DE&I Policy

Lobster is committed to encouraging equality and diversity amongst our workforce and the crew we engage. We are committed to driving change and providing opportunities to underrepresented and disadvantaged groups, including:

• Individuals from minority ethnic backgrounds
• Women in roles where they are currently underrepresented and disadvantaged,
• LGBTQ+ individuals,
• Individuals with physical and/or cognitive disabilities
• Other individuals from underrepresented and disadvantaged socio-economic groups

We are also committed to combating unlawful discrimination. To attract and retain employees, we are committed to providing a collaborative, accepting and supportive environment for all employees.

We will create both short- and long-term targets to improve diversity amongst our permanent workforce and crew. Measurement and data are critical in assessing the effectiveness of our diversity and inclusivity actions, as well as those of the industry as a whole. Therefore, we will collect data which records the demographics of our staff and crews and use it in two ways:

1. We will analyse the data we collect and evaluate the effectiveness of the measures that we employ to increase diversity and inclusion.
2. We will reconsider those measures and change or supplement them with new ones if the existing ones have been ineffective against the targets we have set.

1. When we recruit, we will focus on reaching underrepresented and disadvantaged groups and making them aware of all opportunities. We will do that through two key strategies:

• We will ensure that the language used in job postings is neutral and inclusive in terms of who it might appeal to and is inclusive of individuals from underrepresented and/or disadvantaged groups.
• We will actively seek to reach underrepresented and disadvantaged groups with each job advert/notice, seeking out partnership organisations who are educating or seeking opportunities for such talent and building relationships with those organisations. The APA has a directory of such organisations, which will be one of our resources.

2. Where appropriate, we will undertake and provide training to our staff to enhance their understanding of social issues including but not limited to: unconscious bias, systemic inequality, and intersectionality. This training will support our recruitment and hiring objectives as per 1 above, as well as our overall diversity and inclusion objectives as set out in this policy.

3. We will offer paid internships and work experience (with travel expenses covered) for individuals from underrepresented and disadvantaged groups. We may offer:

• One week’s experience of our working environment to someone who approaches us seeking experience of our business. This will involve shadowing one or more of our employees and learning about our operations, but will not require them to undertake any work. This opportunity may be paid, unpaid, or expense-covered, depending on the applicant’s needs to access the opportunity.
• A longer period of work experience or an internship for which applicants will be paid at least the minimum wage, but ideally the UK living wage or London living wage (whichever is applicable). This is important because individuals from underrepresented and disadvantaged groups are less likely to be able to afford to undertake unpaid work experience for any significant period of time and thus are less likely to be able to enter the industry if that is all that is on offer.

4. We will encourage our staff to participate in mentorship programmes and help them support their mentees. We will utilise the partnership programmes offered by the APA for this purpose.

5. We will create a safe and inclusive working environment:

• We will continue to provide a working environment free from bullying, harassment, victimisation and unlawful discrimination, whilst promoting dignity and respect for all. We strive to be a space where individual differences and the contribution of all employees are recognised and valued.
• We will ensure there are clear, well-communicated procedures in place explaining how to raise concerns or complaints. We may use the APA Template Code of Conduct and Complaints Process for this purpose. All relevant issues will be taken seriously and investigated. They will be considered and acted upon with a focus on independence, timeliness and impartiality. We will ensure that appropriate support is in place for those who raise complaints. As an organisation, we will learn from complaints, and encourage the individuals involved to do the same.

6. We will raise awareness of our equality duties specifically regarding protected characteristics and our wider commitment to equality and inclusion; ensuring that all employees are aware of their responsibilities and the behaviours we expect.

Our ongoing commitment is to ensure the implementation of this plan and to review its success at regular intervals