2008 Updated Corporate Social Responsibility

1. Corporate & Social Responsibility 2008
Strategy
Workplace
Environment
Marketplace
Community
Read this document online at
www.allsignsgroup.com

2. “Allsignsgroup is a provider of commercial sign
and graphic solutions specialising in the creation
of marketing environments for our customers.
We are professional and pro–active in all our
activities, while maintaining a high level of
responsibility to the environment, our community
and all our related stakeholders.”
How we developed our Corporate & Social Responsibility Company Values
During 2008 a Responsibility Committee was established to identify and promote key CSR ƒ Being Independent
objectives and KPI’s for improvement. The committee is chaired by our Managing Director
and, crucially, draws upon employee input from the main impact areas of the company. ƒ Being a
Local Employer
ƒ Addresses a
Managing
Director
niche in the Market
ƒ Enjoys being part of
CSR
Departmental CSR
Committee
Managers Champions
the local community
ƒ Being a company
Operations
Director
with staff–led
principles and values

3. CSR Strategy 2008
At the beginning of 2008 we decided to We have developed our CSR strategy in line
review our CSR position to further link with with the Business in the Community Small
our business strategy, reflect our company Business Journey booklet and with the
values, and to truly involve all of our assistance of a CSR consultant to ensure
stakeholders. that we were developing an impartial holistic
strategy that worked across the whole of
Our new CSR strategy has therefore been our business.
developed with all our stakeholders in mind,
including our staff, our customers, our This year we will be applying for the
suppliers, our community and our partners. Business in the Community (BITC)
Community Mark Award to assess our
We have learned a lot about ourselves performance and hopefully be recognised
through this journey and we are proud for our achievements. Our new CSR
of our activity and the positive impacts strategy has been strongly guided by the
Visit our site and read more about
Allsignsgroup has on various stakeholders five principles of the BITC Community Mark what we do for the environment
but we recognise there are always which we would encourage our customers www.allsignsgroup.com
improvements to be made to support our and suppliers to adopt.
people, our customers and suppliers and of
course, our planet.
The Allsignsgroup board believes that we
can achieve commercial success whilst
being a more responsible business and
therefore we have set financial targets
alongside the ones already in place for
social, economic and environmental values.
The 5 principles of the BITC Community Mark
1 Identifying the social issues that are most relevant to our business and most pressing to
the communities we work with.
Our business has one site located in Brentford which has a number of economic and social issues with regards skills levels
and through our CSR policy will be working with partners (especially local schools and charitable organisations) to make a
positive impact in this area. Our workforce is our greatest asset and much of our policy is looking at enhancing the workplace
environment and the CSR activities our people are involved in.
2 Working in partnership with our communities leveraging our combined expertise for
mutual benefit.
We are working with the local Chamber of Commerce and Education Business Partnership to share our skills and knowledge
and learn from others. The majority of our workforce and suppliers are local so it is important we engage both to enhance our
commercial impact and sustainability.
3 Planning and managing our community investment using the most appropriate resources
to deliver against our set targets.
As an SME we can not change the world overnight, but we can do our bit to make a difference, our CSR objectives and
activities are therefore sustainable and realistic.
4 Inspiring and engaging our employees, customers and suppliers to support our community
programmes.
1.1
We aim to encourage all of our associated stakeholders to participate in our CSR policy and plan to record evidence on this.
Strategy
5 Measuring and evaluating the difference that our investment has in the community and on Workplace
our business. Striving for continual improvement Environment
Marketplace
Each part of our CSR policy has SMART targets, which we will set and review annually for assessment and impact.
Community

