Please find listed below our Group Policies, beneath each section you will have access to download the policy if you wish. Kindly note that this download will take you to our dropbox page.
- Ethical Base Policy
- Code of Labour Policy
- Group Safety, Health, Environmental & Quality (SHEQ) Policy
- Whistleblowing Policy
Should you have any questions regarding any of our Group Policies please email - [email protected]
ETHICAL BASE CODE POLICY
INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Group is committed to ensuring that its internal organisation, suppliers, contractors and other parties active within the Group's supply chain adhere to the Ethical Base Code (Code of Labour Practice) attached at Enclosure 1. The Group's commitment will be policed via the Labour Standards Assurance System (LSAS): a range of policies, procedures and practices employed to identify labour standard abuses, mitigate risks and drive continual improvement.
1.2 Many of these procedures are already embedded within our organisation and indeed our supply chain. However, it is incumbent that current practice is identified, recorded and managed with a view to continual review and improvement. This Paper details current internal & wider supply chain management procedures, and future targets for improvement.
ORGANISATION, TRAINING & AWARENESS
2.1 Board Responsibilities. Ultimate responsibility for the Group's Ethical Practice rests with the Board of Directors, with its management delegated to the Operations Director. Ethical Practice is reviewed as a specific agenda item at Board meetings, supported by an annual LSAS Status Report issued to all Directors.
2.2 Training & Awareness. All new staff are issued with an Arrival Pack when they join the company which refers then directly to the Group's Ethical Practice commitment. This Policy Paper and the Ethical Base Code are displayed in all departments. In addition, all key Buying Department staff Training & Development Plans, list Ethical Base Code Awareness as a core competency.
CURRENT SUPPLY CHAIN ASSESSMENT
3.1 Internal Position. Internally, the Group has active & long established health & safety, and training & development procedures in place and ISO 9001 (2015) accreditation. The Company is a Rated Supplier on the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS) Sustainability Index which independently audits our social, economic and environmental performance: our status was reaffirmed in June 2018. Moreover, clear disciplinary, grievance, consultation and equal opportunities procedures are laid down in our Policies & Procedures document which is issued to all staff when they commence employment, and is readily available to all staff via our internal server.
3.2 Supply Chain. The Group currently uses and maintains an LSAS file on each of its overseas suppliers. The file records current LSAS status, specifically identifying what audit procedures they have in place, copies of their last audit reports and a record of the on-going improvement action required by the Group as its moves its supply base towards eventual Level 4 LSAS compliance. An update on each overseas supplier is presented via the bi-annual LSAS Status Report to the Directors.
3.3 External Monitoring of Global Ethical Standards. The Group keep abreast of changes in International Law, standards and procedures via the Consultancy, IMPACTT and ETI. IMPACTT and ETI work closely with governments, academics & NGOs to maximise the positive impact of global trade on workers & local communities. The Group receives Newsletters from both organisations.
ONGOING IMPROVEMENT
4.1 Immediate & Intermediate Targets. The Group secured Lloyds Register Quality Assurance (LRQA) approval for LSAS Level 3 in June 2018. Continued compliance will be determined by an external audit with all subsequent Report recommendations and actions being pursued diligently. In line with NHS Supply Chain requirements we will maintain Level 3 LSAS compliance whilst working with our supply chain in making continued improvements. Further internal audits will be undertaken by the Group's contracted ISO/Health & Safety consultant. A Risk Assessment of our exposure to Labour Standard Issues is maintained and reviewed every 6 months by the Group Operations Director.
4.2 Supplier & Service Level Agreement Commitment. Ethical Practice will be an agenda item on all future meetings between buying staff and our suppliers. Upon review or initial establishment, a clear commitment to LSAS will be part of all future Service Level Agreements.
4.3 Internal Staff Training Commitment. In addition, to their initial Awareness training, Buying Department management and key staff will receive further comprehensive training on the Ethical Base Code and its administration through LSAS.
