Our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
The Cottage Nursery and Preschools is a company committed to creating business growth whilst ensuring that impact on the environment is minimised and that all activities are conducted safely by well-trained and qualified employees. We further aim to support community project that are carefully selected and supported.
The following summarises our policies and procedures.
Overall responsibility for developing corporate policies on social, ethical and environmental matters and for reviewing their effectiveness lies with the Board of Directors. It is then the responsibility of individual managers to communicate and apply that policy within their particular nurseries and preschools to ensure compliance with the policy and to maintain, review and refine procedures accordingly.
Our policies and procedures, including those relating to social, environmental, health and safety, employment and ethical matters, are communicated to all staff via the induction training and internal communications All policies and procedures are reviewed regularly and any updates are communicated to staff.
The three key areas of corporate social responsibility are:
- Environment
- Health and Safetyt
- Human rights, employment and ethicst
ENVIRONMENT
We are committed to adopting environmentally responsible policies; our environmental responsibility statement is shown below:
The Cottage Nursery and Preschools recognises the need for sustainable development and continually aims to improve the environmental effect of its activities. To achieve this we will establish sound environmental management by:
- Consider environmental issues in the decision making process.
- Developing a relationship with suppliers and contractors so that we all recognise our environmental responsibilities.
- Educating staff so that they carry out their activities in an environmentally responsible manner.
- Promoting an appreciation of the company's environmental performance among customer, staff and the general public.
We ensure we are providing for the effective use of resources by:
- Advising staff on the efficient use of energy and other utilities.
- Promoting waste minimisation by recycling or finding other uses of by-products whenever economically viable.
- Promoting the efficient use of resources, energy and fuel throughout the company's operations.
We will co-operate with:
- The communities in which we operate.
- The government, regulatory bodies and other interested parties with the shared vision of being a good and trusted neighbour.
OUR WORK IN THE COMMUNITY
Involvement in the local community is of paramount importance to us - we consider ourselves as community business being committed to businesses in the local area.
We believe that helping the local community is not just something we choose to do but is actually an important part of our business.
We understand that local businesses and communities are closely linked and that we can have a significant impact on communities as a whole.
The Cottage Nursery and Preschools endeavours to participate and support a number of national and local charities with both time and money.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
The Cottage Nursery and preschools recognises its health and safety duties and responsibilities and complies with the relevant health and safety legislation.
The Board of Directors have overall responsibility for health and safety. Please see our full Health and Safety Policy for further details.
HUMAN RIGHTS, EMPLOYMENT AND ETHICS
It is our policy to adhere to all legislation relating to employment rights and equal opportunities, with particular reference to non-discrimination on the basis of the Equality Act 2010.
We conduct all of our business operations in line with the Knowledge Universe Code of Conduct. This includes and expands on the following points:
- We ensure that physical, verbal and psychological abuse, or sexual or other forms of harassment towards employees are not tolerated.
- We ensure that disabled persons are recruited, trained and promoted on the basis of aptitude and ability. If employees become disabled, every effort is made to retain them and when necessary re-train them for appropriate posts.
- We pay wages and benefits which meet or exceed national minimum requirements and adhere to working time regulations where applicable.
- We do not use forced labour nor employ workers under the school-leaving age.
- We provide a safe and secure workplace and promote good health and safety and environmental practices.
- We adhere to applicable laws regarding the freedom of employees to associate or bargain collectively without fear of discrimination.
- All employees are expected to behave with integrity and honesty and adhere to the code of ethics.
- Employees may report any concerns they may have over unethical business practices or conduct, dangers to health and safety, or breach of company policies. Any such disclosures are appropriately investigated. In addition, we are committed to protecting the career and reputation of employees who report wrongdoing in accordance with established procedures, as long as their disclosures are delivered in good faith and seek to safeguard the best interests of the company.
- We do not give or receive any bribes, extra contractual gratuities, inducements, facilitation fees or similar payments.
- We do not give to customers or business contacts, or allow by employees to receive any gifts, whether in cash or kind, in line with the Code of Conduct, unless in the course of normally accepted business entertainment or the subject of prior written approval by management.
- We do not donate (including sponsorship, subscriptions or provision of employee time or facilities) to any political party or similar organisation.
- We ensure we purchase legal licences to all software in use.
- We try to ensure that there are no conflicts of interest between employee's private financial activities and their part in the conduct of our business.
- The Cottage Nursery and Preschools recognises the value that its employees create for the business and its commitment to training and personal development, together with remuneration policies which are designed to reward achievement and emphasise the importance of retaining staff.
- The Cottage Nursery and Preschools provide information to employees on a regular basis. This information includes matters relating to company performance, its prospects and the future outlook for business.
- The Cottage Nursery and Preschools support local charities and participates in a range of community activities.
THE FUTURE
The Cottage Nursery and Preschools will review this document annually and consult employees in order to evaluate this strategy and update and improve our policies on an ongoing basis.
As part of this process, we will monitor our progress against our objectives to ensure compliance and we will continue to set new objectives for the future.
