CORPORATE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSER) POLICY
Choice Waste Management Ltd (CWM) believes that every business, no matter how small or large, has an environmental and social impact in some way, on the world we live in. Being proactive with CSER we will help to maintain a competitive advantage externally by protecting our reputation and internally through engaging our employees.
CWM believe that it is essential that the company conducts itself in an ethical manner and does what it can to ensure that it does not have an impact on the environment, economy and social aspects that can affect us all.
As a result of the industry we are in, we are passionate about continually assessing, improving and reducing the impact that our actions have, not only on the global environment, but also on local communities. In order to do this we ensure the waste we collect from our customers is disposed of safely, exceeding all legislative requirements. We maintain our certification to the Environmental Standard BS EN 14001:2004, BS EN ISO 9001:2008 and Investor in people.
CWM continually evaluates the recovered materials we come into contact with for their environmental impact and seek to eliminate or reduce harmful substances.
CWM continually looks for ways to minimise our carbon footprint by evaluating such things as energy, fuel consumption, etc and maintain regular contact with regulatory bodies such as the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Environment Agency
CWM recognises that CSER is not just about the global impact but also the impact that our activities may have on local communities. We therefore strive to ensure our actions do not adversely affect those communities.
CWM is aware that CSER is not just about the impact we have on the environment/community but that it also concerns human rights and ethics. We recognise our responsibilities to our employees and have implemented policies that comply with legislation relating to employment rights and equal opportunities. We also appreciate that employees are our most valuable asset and have the right to a healthy and safe working environment. We therefore provide a safe and secure workplace and promote good health, safety and environmental practices both at our premises and the premises of our customers. Through the continual implementation of Investors in People we proactively train and develop our staff, pay wages and benefits that meet or exceed the national minimum requirements and seek to ensure that our employees are not exposed to verbal, physical, sexual or any other form or harassment and act swiftly if this is encountered
CWM Expect our employees to act with honesty and integrity
Business Ethics Policy
Contents
- Compliance with the law
- Confidential information
- Conflicts of interest
- Accounting standards and records
- External reporting
- Employees
- Customers
- Community
- Environment
- Policies and procedures
- Implementation
1. Compliance with the law
Choice Waste Management will comply fully with all relevant national and international laws and will act in accordance with local guidelines and regulations, including those which are industry specific, governing our operations.
It is the responsibility of the Directors of Choice Waste Management to ensure, by taking legal or other expert advice where appropriate, that they are aware of all local laws and regulations which may affect the part of the business in which they are engaged, including tax and exchange controls.
Even where the law does not apply, applicable standards of ethics and morality relate to our activities and require the same diligence and attention to good conduct and citizenship. Employees must avoid situations where appearance of impropriety exists, even though the circumstances might not otherwise specifically violate this code of conduct.
2. Confidential information
Employees must not make use of confidential information obtained through their employment for personal gain, nor disclose such information to any third party during or after their employment. The term “confidential information” does not include information already in the public domain, information that was already known to the Recipient at the time of its disclosure, or information that is required by law to be disclosed
3. Conflicts of interest
Sales of the Company’s services and products and purchases of products and services from suppliers will be made solely on the basis of quality, performance, price and value, and never on the basis of giving or receiving inducements in the form of payments, gifts, entertainment or favours or in any other form.
Every employee has a duty to avoid business, financial or other direct or indirect interests or relationships which conflict with the interests of the Company, or which divides his or her loyalty to the Company. Any activity which even appears to present such a conflict must be avoided or terminated unless, after disclosure to the appropriate level of management, it is determined that the activity is not unethical or improper, does not compromise integrity and is not detrimental to the reputation and standing of the company.
4. Accounting standards and records
All accounting documentation must clearly identify the true nature of business transactions, assets and liabilities in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. No record or entry must be false, distorted, incomplete or suppressed.
5. External reporting
Choice Waste Management businesses may be required to make statements or provide reports to regulatory bodies, government agencies or other government departments. Care should be taken to ensure that such statements or reports are correct, timely and not misleading. Senior management must be made aware of any sensitive disclosure before it is made.
Care must also be taken when making statements to the media that information given is correct and not misleading. Enquiries from the media should be referred to company media relations experts and statements should only be made by designated spokespersons.
6. Employees
Choice Waste Management supports the principles of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is committed to upholding these principles in its policies, procedures and practices. Respect for human rights is and will remain integral to our operations. We will respect freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining in accordance with local legislation and practice.
Employment will be freely chosen with no use of forced labour or child labour.
In dealing with our employees and contractors, we will act in compliance with national regulatory requirements and government guidelines. We will not discriminate on the basis of gender, colour, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual orientation or disability.
Employees will be paid and work hours at least as favourable as the terms established by national legislation or agreements or industry standards.
We will take measures to ensure that the work of our employees and contractors does not compromise internationally accepted human rights conventions, whilst recognizing and respecting the diversity in local cultures across the different countries in which we operate.
We will endeavor to ensure that we work with business partners who conduct their business in a way that is compatible with our policies of respect for human rights and ethical conduct. We will work with customers and contractors to ensure that contractual requirements do not infringe human rights.
