Customer Behaviour Policy

The Crofting Commission takes the safety and wellbeing of its staff very seriously and operates a zero-tolerance policy towards abusive behaviours. Our staff are always happy to help , however the Commission will not accept behaviours being demonstrated against any employee which are considered abusive or threatening, and we ask that all our staff are treated in a courteous and respectful manner at all times.

Abusive behaviour includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Being verbally abusive or threatening towards staff, including swearing and personal insults

• Being verbally abusive or threatening towards any third party, including those not employed by the Commission

• Making comments on any topics relating to sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, age, gender or any other protected characteristic

• Any threat or reference to violence or a violent act

• Any behaviour intended or designed to make any member of Commission staff feel uncomfortable or unsafe

• Any language that can be considered racist, sexist, or discriminatory against any individual or group of individuals

Our expectations when interacting with any Commission member of staff are that you are:

• Polite
• Treat all Commission staff with respect
• Be aware that the person you are speaking with is here to help you wherever possible, not to be abused

Any incident of abusive or threatening behaviour will lead to your conversation with us being terminated, whether in person or via a digital channel which includes phone calls, and may result in the incident being reported to the authorities. Severe or repeated incidents of abusive behaviour may lead to restrictions on how you will be able to communicate with Commission staff in the future.

Our full policy can be viewed here: https://www.crofting.scotland.gov.uk/userfiles/file/openness/cc-behaviours-policy-feb-2023.pdf