the Head of Human Resources & Administration of the individual local office or of the Head Office, as the case may be. The investigations should be reported to the Managing Director/General Manager of the local office, where necessary.

6.3 All complaints are treated as confidential to the extent consistent with the need to conduct a fair, complete, and responsive investigation. Individuals are encouraged to disclose their identity and contact details so that they can be contacted for further information when necessary, and feedback on the complaints can be provided. An anonymous report that fails to provide clear and adequate information will not be processed.

6.4 It is important for anyone subjected to discrimination or harassment to keep records of the incident(s) to be able to recall exactly what has happened. Individuals are also encouraged to come forward with complaints as soon as possible after the alleged incidents, as a delay in time may, in certain circumstances, weaken a complainant’s case.

6.5 Globalink is concerned to ensure that all employees and business partners feel able to raise such grievances, and no individual will be penalized for doing so. Discrimination, intimidation, or penalization of an employee or a business partner for initiating a good faith complaint or providing information in the complaint investigation process will not be tolerated.

Globalink reserves the right to take disciplinary or other action against anyone who persecutes or retaliates (or threatens to do so) against a complainant.

7.       ACTION

Employees who are found to have discriminated against or harassed any person on the ground of sex, pregnancy, marital status, age, disability, family status, national or ethnic origins, race, color, nationality, descent, sexuality, or religious belief may be subjected to disciplinary action, including summary dismissal.

8.       MONITORING

The effectiveness of this policy will be monitored regularly. Procedures and practices, requirements and conditions will be reviewed in the light of monitoring results, with a view to taking steps to promote equality and prevent discrimination and harassment.