Climate-change, Green environmental beliefs on a par with religion – UK court in discrimination suit

An executive sacked from a giant property company can claim he was unfairly dismissed because of his “philosophical belief in climate change”, a judge ruled yesterday. In the first case of its kind, employment judge David Sneath said Tim Nicholson, a former environmental policy officer, could invoke employment law for protection from discrimination against him for his conviction that climate change was the world’s most important environmental problem. That conviction amounted to a philosophical belief under the Employment Equality (Religion and Belief) Regulations, 2003, the judge ruled on a point of law at a pre-hearing review of an employment tribunal in London…. Grainger had good written policies both on the environment and corporate social responsibility, Mr Nicholson told the hearing but there was a “mismatch” between the policies and the way in which the firm was managed. When he tried to get it to act in a more environmentally responsible way, he said, senior company executives obstructed him….. www.independent.co.uk Now judge puts GREEN beliefs of a worker on a par with Christianity – www.dailymail.co.uk BELIEFS about climate change ruled as valid as religious convictions – In a landmark court ruling, a judge ruled that Tim Nicholson’s views on climate change should be given the same consideration by employers as “religious or philosophical beliefs”. Mr Nicholson’s successful defence of his right to challenge Grainger Plc over his treatment could “open the …