Modern slavery is a crime and a violation of fundamental human rights. It takes various forms, such as slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour and human trafficking, all of which have in common the deprivation of a person’s liberty by another to exploit them for personal or commercial gain. We have a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and we are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business dealings and relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in our own business.
This policy applies to all persons working for us or on our behalf in any capacity, including employees at all levels, directors, agency workers, seconded workers, contractors, external consultants and business partners.
The Managing Director has overall responsibility for ensuring this policy complies with our legal and ethical obligations, and that all those under our control comply with it. The Managing Director also has primary and day-to-day responsibility for implementing this policy, monitoring its use and effectiveness, dealing with any queries about it, and auditing internal control systems and procedures to ensure they are effective in countering modern slavery. Management at all levels are responsible for ensuring those reporting to them understand and comply with this policy and are given adequate and regular training on it and the issue of modern slavery in supply chains.
You are invited to comment on this policy and suggest ways in which it might be improved. Comments, suggestions and queries are encouraged and should be addressed to the third-party Health and Safety Consultant.
You must ensure that you read, understand and comply with this policy.
You must notify your manager or the compliance as soon as possible if you believe or suspect that a conflict with this policy has occurred or may occur in the future.
You are encouraged to raise concerns about any issue or suspicion of modern slavery in any parts of our business or supply chains of any supplier tier at the earliest possible stage.
If you believe or suspect a breach of this policy has occurred or that it may occur you must notify your manager or report it as soon as possible.
If you are unsure about whether a act, the treatment of workers more generally, or their working conditions within any tier of our supply chains constitutes any of the various forms of modern slavery, raise it with your manager.
We aim to encourage openness and will support anyone who raises genuine concerns in good faith under this policy, even if they turn out to be mistaken. We are committed to ensuring no one suffers any detrimental treatment because of reporting in good faith their suspicion that modern slavery of whatever form is or may be taking place in any part of our own business or in any of our supply chains. Detrimental treatment includes dismissal, disciplinary action, threats or other unfavourable treatment connected with raising a concern. If you believe that you have suffered any such treatment, you should inform the compliance manager immediately. Any employee who breaches this policy will face disciplinary action, which could result in dismissal for misconduct or gross misconduct.
Victex Services Ltd (VSL) is committed to eliminating discrimination and encouraging diversity amongst our workforce. Our aim is that our workforce will be truly representative of all sections of society and each employee feels respected and able to give of their best.
To that end the purpose of this policy is to provide equality and fairness for all in our employment and not to discriminate on grounds of gender, marital status, race, ethnic origin, colour, nationality, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, religion or age. We oppose all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination.
VSL staff, whether part-time, full-time or temporary, will be treated fairly and with respect. Selection for employment, promotion, training or any other benefit will be on the basis of aptitude and ability.
All employees will be helped and encouraged to develop their full potential and the talents and resources of the workforce will be fully utilised to maximise the efficiency of the organisation.
Victex Services Ltd commitment includes:
To create an environment in which individual differences and the contributions of all our staff are recognised and valued.
Every employee is entitled to a working environment that promotes dignity and respect to all. No form of intimidation, bullying or harassment will be tolerated.
Training, development and progression opportunities are available to all staff.
Equality in the workplace is good management practice and makes sound business sense.
We will review all our employment practices and procedures to ensure fairness.
Breaches of our equality policy will be regarded as misconduct and could lead to disciplinary proceedings.
This policy is fully supported by senior management and has been agreed with employee representatives.
The policy will be monitored continuously and reviewed as a minimum annually.
The company fully subscribes to all the points included in the Ethical Trading Initiative and expects all its employees and contractors to do the same to ensure this Victex Services Ltd is committed to the following objectives;
Employment is freely chosen
There is no forced, bonded or involuntary prison labour.
Workers are not required to lodge “deposits” or their identity papers with the company and are free to leave the company after reasonable notice.
Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are respected
Workers, without distinction, have the right to join or form trade unions of their own choosing and to bargain collectively.
The company adopts an open attitude towards the activities of trade unions and their organisational activities.
Workers representatives are not discriminated against and have access to carry out their representative functions in the workplace.
