Health Management Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Report 2015

Transcription

1 Health Management Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Report 2015 February 2016 J Gibbens Public

2 Corporate social responsibility and sustainability report Purpose Corporate responsibility to Health Management is more than ensuring legal compliance, we recognise that our operations have an impact on the local, regional and potentially global environment and as a consequence we are committed to integrating sustainability into every aspect of our internal operations, as well as the way we work with our customers, suppliers and business partners. Our overarching objective is to minimise our negative impact and promote sustainability through proactive planning, policy and decision making activities, while maintaining an ethos of continual improvement in our approach. We actively encourage all employees, customers, business partners and suppliers to take responsibility for sustainability. As a successful business there is an assumption of an obligation to be accountable to society and therefore Health Management are committed to becoming a truly sustainable business by reducing our carbon footprint, environmental impact and creating positive effects on the economic environment and social structure within which we operate. We have embraced the 10 principles set out in the UN Global Compact of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, as well as other international ethical codes of conduct, labour standards and environmental management protocols. This succinct summary report sets out our commitment to the various principals and reports, where applicable, on our actions and activities in key aspects of sustainability in Key commitments in 2015 Promote environmental, sustainable and responsible management policies and practices at every level within the organisation; Eliminating unnecessary use of energy and wherever possible all forms of pollution; Avoid waste and encourage recycling of goods and products wherever possible; Proactive social and ethical responsibility including upholding all labour standards, human rights and ensuring a positive economic impact; Exemplary health and safety; Ethical conduct and compliance.

3 Our key commitments in 2015 Promote environmental, sustainable and responsible management policies and practices at every level within the organisation We are aware that procurement can make a contribution to our objectives for sustainability and corporate responsibility and therefore we have purchasing standards with all our suppliers. As part of our due diligence protocols when taking on a new supplier or business partner we will ask them to assess themselves against key environmental and sustainability impact criteria and this will inform our decision making process for contract award. Our protocols are based upon giving preference, as far as is practicable, to those products and services which cause least harm to the environment. HML also actively encourage and work with suppliers and business partners who adapt their policies and procedures to be more carbon neutral, environmentally and socially sustainable where possible. We only work with suppliers and business partners who subscribe to or work within the UN Global Compact principles and are compliant with all legislation regarding environmental management, human rights, forced and compulsory labour, freedom of association, working time, minimum wage, child labour, equality and diversity regulations, as well as holding exemplary records for safe and healthy workplaces and anticorruption measures. Eliminating unnecessary use of energy and wherever possible all forms of pollution In 2015 Health Management undertook the Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) assessment, as required under Article 8 of the EU Energy Efficiency Directive (2012/27/EU). This report by Energy and Carbon Management has given Health Management a series of recommendations to further reduce our use of energy and wherever possible pollution. This report will form the backbone of our targets and commitment to environmental management over the next four years. There are a number of constraints that must be considered within our plans such as; the leased buildings, an inability to choose energy suppliers (as this is controlled by the landlord) and Health Management s requirements for a fleet of mobile health units to service our client s health surveillance needs across the country. Health Management are however reviewing the building structures, insulation and heating systems with our landlords, where possible, to minimise energy loss and ensure we can be as efficient as possible. We will review and act upon the findings highlighted within the report of our transport energy utilisation, which equated to almost half our calculated energy emissions, by encouraging the use of public transport and car sharing initiatives as alternatives to the use of private motor vehicles.

4 In 2015 Health Management rolled out a Cycle to Work initiative with tax efficient loans to buy bicycles. Working in tandem with Halfords, the scheme is designed to encourage employees to reduce their commuting emissions (as well as get fitter and more healthy!). We have introduced and are trialling technical solutions that reduce the need for any travel, while ensuring customer satisfaction is not negatively impacted, such as tele conferences, tele and video medical assessments and conference calls. (Tele and video based medical assessments ensure that employees in remote locations do not have to travel great distances to be assessed appropriately). The Babylon trial is underway and the outcome will be reviewed in early 2016 to establish if this is a viable long term solution. We will continue to develop other new ways of working that minimise our environmental impact, including IT on-line solutions and new protocols that reduce waste or emissions. We are now measuring our carbon footprint to assess our energy utilisation and benchmark ourselves against similar organisations, when headcount growth is taken into consideration, as part of our commitment to work towards achieving ISO To date we have completed and/or developed the following tools for this accreditation Carbon footprint measurement tool Environmental impact register Environmental legal register The EMS manual is in final draft Avoid waste and encourage recycling of goods and products wherever possible All Health Management offices have recycling facilities to reduce waste and encourage recycling of paper, cardboard, plastic, glass and all other materials that can be recycled appropriately. Currently we recycle almost 95% of our paper used. Our other recycling efforts are within the same percentage range. Health Management are trialling paperless working environments and utilising whiteboards to further reduce paper waste. Although almost all our paper is recycled through our Shredit services, by not using paper to begin with we will reduce our footprint more significantly. All our electronic/electrical waste is disposed of appropriately under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive)/European Community Directive 2012/19/EU requirements and any other waste is disposed of legally, with minimal quantities going to landfill where possible. We have encouraged our suppliers to consider their use of paper, packaging and waste. An example is the development of a secure file transfer portal, launched in the autumn of 2015, whereby electronic reports can be shared between Health Management and our suppliers, without the need for a hard copy to be posted. This protocol has the additional benefit of ensuring data security and timeliness issues are addressed.

