Date: May 2025
Com Laude is committed to providing a working environment free from harassment (including sexual harassment), bullying and victimisation and ensuring all staff are treated, and treat others, with dignity and respect.
We recognise that harassment, bullying or victimisation can occur both in and outside the workplace, such as on business trips, or at work-related events or social functions, or on social media.
Harassment, bullying or victimisation of any member of staff, or anyone they come into contact with during the course of their work, is unlawful and will not be tolerated. We will take active steps to help prevent any harassment, bullying and victimisation of all staff.
Anyone who is a victim of, or witness to harassment, bullying or victimisation is encouraged to report it. This will enable us to take appropriate action and provide support. Harassment, bullying or victimisation can result in legal liability for both the business and the perpetrator, whether they work for us or are a third party outside of our control. It may result in disciplinary action of our staff up to and including dismissal.
This statement sets out our expectations to all third parties including clients and suppliers dealing with Com Laude staff (including employees, homeworkers, part-time and fixed-term employees, officers, directors, agency workers, casual workers, consultants, contractors, trainees, self-employed contractors, volunteers and interns). It also confirms to third parties the standards we expect of Com Laude staff.
Harassment is any unwanted physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct that has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them. A single incident can amount to harassment.
It also includes treating someone less favourably because they have submitted or refused to submit to such behaviour in the past.
Unlawful harassment may be related to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Sexual harassment is dealt with specifically below.
Harassment may include, for example:
A person may be harassed even if they were not the intended “target”. For example, a person may be harassed by racist jokes about a different ethnic group if the jokes create an offensive environment.
Victimisation includes subjecting a person to a detriment because they have done, or are suspected of doing or intending to do, any of the following protected acts:
Victimisation may include, for example:
Harassment and victimisation are unlawful and will not be tolerated. They may lead to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.
Third-party harassment occurs where a person is harassed by someone who does not work for, and who is not an agent of, the same employer, but with whom they have come into contact during the course of their employment.
Third-party harassment could include, for example, derogatory comments about a person’s age, disability, colour or sexual orientation by a client, customer or supplier visiting the employer’s premises, or where a person is visiting a client, customer or supplier’s premises or other location in the course of their employment. Third-party harassment could also occur online via remote meetings, social media or messaging services.
Bullying is offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour involving the misuse of power that can make a person feel vulnerable, upset, humiliated, undermined or threatened. Power does not always mean being in a position of authority but can include both personal strength and the power to coerce through fear or intimidation.
Bullying can take the form of physical, verbal and non-verbal conduct. Bullying may include, by way of example:
Legitimate, reasonable and constructive criticism of a worker’s performance or behaviour, or reasonable instructions given to workers in the course of their employment, will not amount to bullying on their own.
Sexual harassment is any unwanted physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature that has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity, or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them. A single incident can amount to sexual harassment.
It also includes treating someone less favourably due to their submission to, or refusal of, unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, or that is related to gender reassignment or sex, in the past.
Sexual harassment may include, for example:
Victimisation in the context of sexual harassment may include, for example:
If any sexual harassment or victimisation of staff occurs, we will take steps to remedy any complaints and to prevent it happening again.
Third-party sexual harassment occurs where a person is sexually harassed by someone who does not work for, and who is not an agent of, Com Laude, but who comes into contact with Com Laude staff during the course of their employment.
Third-party sexual harassment could include, for example, unwelcome sexual advances from a client, customer or supplier visiting the employer’s premises, a business contact at a business-related event, or where a person is visiting a client, customer or supplier’s premises, business event or other location in the course of their employment. Third-party sexual harassment could also occur online via remote meetings, social media or messaging services.
Third-party sexual harassment can result in legal liability and will not be tolerated. All staff are encouraged to report any third-party harassment they are a victim of, or witness.
If the harasser is a third party, such as a customer or other visitor, we will consider what action would be appropriate to deal with the problem. We will take active steps to try to prevent third-party sexual harassment of staff including attempting to discuss the matter with the third party to remedy any complaints and to prevent it happening again. These may include warning the harasser about their behaviour, banning them from our premises, reporting any criminal acts to the police, and sharing information with other branches of the business.
Any sexual harassment by a member of staff against a third party may lead to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.
If you are member of Com Laude staff, incidents can be reported anonymously via Bob – Your Voice. If you are a third party, incidents can be reported to hr@comlaude.com or in writing to:
Kevin Thain
Com Laude
28 Little Russell Street
London
WC1A 2HN