CONCLUSION
5.1 The Board of Directors has a moral and legal obligation to ensure the implementation, management and continual improvement towards the Ethical Base Code, and is subsequently committed to maintaining its LSAS status.
Download Ethical Base Code Policy.
CODE OF LABOUR PRACTICE
This document was amended 01 April 2014 with revisions to clause 6, Working hours are not excessive.
1. Employment is freely chosen
1.1 There is no forced, bonded or involuntary prison labour.
1.2 Workers are not required to lodge "deposits" or their identity papers with their employer and are free to leave their employer after reasonable notice.
2. Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are respected
2.1 Workers, without distinction, have the right to join or form trade unions of their own choosing and to bargain collectively.
2.2 The employer adopts an open attitude towards the activities of trade unions and their organisational activities.
2.3 Workers representatives are not discriminated against and have access to carry out their representative functions in the workplace.
2.4 Where the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining is restricted under law, the employer facilitates, and does not hinder, the development of parallel means for independent and free association and bargaining.
3. Working conditions are safe and hygienic
3.1 A safe and hygienic working environment shall be provided, bearing in mind the prevailing knowledge of the industry and of any specific hazards. Adequate steps shall be taken to prevent accidents and injury to health arising out of, associated with, or occurring in the course of work, by minimising, so far as is reasonably practicable, the causes of hazards inherent in the working environment.
3.2 Workers shall receive regular and recorded health and safety training, and such training shall be repeated for new or reassigned workers.
3.3 Access to clean toilet facilities and to potable water, and, if appropriate, sanitary facilities for food storage shall be provided.
3.4 Accommodation, where provided, shall be clean, safe, and meet the basic needs of the workers.
3.5 The company observing the code shall assign responsibility for health and safety to a senior management representative.
4. Child labour shall not be used
4.1 There shall be no new recruitment of child labour.
4.2 Companies shall develop or participate in and contribute to policies and programmes which provide for the transition of any child found to be performing child labour to enable her or him to attend and remain in quality education until no longer a child; "child" and "child labour" being defined in the appendices.
4.3 Children and young persons under 18 shall not be employed at night or in hazardous conditions.
4.4 These policies and procedures shall conform to the provisions of the relevant ILO standards.
5. Living wages are paid
5.1 Wages and benefits paid for a standard working week meet, at a minimum, national legal standards or industry benchmark standards, whichever is higher. In any event wages should always be enough to meet basic needs and to provide some discretionary income.
5.2 All workers shall be provided with written and understandable Information about their employment conditions in respect to wages before they enter employment and about the particulars of their wages for the pay period concerned each time that they are paid.
5.3 Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure shall not be permitted nor shall any deductions from wages not provided for by national law be permitted without the expressed permission of the worker concerned. All disciplinary measures should be recorded.
6. Working hours are not excessive
6.1 Working hours must comply with national laws, collective agreements, and the provisions of 6.2 to 6.6 below, whichever affords the greater protection for workers. Sub-clauses 6.2 to 6.6 are based on international labour standards.
6.2 Working hours, excluding overtime, shall be defined by contract, and shall not exceed 48 hours per week.*
6.3 All overtime shall be voluntary. Overtime shall be used responsibly, taking into account all the following: the extent, frequency and hours worked by individual workers and the workforce as a whole. It shall not be used to replace regular employment. Overtime shall always be compensated at a premium rate, which is recommended to be not less than 125% of the regular rate of pay.
6.4 The total hours worked in any seven day period shall not exceed 60 hours, except where covered by clause 6.5 below.
6.5 Working hours may exceed 60 hours in any seven day period only in exceptional circumstances where all of the following are met:
- this is allowed by national law;
- this is allowed by a collective agreement freely negotiated with a workers'
organisation representing a significant portion of the workforce;
- appropriate safeguards are taken to protect the workers' health and safety, and
- the employer can demonstrate that exceptional circumstances apply such as unexpected production peaks, accidents or emergencies.
6.6 Workers shall be provided with at least one day off in every seven day period or, where allowed by national law, two days off in every 14 day period.
