Statement of Equal Opportunities

  1. The IMA is committed to Equal Opportunities for all. Everyone involved in the Organisation must commit themselves to taking positive action to ensure that Equal Opportunities become a reality. The aim of the Organisation is to ensure that those facing discrimination feel welcome within the Organisation and feel able to use its services.

  2. The implementation of this Equal Opportunities Policy is the responsibility of all those within the Organisation.

  3. The Organisation has been committed to justice and equality since its inception and the MAA in 1984. It believes that everyone should have equal access to the services of the Organisation and that everyone is entitled to equal treatment.

  4. However, the Organisation recognises that it is part of a society that discriminates unfairly and unjustly against some individuals and groups. Discrimination results in disadvantages and lack of opportunities. Discrimination can be either institutional (where discriminatory policies and practices have become incorporated and integrated into the organisation or institution), or individual, or both.

  5. The Organisation is resolutely opposed to discrimination and its effects. It works to eradicate discriminatory policies and practices from its Organisation. It aims for the Organisation to act equitably and justly.

  6. The Organisation recognises that harassment is a major form of discrimination. It is opposed to all forms of harassment and views any form of harassment as a serious disciplinary offence.

  7. The Organisation will actively challenge any discriminatory policies or practices it identifies in the credit industry.

  8. The Organisation is committed to positive action to alleviate and remedy the effects of discrimination. It accepts that equal treatment of people is insufficient to achieving equal opportunities and that positive action is also required. The Organisation is therefore committed to positive discrimination as a very particular form of positive action, where positive discrimination is encouraged by the law i.e. employment of disabled people.

  9. Should a member of the Organisation be identified as contravening this policy statement, the Organisation would regard this as a disciplinary matter and the member in question would be subject to the Organisation's disciplinary procedure.