Corporate Social Responsibility
Helping the community where we work and live
Opportunities to develop at work
Apprenticeship scheme
Staff on-the-job training
Ethical Supply Chain
The materials used are ethically sourced, working with suppliers that implement ethical labour standards.
Environmental Considerations
Semmco has implemented many environmentally friendly systems in the offices and workshop from paper use and recycling to reducing packaging for shipping products. Any off cuts or waste created during the manufacturing process are recycled where possible. Staff are encouraged to walk and cycle to work where they can and a bike shed is available at the head office.
Charitable Activity and Volunteering
Each year the Semmco team chooses to support a local charity as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility charter. The company hosts events e.g. raffles, cake sales and car washes; staff participate in marathons and charitable events such as the Dragon Boat Racing to help raise money for its charity of the year.
Health and Safety
Semmco designs, manufactures and supplies various equipment to keep people safe in the workplace therefore health and safety is a vital part of the company’s every day life. Safe working practices are adhered to in the manufacturing areas and staff are regularly trained in how to work safely at all times.
Additional care and training is also given to the Semmco engineers who travel to customer sites to carry out assembly and maintenance work.
Good and safe driving techniques are expected to be observed by the sales teams.
Corporate Social Responsibility Policy
CSR is an integral part of the way in which Semmco operates and has a direct correlation with Semmco’s growth strategy. We have based our working culture on engaging and empowering employees, customers, partners and suppliers at all levels of our organisation using ‘lean’ as a standard way of business operations.
Environment
We work to have a positive effect on the environment where possible. We are passionate about preventing pollution and do this through effective purchasing, waste disposal, control of emissions, noises and other commercial disruptions.
Our aim is to identify and evaluate the environmental effects of services and activities and we set objectives and targets for continual improvement. It is fundamental that we are meeting the requirements of environmental legislation, corporate instructions, customer requirements, and other requirements to which Semmco subscribes.
Our products are designed so that they can be shipped in the most cost effective way, reducing delivery and installation time. Off cuts of manufacturing materials such as aluminium are recycled.
We seek opportunities to reduce, re-use and recycle materials or resources, disposing of waste materials safely and responsibly.
Semmco has implemented a recycling system where possible. Office paper is either reused or recycled, printing is automatically set to print on both sides of the sheet thus almost halving the amount of paper used. Plastics, tins, cardboard and cartons are also recycled.
We have reduced fuel consumption and carbon emissions through the installation of trackers on our vehicles and only use courier and freight suppliers who are also committed to reduce their carbon footprint.
We have built a culture of reducing energy use within our premises. We use energy efficient kettles, control the heating and air conditioning through programmed thermostats and use energy efficient light bulbs.
Workplace
Health & Safety
We are a Company that provides safe working platforms and equipment for our customers and therefore it is imperative that we also provide safe working practices for our employees.
Our statement of general policy is:
- to monitor and control health and safety risks arising from our workplace activities
- to provide our employees with all necessary PPE for tasks and any possible risks
- to consult with our employees on matters affecting their welfare, health and safety
- to provide and maintain safe plant and equipment
- to ensure safe handling and use of substances
- to provide information, instruction and supervision for employees
- to ensure all employees are suitably competent to carry out their tasks, and to provide suitable adequate training
- to prevent accidents and cases of work-related ill health
- to maintain safe and healthy working conditions
- to review and revise this policy as necessary at regular intervals
Employee Wellbeing
At Semmco, we support a programme of employee wellbeing that includes 1:1 support and guidance on work and personal issues, as well as offering Private Healthcare and an Employee Assistance Programme.
We empower employees to offer solutions and suggestions to improve their job and working environment. We want our employees to work in a safe and healthy environment and we like to think that any concerns are addressed immediately. We have a suggestion box that allows employees to confidentially communicate any H&S issues or concerns immediately. We also hold communications meetings with everyone regularly that involve discussing business results, new designs and customer feedback.
