Labour standards policy

It is the company’s policy to ensure that the selection, recruitment and employment of all personnel and appointment of all labour only sub-contractors and agency workers is fully accordance with all international labour standards and is in full compliance with all applicable UK legislation. In addition, it is the company’s policy to assess external sub-contractors to ensure that, as far as is applicable, similar standards are achieved by them.

Procedures and responsibilities to ensure compliance with the policy are incorporated into the company’s quality management system and are subject to audit in accordance with that system.

The company’s policy is built around the following principles:

1. All employment contracts and sub-contract agreements are entered into on a voluntary basis. The placement of these contracts is controlled by the company quality management system.
2. All employees are assured of the company’s acknowledgement of their rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining.
3. The company’s Equality Policy, signed by the Directors, and issued to all employees and communicated to all sub-contractors and agency workers confirms the company’s policies and procedures to ensure equal opportunities for all and prohibition of abuse, harassment and bullying.
4. The company’s Anti Slavery Policy and Procedure which confirms the company’s zero-tolerance to modern slavery and commitment committed to acting in an ethical manner. The company undertakes to implement and enforce robust procedures and systems to ensure modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in the company business or within the supplier base.
5. The company’s disciplinary procedures are defined in full in the company’s procedures and policies file and are fully in accordance with UK employment legislation. (file located in the main office)
6. The company has procedures in place to ensure compliance with the Working Time Regulations and has procedures to monitor hours worked and to respond to any potentially excessive working.
7. Wages/salary levels are discussed and agreed in advance with all employees and documented in offer letters prior to any appointment. These wage levels always meet or exceed the UK minimum wage.
8. Children (defined as those under the age of 16) are not employed by the company unless this is part of a temporary work experience type activities which have been agreed with the parents/carers of the child and the education provider. Under these circumstances the health, safety and moral well being of the child is assured in accordance with the company’s health and safety policy.

This policy, and compliance with this policy, will be reviewed every twelve months as part of the annual management review in accordance with the quality management system, or more frequently on an ad hoc basis, where required by the Directors.

Current copies of the policy are available to all employees. These are stored electronically on the shared drive (s) A hard copy is also available for viewing in the offices.