Where the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining is restricted under law, the company facilitates, and does not hinder, the development of parallel means for independent and free association and bargaining.
Working conditions are safe and hygienic
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.
Workers shall receive regular and recorded health and safety training, and such training shall be repeated for new or reassigned workers.
Access to clean toilet facilities and to potable water, and, if appropriate, sanitary facilities for food storage shall be provided on sites managed by the company.
Accommodation, where provided, shall be clean, safe, and meet the basic needs of the workers.
The company observing the code shall assign responsibility for health and safety to a senior management representative.
Child labour shall not be used
There shall be no new recruitment of child labour.
Children and young persons under 18 shall not be employed at night or in hazardous conditions.
Minimum wages are paid
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.
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.
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.
Working hours are not excessive
Working hours comply with national laws and benchmark industry standards, whichever affords greater protection.
No discrimination is practised
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.
To every extent possible work performed must be on the basis of recognised employment relationship established through national law and practice.
Physical abuse or discipline, the threat of physical abuse, sexual or other harassment and verbal abuse or other forms of intimidation shall be prohibited.
Policy statement
Victex Services Ltd is committed to creating a healthy and safe working environment for all its workforce, and one that is supportive of employees experiencing mental health problems.
Victex Services Ltd recognises that good mental health is fundamental to general wellbeing and acknowledges the benefits in morale and productivity in the workplace, of supporting employees to be able to achieve healthy working lives.
Victex Services Ltd recognises that mental health problems can be triggered by factors both internal and external to the workplace.
Victex Services Ltd recognises that mental health impairments, which have a substantial and long-term adverse effect on an individual’s ability to carry out day-to-day activities, are likely to make the staff member a disabled person under the Equality Act 2010[1].
In accordance with equality legislation, Victex Services Ltdwill work actively to eliminate discrimination against and harassment of disabled people, promote positive attitudes to disabled people and encourage disabled people to participate in public life.
Victex Services Ltd believes that any form of harassment, bullying, victimisation, or intimidation is unacceptable behaviour, undermines the dignity of an individual, is morally wrong and has a detrimental effect on the provision and delivery of services. This includes harassment and bullying related to disability and an individual’s mental health problems. For this reason, it will not be tolerated.
Victex Services Ltd recognises that bullying and harassment around mental health problems may include:
- Making public the nature of the person’s mental health problem without consent
- Using offensive and discriminatory language to describe a person or their mental health problem
- Spreading malicious rumours about the person’s mental health problem or their behaviours
- Belittling, ridiculing or undermining the person due to their mental health problem
- Excluding the person from workplace or social activities.
Harassment and bullying will be treated as disciplinary offences and appropriate disciplinary action, including warnings, compulsory transfers (without protection of wages or salary), and dismissal for serious offences, may be taken against any employee who violates the bullying and harassment Behavioural Policy policy and other relevant policies provided by Victex Services Ltd.
Victex Services Ltd also recognises that it has a responsibility to protect employees from bullying or harassment at work by members of the public and contractors. All staff have the right to be treated with respect by the public they provide services to or work with.
The aim of this policy is to:
- promote mental health and wellbeing for all staff
- promote an open and supportive culture where mental health problems can be raised and dealt with effectively
- communicate and promote Victex Services Ltd.’s commitment to identifying and tackling organisational issues that negatively impact on mental health
- ensure appropriate risk assessments are regularly undertaken to prevent, identify and control sources of work-related stress and ensure that the outcomes of risk assessments are reported and acted upon
- provide employees experiencing mental health problems with access to professional assistance and support
- ensure that no worker, either current or potential, is discriminated against either directly or indirectly because of their mental health problem
reduce barriers to employment for disabled people with mental health problems, and consider and accommodate all reasonable adjustment needs.
proposed action relating to the prevention of workplace stress and they will be meaningfully involved in the risk assessment process.
Further details can also be found in Victex Services Ltd.’s health and safety policy found at https://victexservices.com/policy
Victex Services Ltd (VSL) recognises the importance of environmental responsibility throughout all its activities in the provision of temporary agency personnel. All employees are required to ensure that environmental issues are carefully considered in the planning, controlling and execution of all work and utilising the principles of BS EN ISO 14001.
