Company Policies

Clause

1. IT & Information Security Policy

1.1 – This policy applies to all computing and network resources, including host computer systems, workstations, software, data sets, iPads and communication networks controlled, administered, or accessed directly or indirectly by Bind Studio staff.

1.2 – To minimise the risk to the company, its clients, their employees and our employees arising from the misuse of computers, email and the internet, all employees, (including agency employees, subcontractors, and work experience placements) must observe the Data Protection and Information Security Policies. These rules form part of your terms and conditions of employment. Breach of these rules may result in disciplinary action, which could result in dismissal.

Schedule

Business Ethics Policy

1. Business Ethics Statement

There are certain foundations on which good organisations have to anchor themselves if they want their business to be both profitable and sustainable. These foundations relate to how we do business and the values that we associate with work, whether in the office, with clients or with our suppliers.

2. Values

• Openness, Honesty, and Integrity
• Fairness
• Respectfulness of others
• Respectfulness of our operating environment
• Professionalism
• Protect our organisation

3. What these Mean in Practice

When we talk about openness, honesty and integrity, we mean that we ask questions if we don’t know the answers, we are not frightened to say what we are thinking, that we tell it like it is, and that we value our personal and business reputations within and outside the organisation through our relationships with others.

When we talk about fairness, we mean that we avoid or disclose and manage conflicts of interest in relationships both internally (for example during recruitment) and externally (for example in the way that we discuss our dealings with clients).  It also means that we act with impartiality, making sound judgements on the basis of the facts available to us at the time.  We do not allow personal relationships to shade our views or influence our decisions.

When we talk about respect for others, we mean that we show mutual respect for others, irrespective of their personal characteristics.  We show concern and demonstrate courtesy and responsiveness to the needs of our colleagues.

When we talk about respect for our operating environment, we mean that we recognise the importance of the respective governments, cultures and laws of the lands in which we operate, and that we meet the regulations and procedures we are required to follow in each of those territories or jurisdictions.

When we talk about professionalism, we mean that we inspire confidence and trust in our abilities and performance through our actions and behaviours.  We understand that we work in a competitive environment, but we do not engage in anti-competitive practices, we do not participate in bribery or corruption, we do not make false promises, and we maintain accurate books and records.

When we say we protect our organisation, we mean that we do not make reckless decisions that put the organisation at risk, we protect our information and assets, we safeguard quality, and recognise our duty to safeguard the best interests of our customers, both now and in future.  We also mean that we will protect our employees, partners, and suppliers from illegal or damaging actions by others.

4. How We Apply These Values

Throughout the Handbook, you will see a variety of policies relating to equal opportunities, harassment and bullying, sickness, maternity and paternity, flexible working, data protection and information security, health, safety, and the environment.

The Handbook also contains information on how to raise concerns (through the Whistleblowing Policy) and the actions we will take to address any matters (through Discipline or Grievance Policies).

5. Asking Questions and Raising Concerns

If you are in any doubt about these values, about any course of action, or if you have a concern that someone is behaving in a manner which does not reflect these values, you should discuss the matter with you manager, with the Managing Director, or with the Independent HR Consultant.  Further details can be found in the whistleblowing policy.

Modern Slavery

1. Modern Slavery Statement

Bind Studio will not directly or knowingly through the supply chain in any activity that might be interpreted or considered to be modern slavery.

2. Standards

Modern slavery is a term that covers a wide variety of activities.  The UK Legislation passed in 2015 requires all companies with a turnover in excess of £36m to take reasonable steps to investigate and act upon modern slavery within its supply chain.  As such, this piece of legislation has a cascading effect.

In particular, organisations engaged in the supply chain of these organisations (including Bind Studio and our suppliers) must be able to demonstrate that we do not either directly, or through the supply chain:

• Employ or engage any person in slavery or servitude.
• Engage a worker in forced or compulsory labour.
• Arrange or facilitate travel for the purposes of exploitation.
• Engage in force, threats, or deception, and/or
• Aid, abet, counsel, or procure an offence under the Modern Slavery Act.

3. What these Mean in Practice

We treat our employees fairly and reasonably, allowing employees to receive a fair day’s pay in return for a fair day’s work, knowing that they chose to work for us, and that they are not exploited or threatened.

When we engage with suppliers, we do so having established whether they are a fair supplier, and one that complies with the same standards expected of us.  In particular, we recognise that a breach of these rules within our supply chain has the potential to cause serious harm to our reputation and the reputation of our customer.

