Gender Equality Policy

1. Purpose

This policy sets out how we treat people fairly, whatever their sex or gender. It covers hiring, pay, leave, progression and how we work together. It also explains how to raise a concern and what we do next.

2. Scope

This policy applies to Unolabs Limited and to our group company in India, Unolabs Technologies Private Limited. It covers:

• employees, at every level;
• job applicants;
• interns and trainees;
• contractors and consultants while they work with us.

Where UK and Indian law differ, each entity follows its own law. Where this policy gives more than the law, the policy applies.

3. Legal framework

United Kingdom (Unolabs Limited)

• Equality Act 2010. It protects sex, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, and marriage and civil partnership. It also requires equal pay for equal work.
• Equality Act 2010, s.40A, added by the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023. Since 26 October 2024, employers must take steps to prevent sexual harassment of their workers.
• Maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave rules, including the Shared Parental Leave Regulations 2014.
• The right to request flexible working from the first day of employment, in force since 6 April 2024.

India (Unolabs Technologies Private Limited)

• Indian equal pay law, set out in the Code on Wages 2019. It bars discrimination on the ground of gender in pay and recruitment for the same or similar work.
• Indian maternity benefit law, set out in the Maternity Benefit Act 1961, as amended in 2017, and in the Code on Social Security 2020.
• Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013 (the POSH Act).
• Articles 14 to 16 of the Constitution of India set out equality before the law and equal opportunity in public employment. They inform this policy.

4. Roles and responsibilities

• Director (owner). Owns this policy, decides on concerns raised under it in the UK and reviews it each year.
• Directors of each entity. Make sure their entity follows this policy and its own law.
• Managers. Apply this policy in hiring, pay, leave and day-to-day work. They pass on any concern they receive the same working day.
• Internal Committee (India). Our Internal Committee under the POSH Act receives and decides complaints of sexual harassment at Unolabs Technologies Private Limited.
• Everyone. Treats colleagues with respect and speaks up about behaviour that breaks this policy.

5. Our commitments and controls

5.1 Fair hiring

In both entities, we interview every candidate for a role against the same criteria. Decisions rest on demonstrated skills, not background. We never ask about marriage, pregnancy or plans for a family. We offer reasonable adjustments at every stage of recruitment.

5.2 Equal pay

We pay people equally for equal work, whatever their sex or gender. This is a legal duty in both countries. We set pay by the role's needs and the person's skills and experience. Sex plays no part.

By 31 March 2027, we will complete our first equal pay review across both entities. We will act on any gap we cannot explain. We will not publish individual pay.

5.3 Pregnancy, maternity and family leave

We give at least the leave and pay the law provides in each country. This includes maternity, paternity, adoption and, in the UK, shared parental leave.

• Nobody is treated less favourably for being pregnant, on leave, or for asking about leave.
• In the UK, we assess workplace risks for new and expectant mothers, as the law requires.
• In India, we tell women in writing about their maternity benefits when they join, as Indian maternity benefit law requires.
• We offer keeping-in-touch contact during leave. The person chooses whether to take it up.
• After leave, people come back to the same job.

5.4 Flexible working

Anyone can ask for flexible working. In the UK, this right starts on the first day of employment. We consider every request fairly and tell the person our decision and reasons in writing.

5.5 Gender identity

We do not tolerate discrimination against anyone because of their gender identity or because they are transitioning. We use the name and pronouns a person asks us to use. We keep information about a person's transition confidential.

5.6 Preventing sexual harassment

Sexual harassment is never acceptable. This applies at work, at client sites, at work events and online. It also applies to harassment by clients or other third parties.

In the UK, we take the reasonable steps the law requires to prevent sexual harassment. They include this policy, a clear way to report, and prompt action on every report.

By 31 March 2027, we will also:

• complete a written sexual harassment risk assessment for Unolabs Limited, and review it each year;
• train all staff and managers on this policy, and repeat the training each year.

In India, our POSH Policy explains how we prevent sexual harassment and how the Internal Committee works.

5.7 Progression

We make decisions on promotion, assignments and training on skills and performance. By 31 March 2027, we will record the reasons for each promotion decision, so we can check them for fairness.

6. Raising a concern

If you think this policy has been broken, please tell us. You can raise a concern about yourself or about someone else.

• In the UK: email info@unolabs.com with the subject line "Gender equality concern". It goes to a Director, in confidence.
• Sexual harassment in India: contact our Internal Committee under the POSH Act at posh-policy@unolabs.com. Our POSH Policy gives the steps.
• Other concerns in India: email info@unolabs.com with the subject line "Gender equality concern". It goes to a Director, in confidence.

We aim to acknowledge every concern within 5 working days. We treat it in confidence and look into it fairly. We tell you the outcome.

Nobody will be treated badly for raising a concern in good faith, or for helping with an investigation. Victimisation is itself a breach of this policy.

In the UK, you can also get free, confidential advice from Acas at acas.org.uk.

7. Monitoring and review

The Director reviews this policy every 12 months. We also review it after a change in the law, or after a concern shows a gap.

From 1 April 2027, we will review each year, at entity level only:

• the outcome of the equal pay review;
• the number and type of concerns raised, and how they were resolved;
• flexible working requests received and agreed.

We will not publish any information that could identify a person.

8. Contact