Overview

As a socially responsible organisation, Arktis Endurance Textiles Ltd (Arktis) is mindful of our place in our local communities and endeavours to deliver on corporate social responsibility and social value aims by continually measuring our performance in this regard as well as recognising our responsibility to consider the impact of our business decisions and the business opportunities we pursue, and how they affect local communities both directly and indirectly.

We provide products and services that fully satisfy the requirements of our customers whilst complying with the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012, and our own ethical commitments.

At Arktis, we are committed to achieving long term social value benefits and to demonstrating leadership by integrating social value considerations into all our business practices.

Scope and Application of Policy

This policy applies to all employees, associates and third parties who undertake activity for and on behalf of Arktis. It applies to the goods and services we procure, our direct operations and the services we provide to our customers.

This policy applies to all entities and employees. Those responsible for its implementation are the business leaders, directors and departmental leads of the Company.

This policy also provides an effective framework for realising our commitment to delivering social value outcomes according to our need for goods, services, works and utilities and in a way that achieves value for money on a whole life basis in terms of generating benefits not only to our organisation, but also society and the local economy, whilst minimising damage to the environment.

Our Commitment

We want our products, services and production to be part of a sustainable society.  Arktis is committed to:

• Promoting employment and economic sustainability – tackling unemployment and facilitating the development of skills through the creation of new jobs including economically inactive persons
• Offering apprenticeships supported by a college-based education in a number of business units
• The provision of a fair and living wage
• Sourcing labour from the local area through local publications and online
• The promotion of equality and fairness across all activities
• Offering work experience opportunities and career support for pupils / school leavers locally and through attendance at job fairs
• Supporting social innovation by working with and spending a % of total expenditure with local third sector, voluntary and social enterprise organisations wherever possible
• Working with and supporting charities and community schemes through sponsorship activities and regular donations
• Carrying out volunteering activities that deliver benefits to local communities.
• Supporting small, medium, micro-sized business and minority owned businesses to improve capability and grow sustainably.
• Reducing pollution and monitoring the reduction of any adverse impacts such as the effects of noise, dust and nuisance on the environment and communities as far as is reasonably practicable.
• Demonstrating efficient use of energy, water and raw materials through the development of performance indicators and taking appropriate opportunities to minimise waste and to re-use and recycle.
• Seeking to influence the environmental impact of our products through enhancement of design specifications for products and the adoption of sustainable practices.
• Enhancing social value awareness and commitment amongst our employees through structured training, and encouraging the adoption of sound environmental and social principles amongst customers and suppliers alike
• Communicating our social value objectives to our suppliers, employees, customers, and wider stakeholders
• Engaging in stakeholder and supplier dialogue where possible to identify innovative solutions and appropriate alternatives to meet social value challenges.
• Reporting on improvements achieved and social value targets for the future.

Governance, Measurement and Reporting

We will maintain clear accountability for delivering this policy, monitor and report on our social value impact and continuously improve our standards, efficiency, and effectiveness.

This Social Value Policy shall be reviewed on an annual basis.