VRS prohibits both direct and indirect discrimination.

Direct discrimination occurs when an individual is treated less favourably because of a protected characteristic.

Indirect discrimination may occur where policies, practices, procedures, requirements, expectations, criteria, or decision-making processes appear neutral but have the effect of disadvantaging individuals with protected characteristics without legitimate justification.

Individuals making decisions on behalf of VRS should consider whether their actions, assumptions, language, requirements, or expectations may unintentionally create barriers or disadvantage certain groups.

VRS encourages objective, evidence-based decision-making and seeks to reduce the influence of stereotypes, assumptions, unconscious bias, or personal preferences that may contribute to unfair outcomes.

Harassment is not tolerated under any circumstances.

Harassment may involve unwanted behaviour, comments, actions, communications, gestures, materials, conduct, or interactions that violate an individual's dignity or create an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, offensive, or unsafe environment.

Harassment can occur through verbal communications, written communications, electronic communications, social media interactions, video conferencing platforms, messaging applications, visual materials, workplace interactions, customer interactions, candidate interactions, or any other form of communication.

Harassment does not need to be intentional to be unacceptable. The impact of behaviour on the affected individual will be considered alongside the circumstances in which the conduct occurred.

Individuals are expected to exercise good judgement and consider how their behaviour may affect others.

VRS maintains a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment may include unwanted sexual advances, inappropriate comments, suggestive messages, sexual jokes, requests for sexual favours, inappropriate images, offensive material, unwanted physical contact, repeated invitations after refusal, sexually explicit communications, or any conduct of a sexual nature that creates discomfort or an offensive environment.

Sexual harassment can occur between individuals of any gender and may occur in person, remotely, through technology platforms, or through social media and digital communications.

Individuals must maintain professional boundaries at all times and avoid behaviour that could reasonably be interpreted as inappropriate, unwelcome, coercive, intimidating, or offensive.

Bullying, intimidation, victimisation, coercion, threats, humiliation, aggressive conduct, exclusionary behaviour, and similar conduct are inconsistent with VRS values.

Bullying may involve repeated unreasonable behaviour that creates risks to wellbeing, confidence, dignity, professional relationships, or performance.

Examples may include aggressive communications, public humiliation, deliberate exclusion, persistent unreasonable criticism, intimidation, threats, excessive monitoring, or deliberately setting unreasonable expectations designed to cause failure.

Victimisation may occur where an individual is treated adversely because they raised a concern, made a complaint, participated in an investigation, supported another individual, or exercised rights under this Policy. Such conduct will not be tolerated.

As a business operating within the recruitment industry, VRS recognises the importance of fair, objective, and inclusive recruitment-related practices.

Candidate sourcing, talent mapping, screening activities, shortlisting support, interview coordination, candidate engagement, recruitment administration, and related activities should be conducted in a manner that promotes fairness and equal opportunity.

Candidates should be assessed against legitimate role requirements, qualifications, experience, skills, capability, and suitability rather than assumptions, stereotypes, personal characteristics, or irrelevant factors.

VRS encourages structured assessment approaches, objective evaluation criteria, consistent processes, and evidence-based decision-making designed to minimise bias and support fair outcomes.

VRS also recognises that customers may have specific requirements relating to roles, industries, locations, qualifications, licensing requirements, language requirements, or legal obligations. Such requirements should be assessed carefully to ensure they are legitimate, relevant, and non-discriminatory.

Where concerns arise regarding potentially discriminatory requests, practices, or requirements, VRS reserves the right to seek clarification, propose alternative approaches, decline participation in certain activities, or take other appropriate action.

VRS may provide training, educational resources, awareness initiatives, guidance materials, and professional development activities designed to support equal opportunity, diversity, inclusion, respectful conduct, anti-discrimination principles, and ethical business practices.

These activities are intended to support continuous improvement and reinforce the standards expected under this Policy.

VRS encourages ongoing learning and awareness regarding diversity, inclusion, unconscious bias, respectful communication, and professional conduct.

Individuals are encouraged to raise concerns relating to discrimination, harassment, bullying, victimisation, retaliation, exclusionary behaviour, or other conduct that may breach this Policy.

Concerns should be raised as soon as reasonably practicable to enable appropriate review and resolution.

VRS recognises that raising concerns may sometimes be difficult and seeks to create an environment where individuals feel comfortable speaking up without fear of unfair treatment.

Reports made in good faith will be treated seriously and handled appropriately.

Where concerns are reported, VRS may review, assess, investigate, and seek to resolve the matter in a manner considered appropriate to the circumstances.

Investigations may involve reviewing relevant information, obtaining statements, gathering evidence, assessing risks, consulting relevant parties, and considering applicable legal, contractual, operational, and ethical obligations.

VRS seeks to approach investigations fairly, objectively, proportionately, and confidentially wherever reasonably possible.

Outcomes may include mediation, corrective action, additional training, behavioural expectations, process improvements, restrictions, contractual action, or other measures considered appropriate.

VRS does not tolerate retaliation against any individual who raises a concern, participates in an investigation, provides information, supports another individual, or exercises rights under this Policy in good faith.

Retaliation can undermine trust, discourage reporting, and create additional harm.

Any attempt to retaliate against an individual for engaging in a legitimate complaint, reporting, or investigation process may itself constitute a serious breach of this Policy and may result in corrective action.

Failure to comply with this Policy may result in corrective action, additional training requirements, removal from particular activities, access restrictions, contractual consequences, suspension of participation in activities, termination of arrangements, reporting to customers, reporting to authorities where appropriate, legal action, or other measures considered necessary in the circumstances.

The response to any breach will depend upon the seriousness, impact, frequency, intent, and surrounding circumstances of the conduct involved.

VRS reserves the right to determine appropriate actions on a case-by-case basis.

This Policy may be reviewed, updated, amended, replaced, or supplemented periodically to reflect changes in legal requirements, industry standards, customer expectations, operational practices, diversity and inclusion developments, or governance requirements.

Questions, concerns, complaints, or enquiries relating to this Policy may be directed to:

Virtual Recruitment Solutions 

• Email: legal@virtualrecruitment.solutions

• Website: virtualrecruitment.solutions

VRS remains committed to promoting fairness, inclusion, professionalism, dignity, equal opportunity, respectful treatment, and ethical business practices throughout all aspects of its operations and relationships.