Ethos, Values & Policies

Below are Deciding Matters values and policies on Gender Equality, Safeguarding, Climate and Fair Work

Gender Equality Plan

This gender equality plan outlines Deciding Matters ongoing commitment to fostering gender equality, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of our operations. As a women-led organisation, we recognise the importance of maintaining and modelling an inclusive, respectful and supportive working environment for all including freelancers and collaborators.

Organisation profile

Leadership: two female directors

Staffing: no permanent employees; we work with associates as needed.

Sector: Deliberative and Participative Democracy/Citizen engagement

Size: Micro enterprise (fewer than 10 employees)

Objectives

Maintain a culture of respect, inclusion and non-discrimination.
Ensure equal opportunities for all freelancers and collaborators.
Promote gender-sensitive language and inclusive practices.
Encourage fair and transparent decision-making, recruitment and pay.
Periodically assess practices for unconscious bias and gender imbalance.

Key Action Areas

Work Environment and Culture

Lead by example in promoting gender equality and respectful collaboration.

Encourage open communication about diversity, gender and inclusion (we discuss and fully accept individual ways of working e.g., flexible hours, taking days off when needed, different individual needs as long as the work gets completed).

Zero tolerance for discrimination, harrassment or bias of any kind.

Recruitment and Freelance Engagement

Use gender neutral language in freelance call-outs or job postings e.g. seeking facilitators

Offer equal consideration to all applicants regardless of gender identity.

On occasion, a specific project may request staff and contractors of a particular gender to ensure participants feel safe and supported. Where this is the case, this will be clearly communicated as well as the project specific reasoning.

Assess talent based on skills, experience and suitability – not personal characteristics.

Pay and Remuneration

Commit to equal pay for equal work.

Ensure transparent fee structures for associates or freelancers.

Review pay rates periodically to ensure fairness and market alignment.

Work-life Balance and Flexibility

Respect all staff availability and boundaries.

Encourage flexibility in work arrangements.

Avoid scheduling practices that disproportionately affect caregivers or parents.

Monitoring and Accountability

Reflect regularly (annually) on whether practices support gender equality.

Discuss as directors any issues or improvements to be made.

Maintain basic records (e.g., gender balance of associates engaged over the year) to inform decisions.

Communication and Training

Share this Gender Equality Plan as well as Safeguarding Policy and Fair Work First with all new associates as part of onboarding.

Promote awareness of gender equality among all collaborators.

Seek external training or resources on unconscious bias and inclusive leadership.

Review and Update

This Gender Equality Plan is written and updated by Annie Cook and reviewed annually by both the directors to ensure it remains relevant, achievable and aligned with evolving practices and needs.

Next review date: 7th October 2026

Statement of Commitment

We, the directors recognise the importance of supporting gender equity and equality not only internally but in our work processes. This gender equality plan represents a living commitment and may evolve as the business grows or changes.

Last reviewed and updated: October 2025

Safeguarding Policy Statement

The purpose and scope of this policy statement

Deciding Matters takes its responsibility seriously to keep children, young people and adults at risk safe from harm seriously. Deciding Matters team must at all times show respect and understanding for the rights of children, young people and adults, their safety and welfare, and conduct themselves in a way that reflects this. Deciding Matters will always support anyone (children, young people, adults and Deciding Matters team members) who raise any concerns regarding the welfare or protection of children, young people or vulnerable adults. All concerns raised will be taken seriously.

The purpose of this policy statement is:

To protect and keep children, young people and adults who participate in Deciding Matters initiatives and/or activities safe from harm.

To provide the Deciding Matters team, as well as children, young people and adults that participate in our work with the key principles that guide our approach to safeguarding and child protection.

Who this policy is for:

This policy applies to anyone working on behalf of Deciding Matters, including senior managers, paid staff (full and part-time), voluntary staff, contractual (associate) staff, students, interns and our board of directors – herein referred to as the umbrella term “Deciding Matters team”. Deciding Matters staff refers to paid Deciding Matters employees only.

We believe that:

We believe that safeguarding and protecting the welfare of all the people we work with is the responsibility of everyone at Deciding Matters. We all have the responsibility for the protection of children, young people and adults who come into contact with the organisation through our work and adhere to a zero-tolerance approach towards harm, including abuse, exploitation and neglect of any children and adults at risk. Everyone at Deciding Matters are responsible for putting this policy into practice at all times. We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children, young people and adults, to keep them safe and to practise in a way that protects them.

We recognise that:

The welfare of children, young people and adults are paramount in all the work we do and in all the decisions we take. All people, regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation have an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse.

Some people are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues. Our approach to safeguarding is intersectional: this helps us to better understand how people experience overlapping – or intersecting – forms of oppression, discrimination and marginalisation based on different aspects of their identity.

Working in partnership with children, young people, adults, parents and carers, partner agencies and services is essential in promoting welfare of everyone who participates in Deciding Matters initiatives.

We will seek to keep children, young people and vulnerable adults we work with safe by:

Valuing, listening to and respecting them, taking into account their interests, needs and wellbeing in our work and activities

Respecting the rights, wishes and feelings of the children, young people and vulnerable adults with whom we work

Appointing two designated safeguarding officers for children, young people and adults at risk

Adopting child protection and safeguarding best practice through our policies, procedures and code of conduct for Deciding Matters staff, associates, interns and volunteers

Developing and implementing effective online safety guidance and related procedures

Assessing all risk carefully and taking all necessary steps to minimise and manage risks. Our risks are regularly reviewed and reported on through the Programme Board management structure and our strategic risk register.

