Last updated: May 2026
At the RHS, we are committed to ensuring our colleagues (including volunteers) feel safe, respected, and supported at all times. We do not tolerate any form of unacceptable behaviour towards colleagues.
Whether you are a visitor, member, or partner, you are expected to treat RHS colleagues with kindness, dignity, and respect. By doing so, you help us maintain a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for those who work with us.
We do not tolerate bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, victimisation, or any other inappropriate behaviour towards our colleagues.
What is harassment?
Harassment is any unwanted physical, verbal, or non-verbal conduct that has the purpose or effect of violating someone’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment. A single incident can constitute harassment.
What is bullying?
Bullying is offensive, intimidating, malicious, or insulting behaviour involving a misuse of power that may make a person feel vulnerable, upset, humiliated, undermined, or threatened.
We expect everyone who interacts with the RHS – whether in person, online, by phone, or in writing – to behave in a polite and respectful manner towards our colleagues. This expectation applies across all RHS settings, including our gardens, shows, events, workplaces, and any other environments where our colleagues are present.
RHS approach to managing unacceptable behaviour
Where behaviour is inappropriate, we will take reasonable and proportionate action, which may include:
- Explaining expected standards (as set out in this statement) and asking for the behaviour to change
- Ending the interaction if the behaviour does not improve
- Warning that continued behaviour may result in restricted contact (e.g. limiting emails or calls) and that we may no longer respond
- Asking an individual to leave RHS premises where the behaviour occurs in person
- Restricting access to RHS sites, events, or services, or taking other appropriate steps to protect colleagues
- Reporting serious incidents to the police or pursuing legal action where necessary
- Ensuring that colleagues promptly report incidents to their line manager where they feel uncomfortable
RHS colleagues should not have to tolerate unreasonable or harassing behaviour and have the right to be treated with respect at all times.
For further details please contact us on [email protected].
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