Organisational objectives and commitments
Our aim is to carry out business in a way that minimises our negative impact on the social and physical environment. We also aim to maximise the positive impact we have on the social and physical environment through our work and our adherence to this policy.
We commit to follow this policy in all our business activities, and ensure that the policy is kept current by reviewing it every two years.
We commit to view our business operations not only in terms of financial gain for the company, but also in the positive impact on our staff, suppliers and customers, whether that impact can be measured in purely business terms or not.
Scope
It is our expectation that all our staff and contractors will adhere to this policy at all times and in all their dealings with the company, its clients and its suppliers.
We invite our suppliers to consider our policy when they agree to provide services to us. We also ask that suppliers have given consideration to their own environmental impact and set out their intentions in a similar policy.
We invite our clients to read and understand our commitment to sustainability. Our objective is to work with clients who share our sustainability values.
Financial
We will minimise debt and other financial liabilities and only enter into loan agreements where they are (i) sustainable over a period of at least four years, and (ii) essential for the maintenance or growth of the business.
We will run the business in an efficient manner and implement systems that capture the knowledge and skills in the business to ensure that it is not reliant on any single individual.
We will minimise our operating costs wherever possible, making use of virtual technologies to reduce our reliance on paid office space.
We will facilitate our staff to “work from anywhere” in order to reduce the financial burden on them of travel and to reduce the costs of physical travel borne by the business.
We will spend our money in a way that supports and encourages other sustainable businesses, helping to create a wider sustainable economy.
Environmental
We will operate a virtual office wherever possible, using cloud technology to facilitate digital collaboration and reduce the need to travel to physical spaces.
We offer discounted rates to businesses based within 10 miles of our offices to encourage a “buy local” policy and reduce the travel miles in supplying services or delivering physical products.
We only buy products when we need them; we buy second hand where feasible; and we refurbish and resell our old equipment to extend its lifespan.
We operate a “turn-off” policy for all our electronic equipment when not in use and we use low energy appliances wherever available.
We aim to implement a no-fly policy and we are exploring ways to minimise our face-to-face contact time with our European clients and reduce our flying footprint.
Where we produce a physical product - primarily printed materials - we use third party suppliers with a strong sustainability commitment. We also try to use printers based close to our clients to minimise the delivery miles for materials.
Where we produce printed materials, we reduce waste by printing only what is necessary for the clients’ specific needs. We also work with clients to ensure that any waste materials are recycled through appropriate channels.
We do not do business with organisations whose activities directly cause damage to the natural world.
Social
We comply with all relevant duties covering modern slavery, employment and equality of opportunity laws in the territories in which we work.
We believe that our team makes our business. We create an environment in which our team members can thrive, can realise their potential and can express themselves as individuals.
We aim to make work part of our team members’ lives, not the other way round. We encourage flexible working and operate a “work from anywhere” policy, helping team members build a healthy work-life balance.
While work can be inherently stressful, we believe that stress should be the exception not the norm. We use project and risk management strategies to manage our workload in an efficient and time sensitive manner and reduce the stress impact on our team members.
Our working environment is calm and respectful, and one in which team members are encouraged, nurtured and supported.
We prioritise clients that have a strong sense of social purpose, working extensively with local and national government, the NHS, charities and the voluntary sector.
We build respectful, professional relationships with our clients, whoever they are, and support them in delivering their business and organisational objectives.
We use local suppliers where possible to reduce our carbon footprint and stimulate the local economy.
We try to create opportunities for young talented individuals with strong ethics and help them to develop their careers by getting them involved in our work and helping to promote them.
We refuse to work with organisations involved with ethically dubious activities such as weapons systems, tobacco, alcohol, junk food, gambling, nuclear power, petrochemicals, oil and gas exploration, and animal testing.