4. How We Apply These Values

Our suppliers are an extension of our own service offering and as such, they are important partners, providing both solutions and risks.  We expect our suppliers to welcome the opportunity to work with us and to benefit from the opportunities we present, but we also expect them to declare any risks that may be inherent in their solutions.

An important part of this is the supplier audit and approval process.  We expect all of our suppliers to go through a process of supplier audit and approval and to work with us in the same open and professional way that we seek to deal with them.

Further information can be found in the Supplier Approval Process.

Supplier Relationships

1. Supplier Relationships Statement

In the eyes of our customers, we are who we work with, their standards are our standards and their failings are our failures.

Both Company legislation and the demands of society are requiring larger businesses to adopt a more demanding approach to procurement of goods and services, and this is producing a cascading effect on their wider supply chain.

As an organisation Bind Studio relies on the re-assurances provided by our suppliers to meet the increasingly demanding and challenging needs of our customers.

Some of our high-profile customers are introducing penalty clauses associated with reputational damage they suffer as a consequence of our activities.  This means that as an organisation we have to adopt a robust approach to supplier approval.

We have an obligation to protect our own business, and the business of our customers by meeting the standards and expectations placed on them and us, and through our supply chain.  We expect our suppliers to understand and to support us in the fulfilment of this obligation.

2. Standards

The standards cover four areas but are topped and tailed with process to ensure internal and cascading compliance, assigned individuals responsible for ensuring compliance, processes for ensuring that this information is communicated effectively, and mechanisms for addressing any failings.

The four areas are:

• Human Resources
• Health and Safety
• Business Ethics and
• The Environment.

3. What these Mean in Practice

For Human Resources, it means that organisations have considered, and where appropriate, adopted standards in relation to:

• Modern slavery
• Freedom of association and/or collective bargaining
• Living accommodation or other benefits
• Children or young workers
• Wages
• Hours
• Holidays
• Discrimination
• Regular employment
• Discipline and grievance
• Homeworkers or smallholders; and
• Human Rights.

For Health and Safety, it means that organisations have, and can provide evidence they have:

• A written policy statement
• Considered significant risks
• Established emergency procedures
• Implemented training
• Identified hazardous materials
• Established health surveillance (where appropriate) and
• Implemented adequate housekeeping, hygiene, and welfare arrangements.

For Business Ethics, it means organisations have, and can provide evidence they:

• Considered business risks
• Implemented processes around fair competition
• Protect confidentiality and
• Prevent Bribery and Corruption.

For the Environment, it means organisations have, and can provide evidence they have:

• A written policy statement
• Considered biodiversity, emissions, energy, climate change, pollution, raw material selection, renewable energy, water, and waste
• Identified the impact of their activities and
• Are actively seeking to reduce their impact on the environment.

4. Systems and Processes

Each of these standards should be evaluated individually, but it is equally important that suppliers can evidence that they have:

• Processes to ensure internal compliance
• Processes to ensure that their suppliers meet similar standards
• Assigned individuals responsible for on-going compliance
• Processes for ensuring that information is communicated effectively, and
• Mechanisms for addressing any failings, such as a Whistleblowing or raising concerns policy, or some other mechanism.

As a part of the review exercise, suppliers must also declare any sanctions that they have received as a consequence of non-compliance with any of these standards and the actions that they have taken to address them. 

Business Continuity Policy

1. Policy statement

• • Bind Studio has survived challenges in the past. Over that time, we have grown and developed to become a leading creative design agency.  The Business Continuity Policy is intended to safeguard the business from emerging risks.
  • The most likely threats to our organisation are likely to come from:
    • Loss of operating location
    • Loss of key member of staff
    • Loss of key customer or
    • Loss of key supplier.
  • We will continue to review this policy to ensure it is achieving its aims.

2. Loss of Operating Location

• • In the event that the location was lost, for whatever reason, an alternative location is readily accessible, and data is backed up to the cloud. There is adequate insurance in place to quickly recover necessary technology.
  • All staff are reminded of the importance to back up data routinely and not to rely on local information.

3. Loss of Key Member of Staff

• • Although all employees are valued and appreciated, there are no employees on whom the business is dependant. There is a facility for cross training so that employees can learn from each other and share knowledge and skills.