4. Workplace
People While 62% of our staff were already aware
Allsignsgroup is a family business with a that we had a policy, it is our ambition to
committed team of over 90 staff which has improve on this figure and provide more
steadily increased since the business first information on our CSR activity to our staff.
established over 40 years ago.
As a result of this CSR is now integral
The CSR strategy for the company has part of our induction process when a new
been developed by staff on all levels to member of staff joins the company. We
ensure it is embedded into our culture and hope that this percentage will increase as
supported by biggest stakeholder, our our internal publicity, employee involvement
employees. Obviously a happy workforce and education on CSR improves.
is a creative and productive workforce and
through appraisals and regular departmental Thus far our staff have been particularly
meetings we ensure staff are developed and supportive of a number of our CSR
praised for their performance. initiatives including our support to the
Shooting Stars Charity, our Challenge of
Read more in our community section
Following a strengthening of our HR function Change process improvement scheme and of this document [1.6].
in 2007, the company was successful in the Community Re–Paint recycling scheme.
retaining its Investors in People Standard
Recruitment
following a recent 5 year review. This has
enabled more improvements to be made Allsignsgroup prides itself on the quality
to performance management and HR of its services and products, so in turn
processes, and has clearly had a positive requires that skilled staff are in place to
impact on our workplace as our staff turn this work around for our customers –
turnover is currently only 7%. attracting and ultimately retaining good staff
is therefore a priority and a key objective for
We recently completed an employee survey our CSR programme. A high quality future
to find out how many people were aware of workforce is key and our priority is to recruit
our current CSR programme. locally either through local employment
agencies, via a staff referral scheme, and
through schemes for school leavers such
90% of staff live within a Employee turnover is only 7%
Watford
10 mile radius of our
Brentford HQ
Rickmansworth
Wembley
Finchley
Ealing
Uxbridge
Brentford HQ Westminster
Slough Southwark
Richmond
Staines
Kingston
Wimbledon 33% suppliers deliver
from within 10 mile radius
Crystal Palace
67% of staff
in a recent survey Chessington
10 mile radius around
were aware
Brentford, London
of 2007 CSR policy

5. Work placements
as Way to Work and Train to Gain where Case Study – Charlotte Hardy
we already have a successful track record It is our intention moving forward to “I started at Allsignsgroup in 2005,
just after I had finished school. I
of guiding young employees through encourage work placements through The joined through a company called
various NVQ programmes . All vacancies Hounslow Education Business Partnership. Way to Work, which helps young
are advertised internally at first and then in This is likely to be based around design people get into the workplace and
at the same time complete an
local media publications to encourage local competition for local schools, with winning apprenticeship and earn some extra
employment and also on our website. students potentially offered a work qualifications. This was ideal for me
placement and mentoring to further their as I did want to further my education
but I was also eager to start working.
We also recognise the need to train and design techniques.
develop all staff as part of their personal When I first started, I worked on
development plans. Annual appraisals Due to the nature of our manufacturing Reception and in the Accounts
and periodic job chats assist this process operations, potential for other work Department. I enjoyed this as I
was learning new skills but also
together with a planned investment in both experience and placements is difficult, and earning my NVQ’s in Business and
management and job skills training. especially where health and safety in the Administration Skills. A few weeks
workplace is paramount. into my placement I started to get
visits from my tutor from Way to
When new members of staff join Work regularly, she would check my
Volunteering
Allsignsgroup they complete a thorough coursework and give me guidance
induction process, with the first week of This is another aspect of our CSR and advice when needed. Part of
the NVQ’s coursework included
their employment dedicated to spending programme that we are looking to expand attending off-the-job training at
time and working in different departments. upon during the coming year, possibly from an office in Twickenham, where
This enables a complete overview and a mentoring angle with local schools, and workshops were held for other
trainees like myself. I liked attending
understanding of our business processes, also to continue to offer assistance to The these as it was interesting to hear
and helping them to comfortably fit into their Hounslow Education Business Partnership. other people’s experiences and
new working environment. This induction Most recently we have helped facilitate a stories and It was good to get a day
out of the office to concentrate on
also includes a briefing on our CSR strategy, local Thames Water event with schools from the NVQ. I completed this within my
health & safety protocol, and all works within the London Borough of Hounslow year’s deadline.
procedures. called Reservoir to Tap.
Once I had finished the NVQ 2, I
then went to complete an NVQ Level
3 in Business and Administration
skills. After working on Reception
for a year I was offered another
position working in the Installation
Department alongside the Installation
Manager and the Operations
Workplace Targets 2008/9 Director as the Installations
Administrator. I was very happy
take this position, I now have both
Increase awareness of CSR within the company by at least 50% my NVQs, I have taken an in-house
Excel course since then and I hope
One event with staff involvement for a charity partner to further my career within the
company”.
Maintain staff turnover figure under 10%
Implement design competition with local schools
Participate in one event for the Education Business Partnership
Recruit one new member of staff via Way to Work programme
2.2
Strategy
Workplace
Environment
Marketplace
Community