* International standards recommend the progressive reduction of normal hours of work, when appropriate, to 40 hours per week, without any reduction in workers' wages as hours are reduced.
7. No discrimination is practised
7.1 There is no discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement based on race, caste, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation.
8. Regular employment is provided
8.1 To every extent possible work performed must be on the basis of recognised employment relationship established through national law and practice.
8.2 Obligations to employees under labour or social security laws and regulations arising from the regular employment relationship shall not be avoided through the use of labour-only contracting, sub-contracting, or home-working arrangements, or through apprenticeship schemes where there is no real intent to impart skills or provide regular employment, nor shall any such obligations be avoided through the excessive use of fixed-term contracts of employment.
9. No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed
9.1 Physical abuse or discipline, the threat of physical abuse, sexual or other harassment and verbal abuse or other forms of intimidation shall be prohibited. The provisions of this code constitute minimum and not maximum standards, and this code should not be used to prevent companies from exceeding these standards. Companies applying this code are expected to comply with national and other applicable law and, where the provisions of law and this Base Code address the same subject, to apply that provision which affords the greater protection.
Note: We make every effort to ensure that the translations of the ETI Base Code and Principles of Implementation are as complete and accurate as possible. However, please note that in both cases it is the English language documents which should be treated as the official versions.
Download Code Of Labour Practice
SAFETY, HEALTH, ENVIRONMENTAL & QUALITY (SHEQ) POLICY
For more than a century, Grahame Gardner/Gymphlex has been helping organisations across the UK bring their professional identities to life through our workwear. In addition, it combines both style and comfort with practicality and form. As a family business, we are therefore proud of our heritage and the expertise we've built up since we were established in 1906.
We have developed across a diverse range of sectors, from healthcare, dental and veterinary; to the spa and beauty industries. Meanwhile, today, we have one of the largest ranges of workwear in the UK; offering garments in a variety of colours, styles and sizes. Using the latest fabrics and printing technologies we push the boundaries of uniform design. However, no matter what the size or sector of your organization, we stay true to our family values; and deliver the very highest levels of customer service.
Scope Grahame Gardner/Gymphlex Ltd, are suppliers to the NHS, Hospitality, Retail and branded work wear industries, specialising in uniform and corporate work wear.
Grahame Gardner/Gymphlex aim to have a first-class performance in SHEQ and intended outcomes. Our SHEQ objectives shall be set out by senior management, in consultation with workers and the strategic direction of the business. This shall be communicated to workers and reviewed through management and health and safety committee meetings.
Our senior management team are responsible for putting in place the organisation, processes, and framework to deliver the SHEQ management system. Grahame Gardner/Gymphlex’s commitment to SHEQ management is achieved by:
- Commitment to fulfil all applicable SHEQ legal and other requirements applicable to our activities as a minimum, supported by robust legal management information.
- Commitment to take overall responsibility to reduces hazards, occupational health and safety risks, and prevention of work-related injury and ill health from workplace activities. This is achieved through process safety, hazard identification, risk assessments, control measures and auditing controls.
- Commitment to provide safe and healthy working conditions for our workers and any other person who could be affected by our activities, to prevent ill health related conditions.
- Commitment to protect the environment and prevent pollution at source by our operations and business activities.
- Process for consultation and participation of workers and workers representatives with proposed changes to be made in the workplace. This is achieved through the safety committee.
- Develop, lead and promote a SHEQ culture with preventative and corrective measures against noncompliance, and incidents for all company processes in collaboration with our workers and customers.
- Having processes in place to ensure that we have workers competent in SHEQ systems throughout the organisation.
- Promote continual improvements to our Safety, Health and Environmental Quality management systems, processes and follow up activities, to support our SHEQ commitment. Assured we are doing the right thing by using leading and lagging indicators to monitor our progress against established objectives and targets.
- Ensure adequate resources are available to support, deliver, maintain and improve the SHEQ management systems. Workers are trained in order to perform work tasks competently and safely.