4. Loss of Key Customer

• • The business works closely with a number of clients and values the relationship it has with every client and every individual with whom it works.
  • The business relies on a wide variety of customers across several sectors and the overall impact of one customer is marginal. Having said that, the Company is always seeking to grow and develop new relationships, and this is an important factor in minimising the impact of a loss of a key customer.
  • No single customer represents a single and significant risk to the operation of the business.

5. Loss of Key Supplier

• • The Company values and appreciates the relationships that it has with a wide variety of suppliers who are specialist craftspeople within their own right. We source a wide variety of materials and are always looking for new and exciting craftspeople with whom to work.

Environmental Policy

 1. Policy statement

• • We are committed to minimising our environmental impact across all aspects of our operations. This means that we consider the environmental implications of our business and manage our business in an environmentally responsible way.  In doing so, we can remain compliant with the law, improve cost control, conserve raw materials and energy, and support the sustainability of our business and the communities in which we operate.
  • This policy sets out our arrangements in relation to:
    • our legal obligations
    • our business decisions and the effect they have on the local and wider community
    • raw material and energy conservation and
    • through the efficiency of our operations.
  • We will continue to review this policy to ensure it is achieving its aims.

2. Responsibility for environmental matters

• • Our board of directors (the board) has overall responsibility for health and safety and the operation of this policy. Alex Miller has day-to-day responsibility for environmental matters.

3. Your responsibilities

• • All staff share responsibility for their impact on the environment and the communities in which we, as an individual, as an organisation, and throughout our supply chain operate.
  • You should report any environmental concerns immediately to your line manager at your earliest opportunity.
  • You must co-operate with managers on environmental matters, including any appropriate investigations.
  • You must take reasonable steps to remain up to date with current thinking in so far as how current trends in environmental performance and management affect your role.
  • This policy does not form part of any employee’s contract of employment. However, failure to comply with this policy may be treated as misconduct and dealt with under our Disciplinary Procedure.

4. Our Legal Operations

• • We are committed to ensuring that we fulfil our own legal obligations relating to the environment. Specifically, these relate to:
    • the selection of raw materials, particularly when products are sourced from overseas
    • the handling (including the collection, disposal, and treatment) of waste
    • steps to minimise waste and the prevention of litter
    • nature conservation.

5. Our Business Decisions

• • We work closely with our clients and suppliers to select the most effective source of materials, based on product design, sourcing, and manufacture.
  • Where it is appropriate to do so, we work with our suppliers and provide drawings in a manner that enables them to construct and configure production processes to minimise environmental impact most effectively.
  • We work with our clients on design and sourcing decisions, maximising where possible the sourcing of products from UK operations for UK markets, reducing carbon footprints, and supporting UK operations.
  • We will not knowingly engage with organisations that have a poor record when it comes to environmental performance or pollution.

6. Raw Material and Energy Conservation

• • We work hard to provide a balance between high quality, fit for use products, and the environmental costs and impact of their production.
  • In the way that we carry out our work, we adopt a sensible and sensitive approach to the environment, minimising the use of resources where possible.
  • In our print products, we ensure that our suppliers:
    • Use modern technology to reduce set up time, costs, and wastage.
    • Commit to minimise any waste that they produce and ensure that waste generated from their operations is disposed of responsibly and recycled where possible.
    • Use vegetable-based inks to provide a sustainable approach to the environment.
    • Utilise the most efficient production processes to reduce waste, for example through the avoidance of ink cartridges.
    • Use recycled and Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper, and support other environmental programmes, where possible.
    • Operate an Environment Management System such as ISO 14001 to ensure that these commitments are embedded in their day to day operations.
  • In our non-print products, we ensure that our suppliers:
    • Use modern technology to reduce set up time, costs, and wastage.
    • Understand the environmental risks and hazards posed by their operations and address those risks accordingly.
    • Conform with appropriate national guidelines relating to the use of materials, processes, and operations.

7. Operational Efficiency

• • We work hard to provide a balance between high quality, fit for use products, and the environmental costs and impact of their production.
  • In the way that we carry out our work, we adopt a sensible and sensitive approach to the environment, minimising the use of resources where possible.

8. Continuous Improvement

• • We will review this policy from time to time to ensure that it remains relevant and reflect current practice in environmental management in so far as it relates to our industry, and the industries of our clients and suppliers.
  • We will set performance targets and measure performance against those targets as far as possible to ensure that we are effectively managing our impact on the environment, not least in relation to energy use.
  • All employees will be encouraged to participate and engage in environmental matters.