Mutual Respect Charter

How the Soil Association expects everyone we work with to treat each other with dignity, respect and fairness.

At Soil Association, we ask that everyone is treated with respect and kindness in the course of our work and interactions with others.

Mutual respect is based on the principle of understanding that we may not all have the same beliefs and values, but we still respect and appreciate each other for our differences and support a safe and respectful working environment. This charter outlines the rights and responsibilities of the teams across Soil Association and its programmes, and external stakeholders, in all their professional interactions. Our values and this Mutual Respect Charter apply to all types of interaction, including face to face meetings, events, and online meetings, as well as email and other digital forms of communication.

Soil Association values are embedded into our day to day working and encompass the behaviours Soil Association team works to uphold.

Our values are:

  • grounded – building trust from our practical, evidence-based approach
  • inclusive – through exploring differences and welcoming them, we promote justice and respect
  • nourishing – good things emerge from our approach, people and systems grow

Soil Association believes that everyone has the right to:

  • be treated with courtesy, politeness and respect
  • a safe and healthy working environment
  • expect honesty, reasonableness and cooperation from all working partners and colleagues
  • recognise that people will not always share the same points of view
  • express their opinions in ways that are respectful and lawful, and to have those views treated with respect

In the event of unacceptable behaviours or actions that are not in line with the Mutual Respect Charter, the rights that are detailed above or Soil Association values, employees and external stakeholders are encouraged to speak to their line manager, the People Team or their Soil Association contact respectively. We will not tolerate disruptive, offensive or abusive behaviour.

If an external partner, client or stakeholder demonstrates aggressive or disrespectful behaviours, the working relationship may be discontinued or temporarily paused.