Document 100-0041  |  Rev 006

1.  PURPOSE

Our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy refers to the way in which we regulate ourselves to ensure that all our activities positively affect society. Our CSR policy guarantees we work ethically, consider human rights as well as the social, economic, and environmental impacts of conducting business. 

This policy sets out the minimum standards which the Senior Management Team expects from staff in their internal and external dealings with interested parties; colleagues, customers, workers, third party providers, regulatory bodies, residents.

1.1 Basic Standards of Conduct

a) We will conduct every aspect of our business with honesty, integrity and openness, respecting human rights and the interests of our employees, learners, customers and third parties.

b) We will respect the legitimate interests of third parties with whom we have dealings in the course of our business.

c) We will maintain the highest standards of integrity – for example, we will not promise more than we can reasonably deliver or make commitments we cannot or do not intend to keep.

 

2.  SCOPE

The policy applies to all employees of Acorn (Synergie UK Ltd) and all subsidiary companies.  A copy of this policy and procedure can be viewed on the Company intranet. 

 

3.  RESPONSIBILITIES

It is the responsibility of Acorn Directors to ensure that the CSR policy is aligned with the overall business strategy and operations.

It is the responsibility of the HR department to ensure that the CSR policy is closely linked to and aligned with HR initiatives and processes.

It is the responsibility of all managers to ensure that their team(s) are fully aware and adherent to the CSR policy.

 

4.  ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS

100-0010  Dignity at Work Policy

100-0013 Equality & Diversity Policy  

100-0018 Training & Development Policy

100-0025 Ethical Trading Policy

100-0037 Preventing Hidden Labour Exploitation  

100-0039 Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy

300-0001 Health & Safety Policy

300-0015 Environmental Policy 

Forms
300-0015 Volunteer Request Form  

 

5.  PHILANTHROPY AND VOLUNTEERING

Acorn practices social responsibility by donating to national and local charities and supporting our employees on charity events and volunteering activities.

5.1 We are active in both the local and wider communities, particularly with regard to charity fund raising and encouraging employees to ‘work’ a day in the community whereby they can support local charitable causes and initiatives such as clearing local areas of beauty, voluntary work etc. 

5.2 We are active in the sponsorship of both local and national sporting and non-sporting teams and events.

5.3 We will attempt wherever possible to support local businesses through utilising the goods and services of local suppliers and establish local working partnerships.  This includes cleaning, stationary, workwear etc.

5.4 Employees are entitled to have one additional days holiday per year for charitable or community cause activities, the following rules apply:

• One application per person, per year 
• Activity must be for a charitable or community cause 
• Activity must take up the equivalent of a full working day; or must add up to a full working day if completed over multiple days. 
• A maximum of one day’s holiday will be credited to the holiday system; subject to HR approval 

 

6.  ETHICAL LABOUR PRACTICES 

Acorn fully supports ethical labour practices and believes in treating employees fairly and ethically.  

6.1 Within Acorn, we focus hard on attracting, recruiting and retaining the best individuals, ensuring that we recognise their achievements and reward their success. Through striving to provide and encourage a motivating, fulfilling and rewarding workplace environment, it is hoped that this will contribute to our objective of being an employer of choice. 

6.2 Within Acorn, we acknowledge that the foundation to our success is our employees.  We have a much higher than average retention rate within the industry, as a result of our people management processes and interventions.  Every member of staff is fully inducted within the organisation and receives regular performance reviews to determine their individual training and development needs, based on both organisational and individual requirements and aspirations.

6.3 Acorn is fully committed to training and educating employees on their social and environmental responsibilities, ensuring that these values are embedded within both organisational and individual objectives.

6.4 Acorn is fully committed to promoting equal opportunities in both our employment practices and our service to clients, which in practice promotes an efficient organisation and effective service delivery.  Acorn ensures that everyone is treated fairly regardless of race, colour, ethnic or national origins, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or religious beliefs.

6.5 Acorn is fully committed to ensuring that the health & safety of all employees, workers, clients and visitors is protected at all times through the provision and maintenance of safe and healthy working conditions, equipment and systems of work, providing such information, training and supervision as needed for this purpose.  Everyone has a duty of care and is responsible for maintaining a safe working environment. 

 

7.  ENVIRONMENT 

One primary focus of corporate social responsibility for Acorn is the environment. As a business we aim to take steps to reduce our carbon footprint, namely:

7.1 We are committed to the continual improvement of our environmental management system by monitoring our activities and auditing our environmental practices in order to improve our performance and achieve required the required standards.  

7.2 We are committed to overseeing and reviewing our environmental policy and all of our operations and to set the future direction of our environmental practices, conducting monitoring and seeking continuous improvement in our environmental performance.

7.3 We are committed to working with our clients to embed sustainability in the provision of the services with which we supply, to assist in negating the need for travel and reduce our post-consumer waste.

7.4 We are committed to the prevention of pollution in all our activities by:-

• Operate the business to the systems required by ISO14001:2015, legislation and our stakeholders in order to protect the environment 
• Reduce its consumption of resources and improve the efficient use of those resources. 
• Manage waste generated from its business operations incorporating reduction, re-use and recycling. 
• Prevent pollution and minimise emissions. 
• Aim to minimise consumption of natural resources e.g. energy, water as far as is economically practicable. 
• Fulfil our compliance obligations and comply as a minimum with all relevant environmental legislation 
• Raise awareness amongst members of staff through appropriate education and training. 
• Continually monitor, review and improve its environmental management system to enhance our environmental performance.

 

8.  POLICY ADHERENCE MONITORING AND REVIEW 

8.1 This policy is subject to regular review and will be updated in accordance with both legislative obligations and organisational requirements.