Equal Opportunities and Discrimination Policies
Vector is committed to implementing equal opportunities in all its employment policies, practices and procedures, without discrimination on grounds of gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religious belief, age, race, disability, membership of the traveller community. To this end, we will ensure that the principals of employment equality are applied to recruitment, promotion, training and work experience and to all terms and conditions of employment.
A demonstration of our commitment, promotion and adherence to these policies is the fact that we are the chosen facilities managers for The Equality Commission of Northern Ireland whose requirements in this area are stringent.
Working with the local communities in both Belfast and Dublin, we are supporting community based initiatives including the recruitment into the workforce of lesser-abled individuals.
For example, the Finglas-Cabra Partnership was set-up in 1991 by the Irish Government under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress (PESP) to tackle long-term unemployment locally. In addition to this the Partnership also works as a local development organisation promoting social inclusion. This involves creating opportunities for marginalised communities to actively participate in decisions that affect them. Core to the Partnerships work is a belief that everyone has a right to participate fully in society, and to have the opportunity to reach his or her full potential.
In a similar manner, a local university, DCU, has an educational initiative, called the Educational Access Program. Began as a pilot programme for students from 13 counties in the Border Midlands West region, this is aimed at students who may have been prevented from accessing Third Level education due to socio-economic barriers. This pilot scheme has now become a nationwide programme, with students eligible for support being drawn from across the entire Island of Ireland.
Under this programme, Vector is currently sponsoring a number of students to attend college and get the opportunity to avail of a third level education.