Our Ethical Policy

We believe that all businesses should be adding value to the world. Commercial activities should be primarily motivated by what is good for everyone, not just shareholders. And genuine value comes from the contribution that companies make to the well-being and cultural enrichment of their employees, their customers, and the world at large.

We believe that by meeting our collective responsibilities to be good and ethical corporate citizens, we create a path toward a more balanced and harmonious world.

Our number one rule is to be a force for good (not evil). We always prioritize the well-being of people and planet over pure profit. And we strive to act with honesty, integrity, fairness and transparency. We endeavour to be consistently mindful of how our actions impact others.

We choose not to work with clients and suppliers that engage in dishonest, exploitative, ecologically destructive, or socially harmful practices. This includes businesses whose primary income is derived from weapons or military supplies; fossil fuels or unsustainable environmental exploitation; gambling, alcohol, nicotine-based products, recreational narcotics, pornography, prostitution, or other addictive or self-destructive behaviours.

Diversity & Respect

We like diversity. Our human differences make the world more interesting and colourful. We firmly believe in treating everyone fairly and with respect. Nobody should be discriminated against because of their gender, culture, religion, skin colour, abilities, opinions, sexuality, or any other random prejudice. Through cooperation, collaboration, and open communication, we gain a deeper understanding of each other, create vibrant communities, and build strong friendships. We do not accept offensive, intimidating, hostile, demeaning, or abusive behaviour.

Fair Employment

In this day and age, it seems crazy that we still have to be explicit about this! Everyone has the right to a fair wage and freedom of employment. We’re committed to paying the Real Living Wage set by the Living Wage Foundation and providing security of hours by following their Living Hours standards. We operate a 32-hour week worked over four-and-a-half days. Colleagues who work beyond these hours are entitled to payment or time off in lieu. We allow flexibility for colleagues to work from home or take time off when needed. Our employment contracts are written in clear English and do not contain anything that would be considered unreasonably restrictive by any decent human being.

Personal Safety

While our work generally carries low levels of personal risk, we are committed to safe working practices that avoid putting ourselves and others in unnecessary danger. We use real-world risk assessment to encourage the team to be conscious of risk for themselves and others. We ensure all colleagues have appropriate personal protection equipment where necessary. And we allow colleagues to refuse to work anywhere they feel unsafe.

Freedom Of Expression

Even when we might disagree, everyone has the right to express themselves and be heard. The free exchange of opinions and ideas is where the sparks of growth come from. Through weekly consultation, all colleagues have the opportunity to shape the company culture and participate in the business’s decision-making.

Consultation

We use the Bahá’í principles of consultation as a cornerstone of decision-making and conflict resolution. This process honours a collective search for truth over hierarchical authority. It encourages inclusive participation, allowing everyone to express their viewpoints, concerns, challenges, and insights freely without judgment. It invites participants to listen to each other respectfully and attentively. All contributions are considered as belonging to the process rather than any individual. Through this process, we allow our shared perspectives to guide us toward constructive and unified outcomes.

Protecting Privacy

The modern world is crazy enough without having to worry about who’s doing what to our data! We treat the data and privacy of individuals and corporations with the same respect and care we’d want for our own data. We assume that all sensitive information should be protected, not just that which is explicitly covered by non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements. Anything that could be used to personally identify individuals or that contains confidential information or intellectual property with which we have been entrusted in the course of our work is encrypted and stored securely and only used for legitimate purposes authorized by the data owner.

Environmental Impact

Even though our business activities are relatively low-impact, we are conscious of the importance of minimizing our environmental footprint. We are committed to avoiding single-use plastics and unsustainably sourced materials. We ask colleagues to use the provided recycling and composting facilities diligently, to be mindful of our collective energy consumption, particularly heating and cooling, and to actively seek ways to reduce our impact to zero.

We Care About Caring

Fundamentally, we are one people sharing one planet. We’ve all got to live together and get along! And so, we believe that we all share the responsibility of making the world a nicer place for all.