6. “We are committed to identifying,
managing, and ultimately reducing
our impact on the environment”.
Environment
Reducing Carbon Emissions Premises Energy
In November 2007 we commissioned The In 2008, the company introduced staff
awareness campaign (through posters, our
Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management
company newsletter, and via departmental
and Energy for Sustainable Development
to carry out an assessment of our current meetings) aimed at changing behaviour on
emissions levels. This was calculated at wasting energy.
470 tCO2 per annum for all our business
operations, and now forms the benchmark While we accept that high consumption
for reduction activities. levels are part of every working day, we aim
to reduce our impact as far as is possible.
Currently we offset these emissions via This is a campaign that we hope to run
the Carbon Neutral Company directly from Winter 2008 with notable reductions
towards the Rhine–Ruhr Waste Gas Power targeted by 2010.
Project which captures methane from three
abandoned coal mines in Germany with a The following reduction measures are
view to generating emission reductions of currently being enforced:
385,500 tCO2 per annum.
Staff Behaviour
Moving forward we are committed to We currently target a 100% nightly and
working with the Carbon Trust to establish weekend shutdown of all PCs, monitors,
a programme of carbon management and printers, copiers, unused lights, and
Our IT support company has a
reductions and to achieve their Carbon chargers when not in use. We have 60 responsible disposal service
PC & Apple workstations and estimate an
Trust Standard. www.strawberrygt.com
emissions saving of 3 tonnes of CO2.
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
(Target) (Target) (Target) (Target) (Target) (Target) (Target) (Target)
Measured in tCO2 per annum
472 10% reduction
in emissions
10% reduction
378 in emissions
10% reduction
390 420 in emissions
10% reduction
340 in emissions
10% reduction
306 in emissions
10% reduction
in emissions 10% reduction
270 275
in emissions 10% reduction
250 in emissions
225
200
107
Allsignsgroup Carbon Footprint 2004-2015

7. We have installed a series of energy saving Where practicable we plan to switch all
monitors connected to our maincircuit lighting low energy bulbs. We currently
boards. These devices measure the total power in excess of 470 fluorescent tubes
amount of electricity being used in the and bulbs throughout the offices and
business at any one time, giving everyone a factory and potentially this could represent
visual reminder and motivation to use less. an annual saving of up to 60 tCO2.
We are targeting a 15% reduction in overall
electricity consumption as a result of this We have recently installed Wattson
increased awareness, representing a 16 electricity measuring devices across the
tCO2 saving per annum. company. These ingenious devices display
a realtime yearly electricity budget on their
Keyboard stickers and mouse mats LED screens. Turning off applicances and
have been produced to serve as a lights reduces the electricity yearly costs
reminder to shut down and turn–off with dramatic visual results. Everyone can
electrical appliances. instantly see the benefits of saving energy in
the workplace
Our CSR Committee continually monitor
staff behaviour and encourage greater We are in the process of installing timers
commitment. Updates and progress and motion sensors to meeting rooms,
is reported back through our quarterly canteen areas and toilets throughout the
company newsletter. premises. Photocell sensors will be installed
to all external security lighting to minimise
Purchasing power wastage during daylight hours.
Where practicable our procurement team
will only purchase low energy or Energy Star We plan to replace our existing boiler /
labelled electrical equipment. heating system to Energy A-rated in Winter
2008 to ensure better thermostat control.
We have already switched approx 90% of Hot water provision and increase point
our monitors from CRT to LCD flat screens of use hot water heaters are also being
which use approximately 60% less electricity. monitored.
Installing 470 low energy bulbs could
reduce our emissions by 60 tonnes.
Our target for 2008/09 is to replace
75% of our bulbs
3.2
Strategy
Workplace
Environment
Marketplace
Community