5 We also proactively choose local suppliers for each of our geographical locations to minimise supplier emissions when deliveries are made. Although we have limited capacity to reduce our water consumption/waste, as we only use it for domestic use, we will be raising awareness of water waste further this year. Proactive social, economic and ethical responsibility including labour standards and human rights Health Management remain committed to upholding the principals of the UN Global Compact. We acknowledge and ensure human rights, as defined by the Human Rights Act 1998, are never compromised in all our dealing with our employees, customers, suppliers and business partners. We support and endorse the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. We will not abide forced or compulsory labour practices, nor will we accept child labour, bonded labour or modern slavery, as defined under the Modern Slavery Act 2015, anywhere within our supply chain. We will support and allow freedom of association both within Health Management and encourage it in our supply chain. We uphold all legal and best practice standards around working hours in Health Management by paying all our staff over the recommended living wage. We expect our suppliers/business partners to meet minimum wage regulations. All the above commitments are confirmed within our supply chain as part of our due diligence checklist before any contract award. We ensure that the working environment for our employees is safe and healthy by undertaking regular risk assessments. We have in place both grievance and disciplinary policies, which ensure employees are aware of the processes, professional requirements and will be treated fairly. We respect and actively encourage equality, dignity and diversity in the workplace and expect our suppliers and business partners to adhere to the legal and best practice standards. This again forms part of the due diligence before contracting with any new supplier. We have recently reviewed our recruitment, training, development, dignity at work, flexible working and reasonable adjustment policies. The formal review included ensuring social inclusion in all aspects of our business. Health Management are an Equal Opportunities employer and will not discriminate on the grounds of an individual s age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation or because they work part-time.

6 Health Management, working in partnership with our local FE College (Sussex Downs), has continued to develop our Apprentice training programme, which is now entering its third year. One apprentice graduated from the programme during 2015 with a Level 2 diploma in Business Administration, and remains in the business, and a further two are working towards this qualification. We also currently have 11 Physicians/GPs on two occupational health speciality training programmes (2 and 4 years respectively) to become either Associates of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine or Members of the Faculty (i.e. Consultants) upon completion. Health Management have continued to engage with the Responsibility Deal, as proposed by the Department of Health, with pledges covering disability, long term absence management and wellbeing initiatives for our own employees and those of our customers. The pledges and responses for 2015 may be perused on the Responsibility Deal website. HML work with and support 81 charities and not for profit organisations with discounted prices and tailored occupational health services to ensure their employees remain safe and healthy while providing value to the charities and NPOs themselves. Health Management has two Trustees on the MAXIMUS Foundation board in the UK. The Foundation is committed to supporting organisations and programmes that promote personal growth and self-sufficiency through improved health, child and family development, and community development. It will provide financial support in the form of grants for charities and non-profit organisations that share Maximus commitment in helping the disadvantaged in our communities. Last year the Foundation gave grants to the value of 22,500 to charities in the local communities where we work. Health Management continue to buy fair trade products, ethically sourced or those from sustainable resources or those that support charities through their services, such as Water Aid, where possible. Health Management have committed to only work with suppliers and business partners who subscribe to or work within the UN Global Compact principles and are compliant with all legislation regarding environmental management, labour standards, equality and diversity regulations, as well as holding exemplary records for safe and healthy workplaces and anticorruption measures. This is checked as part of our due diligence process prior to contract award to an organisation. We actively look to work with local, small or medium sized enterprises (SMEs) when tendering for new suppliers and business partners and the majority of our suppliers are SMEs. Health Management have continued to engage with the Cabinet Office and participate in their quarterly exercise to collect indirect spend from their supply chain with regard to SMEs and this data is utilised by the Cabinet Office to meet the government s SME targets.

7 Health and safety Health Management continue to uphold the principle that we must provide a safe and healthy working environment for our employees, customers, their staff and our suppliers/business partners in accordance with international standards and national laws. In 2015 Health Management reviewed, improved and expanded our Health and Safety Policy and Management System to ensure all facets of our business, legal requirements and best practice standards are covered effectively. Ethical conduct and compliance Health Management wish to conduct all their working relationships with integrity and transparency and therefore do not condone or approve any form of financial inducements, or payments in kind, to win business, provide services or work with any supplier or business partner. Health Management therefore remain committed to ensuring neither bribery nor corruption may occur in any of our business dealings. Health Management will always use fair competitive practices in our dealings with customers, potential customers, suppliers and business partners and under no circumstances act inappropriately (including price fixing, collusion, reciprocal dealings, tying arrangements or other anti-competitive practices) Health Management, in line with our parent company, MAXIMUS Inc have a code of conduct that all employees must read and have ready access to. Each year all appropriate employees must undertake compliance training in the areas of conduct, business ethics, bribery, inducements and corruption. In % of nominated staff completed the training and achieved the required pass rate. Health Management operate under strict protocols regarding billing integrity, audit and segregation of duties as defined by both COSO and the Sarbannes Oxley (SOX) Act for all our financial transactions and this is audited externally by E&Y. Summary 2015 provided Health Management with a series of opportunities to improve and review our current protocols, policies and processes within the CSR arena. We continue to uphold our sustainability values and readily engage with our customers, as a supplier and subcontractor, in ensuring they can meet their sustainability targets and positively impact on the societies and economies in which they operate, as well as our own. Health Management will continue to work towards ISO14001 during 2016 and introduce new measures and activities to ensure the recommendations in the ESOS report are undertaken and/or introduced in a timely manner.