We have a monthly internal newsletter, The Scoop, that keeps everyone informed of the work across all our businesses and relays important and celebratory news about members of staff.
We encourage a positive work culture whereby the Company supports employees as well as employees supporting each other. As part of our commitment to raising money for our local charity, we arrange activities for employees that are not only rewarding but assist with team building.
Building of Supplier Partnerships
Semmco seeks better ways of working with our suppliers and where possible we source materials or services locally or within the UK. We are proud that we are a UK manufacturer and that most of our products are made in Britain using British suppliers.
We endeavour to select the most appropriate material for the design of our equipment and it will be in accordance with our quality manual. The materials used will be ethically sourced, using suppliers that implement ethical labour standards.
We procure our goods, services and utilities in a way that does not impact our business or reputation negatively. We achieve value for money whilst generating benefits to society, the economy and environment. Our Policy is designed to deliver sustainable procurement elements by working closely with our supply chain and working with our Stakeholders.
We commit to:
- Derive value from a progressive approach to supply chain diversity and inclusion
- Consider our customers and suppliers equal partners in achieving sustainable procurement
- Pay our suppliers promptly
- Embed a culture of zero waste through efficient operations and the procurement process
- Procure materials from recognised, responsible suppliers where we control the specification
- Create supply chain opportunities for local businesses
Additionally we support our suppliers to comply with the specific requirements and underlying principles of our own Policies.
Quality
To help us exceed our customers’ expectations, we maintain a UKAS accredited quality management system that is certified to ISO 9001:2015.
Equality and Equal Opportunities
Semmco is committed to being an equal opportunity employer and has a policy for this purpose. We encourage applications from all sectors of our community regardless of race, colour, religious belief, sexual orientation, gender, disability, age or marital status.
We offer employees clear and fair employment terms and maintain strict safeguards to ensure all our people are treated with respect. We do not support child labour and would not utilise any supplier that encouraged this.
We recognise the importance of investing in our workforce. We deliver training and provide the resources to help all our people develop their skills and achieve their potential, without discrimination.
Slavery and Human Trafficking
Semmco is committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains or in any part of our business.
We are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships and taking reasonable steps to ensure slavery and human trafficking are not taking place in any business or organisation that has any sort of a business relationship with our Company.
The Company has zero tolerance to slavery and human trafficking. We expect all those in our supply chain and contractors to comply with our values.
As part of our initiative to identify and mitigate risk, Semmco has in place systems to encourage the reporting of concerns and the protection of whistleblowers.
Our supply chain providers are always with a UK provider and we expect these entities to have suitable anti-slavery and human trafficking policies and processes.
The management team are responsible for compliance within their respective departments and in their supplier relationships and have been trained accordingly.
There is a Company induction where our policies, procedures and expectations are outlined.
Semmco uses the following key performance indicators to measure how effective we have been to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in any part of our business or supply chains:
• Use of labour monitoring, right to work documentation and payroll audits
• We maintain a level of communication and personal contact with the next link in the supply chain to ensure their understanding of, and compliance with, our expectations.
• We regularly review supply chain policies, codes of conduct and our working practices to show commitment.
Community
Semmco undertakes to be considerate as a member of the local community. Our workshop is located within a trading estate which causes little or no disruption to local residents. By actively raising our operating standards, reducing disruption and minimising environmental damage, we are ensuring any impact is a positive one.
We also welcome feedback from our employees but also from members of the community who we regularly come into contact with. Any feedback whether negative or positive is responded to with the upmost urgency.
A CSR committee has been established and we have chosen to support a local charity with planned activities and financial targets throughout the year. We have also committed to voluntary work within the local community. The CSR committee will also review different methods of supporting our CSR policy.
We also understand the importance of giving local youngsters work experience opportunities and we regularly provide placements for students. Our plan for 2020/2021 is to offer apprenticeships.