Letting any children, young people, vulnerable adults, or those who care for them know how to voice concerns or complaints about our practice – ensuring that we are transparent in our decision making and act with respect, honesty and fairness at all time.

Ensuring that the Deciding Matters team are fairly selected, trained and supervised through our recruitment, induction, probation and on-going line management processes and ongoing support, training and quality assurance measures are put in place so that all of the Deciding Matters team know about and follow our policies, procedures and behaviour codes confidently and competently.

Recruiting and selecting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made

Recording, storing and using information professionally and securely, in line with GDPR data protection legislation and guidance.

Using our procedures to manage any allegations against staff, associates and volunteers appropriately.

Creating and maintaining an anti-bullying environment and ensuring that we have a procedure to help us deal effectively with any bullying that does arise.

Ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place.

Ensuring that we provide a safe physical and online environment for our children, young people, adults and staff by applying health and safety measures in accordance with the law and regulatory guidance.

Building a safeguarding culture where staff, children, young people and adults who participate in our initiatives, treat each other with respect and are comfortable about sharing concerns.

Last reviewed and updated: October 2025

Climate Sustainability Statement

Purpose

This document details how the Deciding Matters team works in an environmentally conscientious way, and the ongoing measures to reduce our carbon impact.

Principles

We take guidance and best practice principles from a range of recognised sources, including the following policies and publications: Scottish Government’s Climate Change Policy, Making Things Last: a circular economy strategy for Scotland, Home Energy Scotland’s home working energy support, Growing Climate Confidence.

We are basing our sustainability on the following principles:

To comply with all applicable legislation and codes of practice relevant to our activities.

To ensure that all staff and Associates are familiar with the policy and encourage them to implement and improve on.

To minimise the impact on the environment by our activities and to carry out all activities in as sustainable way as possible.

To make our clients, suppliers and end users aware of our policy and to explain our reasons for implementing it.

To review our sustainability policy on a regular basis and continually try to improve it.

Sustainability in Practice

Deciding Matters is a small organisation with a minimal carbon impact, with intentions to be fully net zero by 2045 in line with Scottish Government’s ambitious targets. We work remotely, limiting travel as much as possible, and utilise online resources rather than physical where appropriate.

We engage with tools such as Business Energy Scotland’s carbon footprint calculator to monitor our carbon footprint and reduce our impact where possible, and follow current advice from Net Zero Nation on green business practices.

Working Practices

Deciding Matters staff and Associates are fully remote, with the exception of event delivery. Staff are encouraged to utilise guidance such as Zero Waste Scotland’s ‘At Home’ to lower their carbon impact at home, and reduce living costs.

Deciding Matters does not store physical resources, with all work stored and managed via cloud services. In the few instances where physical resources are required, Deciding Matters recommends the use of recycled paper, and recycling any waste.

Travel

We aim to reduce the use of fossil fuels in traveling, and in particular we are committed to:

Using public transportation wherever possible

Limiting unnecessary journeys by utilising online platforms for connecting with colleagues and partners

No domestic flights

Encourage participants to travel using public transport by providing travel expenses where possible

Use of venues on public transport routes

Delivery

In order to reduce the impact on the environment from waste, we aim to reduce our waste to a minimum by:

Minimising the need for printed materials for workshops and events by utilising technology (with any required physical materials to be shared amongst participants to reduce printing)

Sharing any readings as an electronic copy in advance

Only order food for the number of confirmed attendees to reduce food waste

Partnership Working

We aim to collaborate with partners whose aims and values align with our own. We do this by:

Using local businesses where possible (e.g. local catering companies for events)

Ensuring partners have appropriate climate and sustainability policies in place

Future Commitment

We commit to reviewing and updating this policy as necessary on a yearly basis.

Last reviewed and updated: August 2025

Fair Work First Statement

Purpose

Deciding Matters is a micro-organisations with two directors as the only employees. Deciding Matters does not have a formal employee voice forum, but does have a thorough and robust partnership agreement to ensure both voices are heard.

Effective Voice

Deciding Matters is a limited company employing two Directors. We are the only employees, as well as stakeholders. The company is built upon foundations of respect and equity, with all decisions being made in partnership. As co-directors we engage in open dialogue and mutual decision-making. We regularly reflect on and review practices, seeking feedback from each other to ensure continuous improvement.

Opportunity and Inclusive Growth

We are committed to creating an inclusive working environment that actively opposes discrimination. Any contractors or collaborators we work with are expected to share our values around fairness and inclusion. We support women in leadership and champion equality through our business model and practices.

No inappropriate use of zero-hours contracts

We do not do zero-hour contracts. Any freelance or short-term engagements are clearly defined, fairly contracted, and mutually agreed.

Real Living Wage, Pay and Conditions

Deciding Matters employees are paid a wage above the real living wage and work flexible hours. We do not make use of zero hours contracts or unpaid roles. Deciding Matters utilises time-tracking software to monitor staff hours, and the directors are paid through a combination of monthly salary and dividends, overseen by an external accountant. We commit to fair and transparent pay practices. We aim to meet or exceed the Real Living Wage. We ensure that working conditions are healthy, safe, and conductive to productivity and wellbeing.

Continuous Learning and Development

We encourage ongoing personal and professional development. Time and resources are allocated to training, reflection, and skill-building, ensuring both directors continue to grow as leaders.

Support for Employee Wellbeing

We prioritise mental health wellbeing, building a supportive and compassionate workplace culture. We monitor workloads, respect boundaries and promote self-care practices.

Last reviewed and updated: October 2025