8. Environment
Waste
A comprehensive recycling scheme based In addition we have developed associations
on the Three R’s principal to Recover, with organisation such as Cartridges for
Recycle and Reuse is now in place across Causes who collect from us all our ink
all departments. This is promoted and and toner cartridges for recycling, with the
driven by our very own Ray Sourceful, a added benefit of making a donation for
Every purchase of a Laser Toner from
cartoon character who appears on every every cartridge to our nominated charity, Cartidges for Causes ensures that £1
recycling–based communication and poster The Shooting Stars Childern’s Hospice. is donated to the charity; if it is an ink
to help promote awareness and to remind cartridge then 50p per ink is donated.
www.cartridges4causes.co.uk
staff of their responsibilities to recycle at We are also investigating the most efficient
every opportunity. Ray Sourceful is assisted means to dispose of redundant electronic
by a newly–formed band of “Eco Warriors” and technical equipment like old PCs to
selected across all departments to help facilitate compliance with the Waste &
champion and enforce the new measures Electronic Equipment Regulations 2006.
we are implementing.
Packaging
Through collaboration with key suppliers Our use of packaging materials is relatively
and the local authority we are now low with between 80–90% of all deliveries
pro–active in the separation of all our raw and dispatches being carried out by our
material wastage, packaging associated own vehicles using re–usable packing
with food and drink, and the separation of blankets.
office based papers and cards. We have
invested in a series of waste compactors to Our goods–in operation is pro–active in
further assist waste handling and storage, breaking down and splitting out packaging
and ultimately a set of specific targets will materials received from our suppliers, while
be set against all recyclable materials with the majority of wooden pallets received are
the ultimate aim to reduce down our waste either re–used or sent back to the origin
that traditionally would be sent to landfill. supplier.
Early signs are extremely promising with a
60% fall in waste that would normally go to Third party courier deliveries are made with
landfill being reported in the first month of re–cycled card and bubble wrap packaging.
operation!
Our recycling cartoon character
“Ray Sourceful” teaches everyone to
recycle where they can.
Allsignsgroup was a proud winner of
Hounslow Borough Council’s
Green Guardian Award in 2008

9. Company Owned Vehicles Business Travel & Commuting
Our fleet of company–owned vehicles is Our aim is to implement measures to reduce
dominated by a series of white panel vans to vehicle use and the emissions of those
assist our installation and delivery services. vehicles. With over 90% of staff commuting
We also run a small number of company from within a 10 mile radius of our office
cars. Our combined fleet totals 20 vehicles. location, we are actively encouraging staff
to use public transport where possible. Our
Installation Fleet offices are situated within easy reach of all
All vehicles comply with current Low public transport links and company–owned
Emission Zone (LEZ) standards. We use a Oyster cards also allow staff to travel to
tracker system on all installation vehicles meetings in the London area. Staff who have
to improve operational efficiency, and invested in either a Hybrid car or a vehicle
to improve driving behaviour and safety. converted to LPG have been rewarded with
Specifically allowing us to: Reduce journey a reserved parking bay.
times, re–route drivers more resourcefully,
ensure better route planning, monitor We have registered onto the government
vehicle performance and identify inefficient backed Cycle Scheme providing staff with
driving behaviour. All installation vans are discounted equipment. We already have a Read more information on the
equipped with satellite navigation to further healthy band of commuting cyclists and we government tax–free Cycle Scheme
www.cyclescheme.co.uk
ensure efficiency in journey routes, distance hope to increase their numbers in 2009.
and time.
Car–sharing is already commonplace
We employ a team of installation managers amongst staff and their colleagues and
to co–ordinate and plan our fleet’s daily friends further helping to reduce the amount
activities as well as pro–actively initiating all of commuting cars on a daily basis. It is our
servicing and MOT requirements. intention to further encourage and reward
this activity throughout 2009.
We only buy high–end branded vehicles
Couriers
to ensure engine efficiency and extended
service intervals. Where possible we look through our
installation team to ‘drop off’ items for
Company Cars delivery on route to scheduled installation
It is company policy to only purchase / lease visits. This reduces the need for a dedicated
low emission company cars with efficient delivery and consequential emissions.
engines and ‘hybrid’ technologies. The
latest addition to our fleet is World Green We have conducted a complete review of
Car of the Year, the BMW 118d which emits our courier and dispatch arrangements
less than 120g/km of CO2 and is free of the and have identified new suppliers who
City of London’s congestion charge. have specifically achieved ISO 14001
accreditation who can demonstrate
low emission and positive sustainibility
Environmental Targets 2008/9 credentials.
Reduce annual electricity consumption by 15% or 31,500kw
Reduce waste–to–landfill by 50% or 100 tonnes
Attain Carbon Trust Standard during 2009
3.4
Attain ISO 14001 Standard during 2009
Strategy
Full introduction of new recycling scheme to factory Workplace
and office areas Environment
Marketplace
Community