The company is committed to:
Striving for continual improvement in our environmental performance and prevention of pollution.
The reduction, within reasonable economic constraints, of the environmental impact of its activities and where practicable to sustain the use of all resources.
Meet the requirements of all relevant legislation and where practicable exceed these requirements.
Communicate internally and externally our environmental performance and plans where requested.
Ensuring that all employees are aware of this Environmental Policy statement through training, instruction, and supervision.
To continually assess our environmental performance
Annually review our environmental objectives
The company is committed to the continued review and improvement of its environmental performance as appropriate to the nature and scale of its operations. Senior Management has overall responsibility for this Environmental Policy.
The company are committed to preventing Bribery by persons associated with the company and commit to carrying out our business in a fair, honest and open way, commit to zero tolerance towards bribery and believe that by rejecting Bribery our reputation will be enhanced further and customers and suppliers will have increased levels of confidence in dealing with us.
We have assessed the risks within the organisation and have procedures in place to cover a range of principles surrounding our policy including top level involvement, due diligence on staff, communication and monitoring & review.
For clarity the company may undertake various marketing events and entertainment functions that clients are invited to attend and we do this to get to know our clients, create opportunities to obtain feedback and explain more about our services.
We also believe that good business relationships are built between companies with similar cultures. Such events allow parties to identify respective culture and assess each other’s attitudes towards key business issues. In addition, we sometimes meet clients for discussions over a meal as a speedier or more convenient way to achieve the above or just as a way to extend the working day in carrying out the normal business activities of customer service, planning, monitoring activity or review.
The company may give away small branded promotional items to many clients and on occasion we give small and low-cost gifts at Christmas to help build name awareness. Sometimes, to help support good causes that are brought to our attention by clients, we contribute to charitable endeavours – typically sponsored achievements, but we always keep this relatively low and in proportion. We will always respect clients’ own requirements for their staff not to attend functions and abide by any contractual requirements between the parties that restrict such meetings or acceptance of gifts, however small.
Where events or entertainment functions do take place, we have procedures in place to keep such invitations proportional and purposeful. There is full transparency of transactions, expense claims and disclosure of information across our central staff monitoring and reviewing marketing and entertainment expenditure. Management approval and signing off checks are in place to verify compliance.
Outside of our normal business activities, described above, we wish to make it clear that it is forbidden for any employee to offer, promise or give a financial or other advantage to another person in an attempt to bring about any improper conduct by that person In addition employees must never accept or take any financial or other advantage from persons in our supply chain where it is intended that the employee should act improperly towards that supplier as a result.
“The consequences of breaching our policy on Bribery for employees will be Immediate
Disciplinary Action”.
As Director of Victex Services Ltd (VSL) “Corporate Responsibility” is about living the values and principles that govern the way we operate as an organisation and behave as individuals. It is about ensuring we sustain safe operations, have a positive impact on our people, the communities we work in and the wider environment and build the trust and respect of our customers and other stakeholders.
This policy statement relates to the social and non-regulatory aspects of our corporate responsibility, i.e. conservation issues within the environment as opposed to environmental regulations governing noise, etc.
The standard expected requires the development of systems and procedures that create and deliver sustainable value in relation to the safety of operations, our impact on the environment, engagement in the community and enabling our people to excel. This should include:
- Identification and engagement with key stakeholders
- Recording and reporting on initiatives we have undertaken and their impact
- Recording and reporting on community investment
- Management review at board level
- Awareness training and communicating to staff so that they understand the company’s approach to CR and the business commitments made
- Involvement of all staff in the CR process, providing them with the opportunity to contribute ideas as well as their time and skills.
We recognise the impact that we make on society, the economy and the planet, and we seek to make a positive difference in the places where we operate.
This Policy sets out a framework for the development and implementation of Corporate Responsibility activities throughout the company and supports our values as an organisation.
I have defined this Corporate Responsibility Policy to describe my approach in relation to how I look after my company’s employees; to ensure we as a company are successfully integrated into the communities within which we work; that we take our environmental responsibilities seriously; and above anything else that we operate safely in all aspects of our work.