- Communicate the effectiveness of the SHEQ management system, SHEQ plans and performance measures, regularly review, report on our progress in an open and transparent manner.
- All managers’, supervisor’s and employees are accountable for our SHEQ performance, and we believe everyone is responsible for his/her own behaviour and performance in support of our SHEQ principles.
- Workers shall be protected from reprisals with reporting incidents, hazards, risks and opportunities, for the SHEQ management system.
This policy is implemented through the business, SHEQ framework and management systems.
Download our Safety, Health, Environmental & Quality (SHEQ) Policy
WHISTLEBLOWING POLICY
1. SCOPE
1.1 This policy applies to all workers and employees working for Ryland Dickson Limited or any company which is a subsiiary or holiday company of Ryland Dickson Limited ("the Company") in the UK.
1.2 This policy does not form part of any employee's contract of employment and it may be amended at any time.
2. ABOUT THIS POLICY
2.1 This policy is designed to enable employees of the Company to raise concerns internally and at a high level and to disclose information which the individual believes shows malpractice or impropriety. This policy is intended to cover concerns which the employee reasonably believes are in the public interest and may at least initially be investigated separately but might then lead to the invocation of other procedures (such as the disiplinary procedure).
3. WHAT IS WHISTLEBLOWING?
3.1 Whistleblowing is the disclosure of information which relates to suspected wrongdoing or dangers at work. This may include:
(a) Criminal Offences
(b) Failure to comply with any legal obligations
(c) Miscarriages of justice
(d) Damage to the environment
(e) Dangers to the Health & Safety of any individual
(f) Modern day slavery or human trafficking concerns within the Company or its supply chain
(g)Attempts to conceal any of these
3.2 A whistleblower is a person who raises a genuine concern relating to any of the above. If you have any genuine concerns related to suspected wrongdoing or danger affecting any of our activities (a whistleblowing concern) you should report it under this policy.
3.3 This policy should not be used for complaints relating to your own personal circumstances, such as the way you have been treated at work. In those cases you should use the Grievance Policy or Anti-harassment and Bullying Policy as appropriate.
3.4 If you are uncertain whether something is within the scope of this policy you should seek advice from a senior member of management.
4. RAISING A WHISTLEBLOWING CONCERN
4.1 We hope that in many cases you will be able to raise any concerns with your line manager. However, where you prefer not to raise it with your manager for any reason, you should contact a senior member of management who will arrange a meeting with you as soon as reasonably to discuss your concern.
5. CONFIDENTIALITY
5.1 We hope that staff will feel able to voice whistleblowing concerns openly under this policy. We do not encourage staff to make disclosures ananymously. Proper investigation may be more difficult or impossible if we cannot obtain further information from you. It is also more difficult to establish whether any allegations are credible. If it is necessary for anyone investigating your concern to know your identity, we will discuss it with you.
6. INVESTIGATION AND OUTCOME
6.1 Once you have raised a concern, we will carry out an initial assessment to determine the scope of any investigation. We will inform you of the outcome of our assessment. You may be required to attend additional meetings in order to provide further information. You should treat any information about the investigation as confidential.
6.2 In some cases we may appoint an investigator or team of investigators including staff with relevant experience of investigations or specialist knowledge of the subject matter. The investigator(s) may make recommendations for change to enable us to minimise the risk of future wrongdoing.
7. PROTECTION AND SUPPORT FOR WHISTLEBLOWERS
7.1 It is possible that whistleblowers are sometimes worried about possible repercussions. We aim to encourage openness and will support staff who raise genuine concerns under this policy.
7.2 Whistleblowers must not suffer any detrimental treatment as a result of raising a concern. Detrimental treatment includes dismissal, disciplinary actions, treats or othe unfavourable tratment connected with raising a concern. If you believe that you have suffered any such treatment, you should inform Human Resources immediately. If the matter is not remedied you should raise it formally using our Grievance Policy
7.3 You must not threaten or retaliate against whistleblowers in any way. If you are involved in such conduct you may be subject to disciplinary action which could result in your summary dismissal.