Inclusive teamwork, retail fairness and speaking up

EDI applies to colleagues as well as to patients and customers. Optical practices rely on staff with different accents, ages, faiths, disabilities, caring responsibilities, migration histories, identities, health needs and working patterns.

Inclusive teamwork

• Share information fairly: ensure colleagues receive handover, updates and the training they need to do their role.
• Challenge disrespect: do not accept jokes, exclusion or repeated remarks about protected characteristics or personal background.
• Support adjustments: staff may need reasonable adjustments, pregnancy or menopause support, disability-related changes or clear, safe routes to raise concerns.
• Keep standards clear: inclusion does not mean overlooking performance problems. Feedback should be fair, respectful, evidence-based and checked for bias.
• Back colleagues facing discrimination: staff should not be expected to absorb racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist or religiously hostile behaviour alone.

Retail fairness

Retail conversations should be transparent and respectful. Staff must not assume a customer's ability to pay, pressure someone who seems unsure, conceal lower-cost options, or steer choices because of age, disability, race, accent, appearance or perceived social status.

Fairness means explaining relevant options clearly, checking priorities and allowing the customer to make an informed choice within their budget and needs.

Manager governance and serious incidents

Inclusive practice includes patients, customers and staff. Fairness should be visible in how people are served, how colleagues are treated and how concerns are handled.