Are we ethical employers?
A significant number of local and area meetings are now employing staff to support Quaker communities in managing their admin, premises, accounts and building hire.
This comes with a responsibility to ensure our employment practices are ethical and not only meet the requirements of the law, but also meet the expectations of our Quaker testimonies.
With this in mind, Quaker Life's Meeting House Matters team have organised a day-long event in Darlington on June 9, to address our approaches to employing others. Are we, as modelled by the Quaker industrialists of the past, practising a spirit-led approach? Are we ensuring dignity in the workplace, a living wage, and compassion and practical care for staff welfare and wellbeing?
Some excellent work has been done in this area by Lancashire Central and North Area Meeting. In 2021, a concern arose about whether, or how, Quaker organisations, of all types and sizes, integrate the spiritual insights of our tradition into our practice as employers. It was felt that merely following 'the law' or, indeed, what secular organisations identify as 'best practice', didn't necessarily guarantee that the result was in line with our testimony.
A working group was formed to explore what Friends felt would constitute spirit-led, ethical employment practice and to use the responses to produce a practical resource.
After much discernment and support from Friends with extensive experience as employers and employees across multiple contexts they produced guidance that can help us reflect on whether we could be better employers.
You can read LCN AM's document HERE
“I'm delighted that at the event in June we'll be joined by one of the team from the Lancashire Central and North working group to talk with us about this important work," explained Ollie Waterhouse, Quaker Life Team Leader for Governance. “We'll consider what is needed to be an ethical employer and what is it that makes a Quaker employer stand out as an exceptional employer.
“The day will be an important learning opportunity for anyone involved in the employment of others including Trustees and role-holders, Quaker employees and volunteers and for those who manage them and are responsible for Quaker properties, businesses and people. We want to reach everyone whether they are responsible for employing one person part-time or a whole team of people who specialise in conference facilities and catering.
“This is a really important issue and we hope there will be representatives from every area meeting. We'd also encourage all employers to support their workers or staff representatives to attend."
There is a fee of £25 per participant to cover the costs of facilitating the day and includes light refreshments and something to snack on. Please bring a packed lunch. Darlington Meeting House is in a central position with shops nearby.
If you would like to attend on June 9, please register HERE
Quaker Life offers Meeting House Matters as the key place for learning and support for employees who work, some of whom also live, on site at Quaker Meeting Houses. It is also the best Quaker learning opportunity for Friends in supervisory and decision-making roles on employment or property such as trustees and premises committee members. For more information email supportmeetings@quaker.org.uk.