1.0 Introduction

Like all organisations, our operations impact on the environment and the communities around us. As a market leading business Hozelock is respected for product quality, innovation and integrity. We apply these principles to the way we do business, whether locally or globally, with customers, consumers, suppliers, colleagues or employees.

This document is a summary of our commitments and outlines the way we do business and the standards we strive to achieve.

We will continue to deliver product and service solutions for today’s consumer, whilst working to sustain and improve our future.

2.0 Policy

The area of responsible business is vast and so we have agreed five core themes to drive our focus around sustainable business practice and these are our starting points in 2008.

Workplace – promote employee development, well-being and a positive working environment

Environment – act responsibly in our consumption of energy and water and reduce waste

Community – managing our impact and involvement in the local areas where we operate

Ethics – ensuring that we go about our business in a responsible and considerate way

Charity – focussed effort to ‘give something back’ by working with strategic charity partners

These areas of focus will develop and grow over time as we start to make progress towards our targets. Our commitment to working responsibly is continuous rather than a single project or initiative. We are working to embed these ways of working and thinking deep into our organisational culture.

3.0 Monitoring

We have a team to ensure focus and progress towards the key targets we have set ourselves. This team exists to monitor actions and address any issues arising as we work towards our goals.
Members of this team work on specific projects to support our progress involving individuals from all across the business (e.g. reducing waste, developing recycling facilities, reducing energy consumption and developing our links with education and charity partners) and we engage as many people as possible in order to generate ideas to achieve improvements in the five focus areas we have identified.

4.0 Targets

It is important to focus our project work in this area by having some clear and measurable targets. These targets will also develop and grow as we start to make progress.

Environment
1) Reduce carbon emissions at the Midpoint Park site
2) Deliver a workable proposal for harvesting and reusing rainwater
3) Reduce all Hozelock waste sent to landfill

Community
1) Deliver 50 days of business / education links participation
2) Establish and communicate a ‘good neighbour’ charter
3) Actively participate in Castle Vale Business Group for local community development

Ethics
1) Establish core business ethics for all employees to live and work to
2) Full audit process for all suppliers to include ethical measures
3) Secure data management

5.0 Organisational Development

These targets are an initial statement of intention and we will develop them over the coming years. The steering team will monitor progress, ensure continuous feedback. This document will change as the business and market develops. The steering team will review its content as often as necessary to ensure that it reflects a true statement of what and how we are doing.

Sustainability Policy – May 2008