10. Marketplace
In 2005 we established a working party the results of the database and liaise with Case Study – Robert Horne Group
initiative called Challenge of Change to customers to find agreeable solutions to As our principal supplier of sign &
display materials we are delighted
review and ultimately improve our business any issues, or put in place new working that during 2008 we have been able
efficiency and to reduce our project based procedures to improve customer service. to forge a strong CSR relationship
wastage. The findings lead to a complete with Robert Horne Sign & Display.
overhaul of our project management Finally, in this our second CSR statement
Steve Lister, Robert Horne Sign &
database system and the creation of our we have been keen to review and ultimately Display’s Business Development
own set of quality management procedures. comply with many of our customers’ CSR Director, explains:
Both aspects have made for higher policies. We believe partnerships and
standards and the greater effectiveness of relationships are key to the way we conduct “The market for greener alternatives
to traditional sign & display material
our project management team in dealing our business, and will continue to welcome choices is growing and we are
with our customer base and supply chain. initiatives put forward by our customers proud to be at the forefront of
to further reduce our impact on society providing Allsignsgroup with an
unrivalled range of environmental
Customer Satisfaction and in the work we jointly deliver. Our CSR products. Coupled with our R3
Without any customers we wouldn’t have statement as well as being electronically (Recover – Recycle – Reuse) waste
a business and so it is important that we published is automatically sent to our collection service which even in
its infancy with Allsignsgroup is
are aware of how satisfied our customers customers for their consideration on an already realizing significant benefits,
are with our service and performance, and annual basis. we really are leading the way in
for our customers to be able to feedback helping our customers to meet
the environmental challenges our
Suppliers / Supply Chain
to us how we can improve. We have built industry faces.”
a business on building and maintaining Allsignsgroup has to ensure that it sources
excellent relationships with our customers, the best products to be able to deliver the
but without asking them we cannot be one best for our customer base. We recognise
hundred percent certain. As a result, we the work that is needed to further engage
intend, in 2008, to commission our first with our supplier network to ensure
annual customer satisfaction survey across sustainable design and working practice is
a sample of our extended client base. We achieved for the long term.
are hoping to report high levels of customer
satisfaction as well as constructive In 2008 we have commissioned a complete
feedback and areas upon which we can review of our procurement policies to build
improve in the future. on our existing supplier relationships, to
ensure best value on pricing, and further
In addition to the survey we are also instil areas of sustainability and corporate
developing a new complaints database and responsibility into our buying process.
procedures to record and help resolve any
We are already making big strides…
issues. Staff and management will review

11. Health & Safety
All new suppliers are issued with a We recognize our responsibility to safeguard
compliance questionnaire to help ensure the health & safety of all our employees,
that we understand both their committment any impact on the environment, and
and current level of compliance to key persons who may be affected by our
Environmental and Health & Safety activities. In order to fulfill our duty of care
standards. We are actively looking to we have (since 2006) appointed NatWest
substitute our key pvc–based raw materials Mentor Services to provide competent and
for more sustainable options, and currently ongoing health & safety advice as well as
approximately 50% of the products we use helping us to develop a pro–active health
can be recycled or already have recycled & safety management system. Our health
content. Our aim to raise this committment & safety system is fully operational, and is
to 80% by 2010. first explained to all employees at point of
induction.
We are a large user of raw timber, and
as such work with our local supplier to In addition we have a Safety Committee,
ensure that all the timber we use comes which draws its membership from all
from forests independently certified as levels of the company, to actively review
well–managed, according to the Forest and promote good safety practice to all
Stewardship Council (FSC), and Forest employees on an ongoing basis.
Forever “Chain of Custody” criteria.
We have also been pro–active in ensuring
Where possible we actively try to source all our employees receive the necessary
raw materials and services from local training and instruction. This is particularly
suppliers to support our immediate local important for our site based Installation
economy. Currently an estimated 33% of Teams where the investment in training
our suppliers come from within a 10 mile is never questioned. As a minimum
radius of our head office. requirement, all Installation Teams now
have CSCS, IPAF, PASMA, and basic First
Aid training to ensure compliance and also
ensure that our accident and incident rates
are kept as low as possible.
“Our business activities demand a
high level commitment to health &
safety, and we have established an
impressive level of compliance that
sets us apart in our industry.”
Marketplace Targets 2008/9
Introduction of new customer satisfaction survey
To record complaints into new database to monitor and resolve issues
To review supply chain and set out new expectations and selection criteria
in line with our CSR values
To continue to explore and develop a sustainable purchasing strategy for
4.2
both production materials and office resources
Increase usage of pvc–based raw materials with a recycle value from Strategy
50% to 80% by 2010 Workplace
Environment
To move to a position of pro-active performance measurement with Marketplace
Community
regards to health & safety

