Diversity and Inclusion Policy
Effective Date: May 2023
ASPA - Association of Self-Published Authors is a platform dedicated to providing tools, resources, and services for self-published authors. We are a community that thrives on mutual support and encouragement, helping authors pursue their writing aspirations and goals. We firmly believe that diversity and inclusion are fundamental to our success, driving innovation, enriching creativity, and broadening our collective perspectives and experiences.
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Purpose
Our diversity and inclusion policy aims to:
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- Promote equality, fairness, and respect for all members, staff, partners, and visitors on our platform.
- Prohibit all forms of unlawful discrimination based on the protected characteristics outlined in the Equality Act 2010.
- Ensure equal access to membership plans, tools, resources, services, events, opportunities, and recognition.
- Cultivate an inclusive culture where every individual feels valued, embraced, and empowered to contribute their unique talents and viewpoints.
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Commitments
We commit to:
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- Actively encourage and celebrate diversity and inclusion, recognizing them as essential principles for a thriving community.
- Maintain a platform environment that is free from bullying, harassment, victimization, and unlawful discrimination, upholding dignity and respect for all members.
- Provide comprehensive training and guidance to our staff on matters of diversity and inclusion, promoting best practices.
- Regularly monitor and review our diversity and inclusion performance and progress, striving for continuous improvement.
- Seek input from our members, staff, partners, and visitors on how we can enhance our diversity and inclusion practices.
- Take all complaints of bullying, harassment, victimization, and unlawful discrimination seriously. Such incidents will be treated as misconduct under our code of conduct or disciplinary procedures, and appropriate action will be taken.
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We hope that you find this policy informative and valuable. If you have any questions or suggestions on how we can further enhance our diversity and inclusion practices, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Thank you for being an integral part of our community!