- As an equal opportunities employer, our policy is that no employee, worker or applicant for employment will receive less favourable treatment than another person on the grounds of their race, (including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin), religion or religious belief, sex, marital status, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, trade union membership, pregnancy and maternity, age or disability. No employee or applicant for employment will be discriminated against or disadvantaged by any condition or requirement that is not justified by the genuine needs of the job or the organisation. We recognise the nine protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010 and apply the provisions of the Act in full in all areas of our organisation.
- This policy is relevant to all areas of employment, but in particular in relation to:
- Recruitment and selection processes, practices and procedures within the Company
- Job descriptions and job specifications in all areas
- Training and career development opportunities available to all employees
- Terms and conditions of employment for all employees
- Access to employee benefits and facilities
- Application of all policies and procedures including grievance, disciplinary and redundancy policies or procedures
- We view this policy as an important issue as it covers all of our employees and workers, regardless of position or status, and also applies to contractors and sub-contractors.
- It is the responsibility of all employees and workers to ensure its observance. Any breaches of this policy will be treated extremely seriously by the Company. Conduct by employees and workers during the course of their employment that constitutes discrimination on the above grounds, will be considered to be gross misconduct and will lead to dismissal.
- We will review this policy on a regular basis and will implement changes where necessary to improve equality of opportunity. This commitment applies to all our employment policies and procedures, across our organisation, not just those specifically connected with equal opportunities. We will ensure this policy is reviewed to take account of the development of systems for information recording, monitoring and employee training.
- To achieve these aims, the Company intends to take steps to ensure that the principles of this policy dictate our strategy and all policies and procedures are regularly monitored and reviewed.
- We will monitor diversity at every stage of employment to minimise the risk of any direct or indirect discrimination. We will challenge and investigate discriminatory behaviour and enforce the disciplinary procedure, when this is considered necessary.
- Our intention is to communicate and regularly review the positive initiatives that have been implemented. The Company intends to support and uphold the communities in which we live and work to ensure that we are involved and to ensure that the Company keeps abreast of the necessary issues and best practice.
Our Organisation’s Structure
Spring is a creative agency based in The Press, 4 Church Street, Southwold, Suffolk IP18 6JG
Our Business
We are a provider of brand and marketing services with one studio in the UK.
Our Supply Chains
Our supply chains mainly comprise professional businesses providing design and production services for our clients.
Our Policies on Slavery and Human Trafficking
We are committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains or in any part of our business.
Spring operates to ensure fairness in the recruitment, retention and development of all employees and it seeks to comply with all applicable employment legislation.
Spring seeks to provide a work environment where employees are treated with respect, dignity and consideration.
Spring monitors its supply chains and its suppliers to ensure, so far as is possible, that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place within those supply chains.
Due diligence process for slavery and human trafficking
As part of our commitment to identify and eradicate slavery and human trafficking from within our business and from those businesses in which we interact, we:
- work closely with our supply chains to ensure compliance with legislative obligations and we expect those organisations to have suitable anti-slavery and human trafficking policies and processes
- we seek to build long-standing relationships with suppliers and to make clear our expectations of ethical business behaviour from them
- we have in place systems to encourage the reporting of concerns and the protection of whistleblowers.
Supplier Adherence to our Values
Spring has a zero tolerance view to slavery and human trafficking and we expect that view to prevail in our supply chain and contractors.
Senior management at Spring are responsible for compliance in their respective departments, insofar as there is perceived to be a risk of encouraging, engaging or sustaining slavery and human trafficking.
Training
To ensure appropriate levels of risk awareness in respect of modern slavery and human trafficking, we will provide training to relevant members of staff and in particular senior managers who will undertake personnel decisions.
Our effectiveness in combating slavery and human trafficking
As has been stated above, we believe that because we carry out one to one recruitment processes or staff and suppliers, with subsequent monitoring of performance and the attainment of regulatory standards, our exposure within our business to human trafficking and slavery is low.
The statement is made to pursuant to Section 54 (1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes our slavery and human trafficking statement for the current financial year.