Diversity & Equality Policy

1. Purpose and commitment

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Pegaz Recruitment Ltd, trading as Joanna Black Recruitment, is committed to promoting equality of opportunity and diversity in all aspects of our recruitment practice. We believe that the best hiring decisions are made on merit alone, free from bias, discrimination or assumption.

This policy applies to all activities of the agency, including: candidate selection and representation; client briefings and search processes; and engagement with any associates, contractors or partners. It is reviewed annually.

2. Our legal framework

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We operate in full compliance with the Equality Act 2010, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of the following nine protected characteristics:

Protected characteristic	What this means in recruitment
Age	Candidates are assessed on skills and experience, not age
Disability	Reasonable adjustments made at every stage of the process
Gender reassignment	No distinction made in candidate handling or representation
Marriage and civil partnership	Not considered at any stage of assessment
Pregnancy and maternity	No disadvantage applied to candidates or clients on this basis
Race (incl. nationality, ethnicity)	All candidates assessed equally regardless of background
Religion or belief	No consideration given in matching or recommendation
Sex	Roles presented neutrally; no gender preference accepted from clients
Sexual orientation	Not a factor in any placement decision

3. Our commitments in practice

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Candidate representation

• We represent all candidates solely on the basis of their skills, qualifications, experience and suitability for the role
• We do not screen out candidates on the basis of any protected characteristic
• We do not share personal information unrelated to professional suitability with clients (e.g. age, marital status, nationality) unless this is a legal requirement of the role
• We provide the same quality of service to every candidate regardless of background

Client relationships

• We will not accept discriminatory instructions from clients (e.g. requests to exclude candidates of a particular age, gender or nationality)
• Where a client brief contains language or requirements that may indirectly discriminate, we will flag this and suggest compliant alternatives
• We encourage clients to consider a diverse shortlist as a matter of best practice and business performance

Our own operations

• We apply the same principles internally to any associates, contractors or collaborators we engage
• We do not tolerate harassment, bullying or discriminatory behaviour in any form in connection with our work

4. Disability and reasonable adjustments

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We are committed to ensuring that disabled candidates are not disadvantaged in the recruitment process. If a candidate discloses a disability or requests adjustments, we will:

• Discuss their needs confidentially and without prejudice
• Communicate their requirements to the employer client (with the candidate's consent)
• Encourage clients to make reasonable adjustments as required under the Equality Act 2010
• Never allow a disability to become a reason to withdraw a candidate from a process without a legitimate, objective justification agreed with the client and candidate

5. Reporting concerns

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Any candidate or client who believes they have experienced or witnessed discrimination in connection with our services is encouraged to raise this with us directly. Complaints are handled in accordance with our Complaints Policy.

Contact: hire@joannablack.co.uk

You may also contact the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) for independent advice: equalityhumanrights.com · 0808 800 0082.

6. Policy review

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This policy is reviewed annually or following any relevant change in legislation or agency structure.

Last reviewed: June 2026  ·  Next review: June 2027  ·  Approved by: Joanna Black, Director