Pollen Street Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Policy

At Pollen Street Capital (“PSC”), promoting and improving diversity and inclusion is one of our key impact objectives – linked to our wider ESG programme. We are focused on helping our people feel a sense of belonging and strive to create an organisation and portfolio that embraces and has a responsibility to foster a diverse and inclusive environment. We know that greater inclusion and diversity is a differentiator; It accelerates growth and innovation, which in turn helps us better serve the communities in which we work, our people, our investors, and our portfolio companies.

PSC is committed to the elimination of unlawful and unfair discrimination and values the differences that a diverse workforce brings to the Company and to developing a fair working culture that enables all employees to make their distinctive contributions to the Company.

We believe that no employee or job applicant should receive less favourable treatment on racial grounds or on the grounds of sex, religion, pregnancy or maternity, disability, marital status, age, sexual orientation, or transsexual status or be disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable.

We believe that all eligible people should have equal opportunity for employment and advancement on the basis of their ability, qualifications, and fitness for work.

PSC is committed to encouraging the recruitment, development, and retention of people with disabilities. Specifically, the Company commits to:

  • Interview all (internal or external) applicants with a disability who meet the criteria for an advertised job vacancy
  • Make every effort when employees become disabled to enable them to stay in employment. If you become disabled while working for PSC, you are encouraged to notify the Company and every effort will be made to ensure your continued employment. If appropriate, the Company will arrange suitable training and rehabilitation and will make any reasonable adjustments
  • Take action to ensure that key employees (e.g., senior managers, managers who are hiring) develop an awareness of disability, so that our commitments can work

We encourage all our employees to:

  • Welcome diversity and respect each person’s individuality
  • Promote and advance this policy. Behaviour, actions, or words that transgress the policy will not be tolerated and will be dealt with in line with our Disciplinary Procedure
  • Treat all job applicants, fellow employees, and all people they interact with in the course of their work, fairly and impartially
  • Refrain from all forms of discriminatory harassment, including derogatory remarks at work (words or actions which are of a discriminatory nature will be treated as harassment if they have an adverse effect on working relationships, working efficiency or the general working environment)
  • Co-operate in any measures introduced by the Company designed to ensure equal opportunity and non-discrimination. They should also draw the attention of their line manager to suspected discriminatory acts or practices
  • Co-operate in any measures introduced by the Company designed to ensure equal opportunity and non-discrimination.
  • Promote initiatives that support diversity and inclusion

PSC is an active supporter of organisations who are working to promote diversity and inclusion and we are working tirelessly to level the playing field and accelerate progress across our industry as a whole.

All employees must be aware of and adhere to this policy and will be liable to disciplinary action if they fail to comply with its provisions or related policies and procedures. Unwarranted allegations that are not made in good faith may also be considered as a disciplinary matter.

Our Grievance Procedure and Whistleblowing Policy is available to all Group employees. Any employee who believes that they may have been unfairly discriminated against or who wishes to report discrimination in the workplace is encouraged to refer to the Grievance Procedure and Whistleblowing Policy to identify the appropriate way to report their concern.