12. Community
Charitable Support Community Re–Paint
We are committed to the on–going Further in–kind support has been provided
support local charities, community based to this worthy project run by the London
organisations, and also the charities Borough of Richmond Upon Thames,
supported by our key customers. where we donate all our surplus paint to
the Council for use in local projects such as
Shooting Star Children’s Hospice – our re–furbishing low income households and
headline charity – provides care and community buildings. In 2007 the scheme
support to children and young people gave out 3,098.58 litres of paint to 117
living with a life–limiting condition and their individuals and community groups.
families, and we are committed to growing
Breakdown of Community Support & Donations
our relationship with them via donations,
fundraising, volunteering time, and providing
in–kind support. Instead of sending
Support Given 2007 2008 (to date)
Christmas cards and gifts to our customers
in 2007 Allsignsgroup decided to make a
IN CASH
donation to this charity. This was equivalent
to £1,000.
£1,950 £100
Shooting Star Hospice
The Log Cabin
£5,050 £5,080
Other Charitable Donations
another local cause and children’s charity
which provides play facilities for 4–15 year
IN KIND
olds with special needs and disabilities,
has recently benefited from signs and
£1,000 £500
Log Cabin
banners given to support their calendar of
fundraising events.
£300 £200
Community Re–Paint
0 £150
Employee Time / Volunteering
TOTAL £8,300 £7,030 (YTD)
“It is fantastic to have the support of
Allsignsgroup, as a local children’s hospice
we rely on the support we receive from the
community. As a local company Allsignsgroup
are the perfect partners who can hopefully
promote our work to their contacts and provide Alex Robinson, Corporate Fundraiser
– Shooting Star Children’s Hospice
vital funds to continue our work.” www.shootingstar.org.uk

13. Economic Regeneration
As members of the local Brentford Chamber A recent example of volunteering was for
of Commerce we are keen to help the the Reservoir to Tap challenge organised
local area of Hounslow and Brent with its by Thames Water in conjunction with The
regeneration targets. Our initial focus has Hounslow Education Business Partnership
been on education and skills, and we have where a senior employee helped guide and
developed a new relationship with the advise groups of students to design, build
and test a water supply network, simulating
Hounslow Education Business Partnership
to initially assist and plan opportunities and the life of a real engineering project.
challenges for young people through us as
a community partner.
As such it is our intention to run a design
competition for local schools starting in
Autumn 2008 with the double aim of helping
to promote the impact of business on green
issues and education in the local area – one
of our fleet of vans will ultimately display
the winning artwork, and a sponsored work
experience placement will also be offered as
a prize. Watch this space!
Employee Volunteering
There is keen interest from among
employees to grow the number of volunteer
days we participate in. During 2008/09 we
hope to create as many 20 volunteer days
for the company during the course of 2009,
representing a sizeable commitment to the
development of our CSR plan.
Community Targets 2008/9
To achieve 20 volunteer days for staff in 2009
To run one major fundraising event for our headline charity in 2009.
To launch local design competiton for students
To apply for the Business in the Community – Community Mark Award 2009
5.2
Strategy
Workplace
Environment
Marketplace
Community

14. Allsignsgroup 2008
Crown House
30 Commerce Road
Brentford,
Middx TW8 8LE
Tel: 020 8232 6800
Fax: 020 8232 6801
ISDN: 020 8847 1966
www.allsignsgroup.com
Company registered in England no. 1066773 Registered name: A.E. Tyler Limited
Registered Office: St Brides House, 10 Salisbury Square, London EC4Y 8EH VAT no: 223 5356 82
www.simplycsr.com