DEI
Policy

Version 1.0 · Effective October 2026 · England & Wales

1.Our commitment

The Speech Coach Limited (“The Speech Coach”, “we”, “us”) coaches people from every background, profession, nationality and stage of life. Communication belongs to everyone. This policy sets out how we uphold equality, diversity and inclusion in how we coach, how we work with clients and organisations, and how we choose the people and suppliers we work with.

It applies to everyone who delivers services on our behalf, including the Director, associate coaches and contractors, and to every engagement, whether online, in person or on site.

2.Legal framework

We comply with the Equality Act 2010 and do not discriminate, harass or victimise anyone because of a protected characteristic: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

Where we work with clients or organisations outside the United Kingdom, we apply the same standards, and we respect any additional equality obligations that apply to them locally.

3.How we coach

• Your voice is yours. Our coaching develops clarity, confidence and presence. It never treats any accent, dialect, language background or way of speaking as inferior. Accent coaching is offered only where a client asks for it, and the aim is clarity and choice, not erasing identity.
• No single right way to speak. We coach to the individual, to the context and to the audience, and we respect cultural differences in communication style.
• Respect in every session. Every client is treated with dignity and courtesy, and every session is a space where people can speak openly without judgement.
• Children and young people. Coaching for young people is delivered under our safeguarding arrangements, and all coaches hold a clear and current Enhanced DBS certificate.

4.Accessibility and reasonable adjustments

We make reasonable adjustments so that disabled clients, neurodivergent clients and clients who stammer can take full part in coaching. Adjustments may include longer or shorter sessions, more frequent breaks, written summaries, captioning on video calls, a quieter or more accessible venue for in-person sessions, or adapting materials and pace.

Tell us what would help, before or at any point during an engagement, by emailing info@thespeech.coach. You do not need to give a diagnosis or a reason, and anything you share is treated in confidence under our Privacy Policy.

5.Working with organisations

When we coach teams, boards and groups, we design programmes so that every participant can contribute, whatever their seniority, first language or communication style. We are happy to align our delivery with a client organisation’s own equality, diversity and inclusion policies, and to complete supplier diversity and inclusion questionnaires on request.

6.Associates, contractors and suppliers

We select associate coaches, contractors and suppliers on merit, competence and fit for the work, and expect them to uphold the standards in this policy. Anyone delivering services on our behalf is expected to treat clients and colleagues fairly and respectfully, and to raise any concern about discrimination or inappropriate behaviour.

7.Unacceptable behaviour

We do not tolerate discrimination, harassment, bullying or abusive behaviour by anyone, including by clients towards our coaches. Our Terms & Conditions allow us to end a session or engagement where a client behaves in a discriminatory, abusive or threatening way.

8.Raising a concern

If you feel you have been treated unfairly, or you have a concern about anything in this policy, please email info@thespeech.coach with “Inclusion” in the subject line. We will acknowledge your concern within five working days, look into it fairly and in confidence, and tell you what we have done. Raising a concern in good faith will never affect how you are treated.

9.Responsibility and review

The Director of The Speech Coach Limited is responsible for this policy and for making sure it is followed. We review it at least once a year, and sooner if the law or the way we work changes.