7. Customers
Mutual trust and confidence between Choice Waste Management and its customers is vital. All employees should strive to consistently deliver service excellence and value for money, meeting customers’ expectations and anticipating their changing requirements.
8. Community
Choice Waste Management is fully committed to supporting and assisting the communities in which the company or its contractors operate through a variety of means. Choice Waste Management will also serve local communities by providing good employment opportunities and effective services and products which safeguard the public good.
9. Environment
We will conduct our business with respect and consideration for the communities in which we operate and for the environment. We will take steps to minimize any disturbance to communities as a result of our operations. As a service organization, our environmental impact is small in relation to manufacturing industries. However, in each of our operations we will strive to minimize our impact on the environment through reduction of waste, vehicle emissions and energy consumption. In response to our commitment to the Environment we have taken steps to ensure
10. Policies and procedures
Choice Waste Management recognizes that there are risks associated with carrying out any business activity. Management is responsible both for ensuring that policies and procedures are in place to manage risks and for complying with those policies and procedures. Employees should ensure that they are aware of the risks associated with their activities and that they comply with policies and procedures in place to manage those risks.
11. Implementation
This Business Ethics Policy must be adopted by all as a minimum standard and issued to all Choice Waste Management employees. It will be monitored as part of Choice Waste Management compliance processes. The policy will be reviewed annually.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY STATEMENT
Choice Waste Management Ltd (the ‘Organization’) recognizes the importance of environmental protection and is committed to operating its business responsibly and in compliance with all legal requirements relating to exporters of packaging and non packaging waste for recycling. It is the Organizations’ declared policy to operate with and to maintain good relations with all regulatory bodies.
It is the Organization’s objective to carry out all measures reasonably practicable to meet, exceed or develop all necessary or desirable requirements and to continually improve environmental performance through the implementation of the following:
a) Assess and regularly re-assess the environmental effects of the Organizations’ activities
b) Training of employees in environmental issues
c) Minimise the production of waste
d) Minimise material wastage
e) Minimise energy wastage
f) Promote the use of recyclable and renewable materials
g) Reduce and/or limit the production of pollutants to water, land and air
h) Control noise emissions from operations
i) Minimise the risk to the general public and employees from operations and activities undertaken by the Organisation
This policy is communicated to all employees, suppliers and sub-contractors and is made available to the public.
HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY STATEMENT
CHOICE WASTE MANAGEMENT LTD will:
Establish and implement a Health and Safety Management System to manage the risks associated with our premises and activities.
Regularly monitor our performance and revise our Health and Safety Management System as necessary to ensure we achieve our objective of continuous improvement.
Provide sufficient resources to meet the requirements of current Health and Safety legislation and aim to achieve the standards of ‘Good Practice’ applicable to our activities.
Actively promote an open attitude to Health and Safety issues, encouraging staff to identify and report hazards so that we can all contribute to creating and maintaining a safe working environment.
Communicate and consult with our staff on all issues affecting their health and safety and, in doing so, bring this policy to their attention.
Provide adequate training for our staff to enable them to work safely and effectively, and to ensure they are competent and confident in the work they carry out.
Carry out and regularly review risk assessments to identify hazards and existing control measures.
We will prioritize, plan and complete any corrective actions required to reduce risk to an acceptable level.
Maintain our premises and work equipment to a standard that ensures that risks are effectively managed.
Ensure that responsibilities for Health and Safety are allocated, understood, monitored and fulfilled.
Retain access to competent advice and assistance through the support of Croner Consulting, thereby ensuring that we are aware of relevant changes in legislation and ‘Good Practice’.
It is the duty of all of us when at work:
– To take reasonable care of our own safety
– To take reasonable care of the safety of others who may be affected by what we do or fail to do
-To co-operate so that we can all comply with our legal duties
-To ensure we do not interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of health and Safety.
HYGIENE POLICY STATEMENT
Choice Waste Management team is responsible for and committed to the effective implementation of the policy and management system in accordance with the requirements of BS EN ISO 9001:2000. The management system is implemented and maintained to ensure we consistently produce hygienic products to specification, which are safe, comply with legislation and satisfy both customer and consumer needs.
The foundations of the Hygiene Policy are based on the following:
- Commitment to providing consistent, reliable products and services, ensuring all employees are trained, competent and actively involved in achieving defined and measurable objectives.
- Control and adherence to the site quality and hygiene systems by employees.
- Management and monitoring of employee illness and disease.
- The control of the manufacturing environment processes handling and protection of product to eliminate the risk of contamination.
- No eating, drinking and smoking in all manufacturing areas.
- Wearing of clean and adequate protective clothing where appropriate.
- Implementation and monitoring of effective cleaning schedules and procedures in all manufacturing areas.
- Achieve the required quality standards, in a cost-effective manner, ensuring safe delivery of the right product at the right time and the right price.
The policy is implemented by ensuring that all employees are adequately trained in all aspects of company hygiene procedures and other requirements.
The effective implementation and improvement of our Management Systems is continuous and is maintained by a system of process audits, regularly reviewed and enhanced to maintain and continually improve our hygiene standards.