Overview

The Community Foundation for Staffordshire aims to ensure that throughout our operations we maintain a strict ethical and environmental code of conduct.  We encourage our service users and supporters to also engage in an ethical and environmentally sound way of working, and for such reasons it is right that we lead from the front.

This policy is broadly broken down into two areas.  The first seeks to detail our environmental impact and the way in which we can work to reduce the harmful impact and maximise our benefits to the community.  The second area relates to our more general business practices and in particular the guidelines on how we will work with partner organisations, supporters and sponsors.  Throughout the policy there is a commitment to working with local organisations and to support local communities and local businesses and suppliers.

We will make this policy available to the public via our website, review it at least once every 2 years, and update it as is necessary.

 

Environmental Impact

The Community Foundation believes that all organisations are responsible for achieving good environmental practice and operating in a sustainable manner.

We are therefore committed to reducing our environmental impact and continually improving our environmental performance as an integral and fundamental part of our business strategy and operating methods.

It is our priority to encourage our clients, suppliers and all business associates to do the same, and support them wherever possible in such actions.  Not only is this sound commercial sense for all; it is also a matter of delivering on our duty of care towards future generations.

 

Our policy is to

  • Wholly support and comply with, or exceed the requirements of, current environmental legislation and codes of practice.
  • Minimise our waste and then reuse or recycle as much of it as possible.
  • Minimise energy and water usage in our buildings, vehicles and processes in order to conserve supplies, and minimise our consumption of natural resources, especially where they are non-renewable.
  • Operate vehicles with due regard to environmental issues as far as reasonably practical and encourage the use of alternative means of transport and car sharing as appropriate.
  • Apply the principles of continuous improvement in respect of air, water, noise and light pollution from our premises and reduce any impacts from our operations on the environment and local community.
  • As far as possible purchase products and services that do the least damage to the environment and encourage others to do the same.
  • Assess the environmental impact of any new processes or services we intend to introduce in advance.
  • Use local suppliers wherever possible, to not only reduce the environmental impact, but also to support our local community

 

In order to help achieve this, the following actions will be undertaken;

Printing & Expendables
  • We will print only what is needed;
  • Use scrap paper, including for printing, if it is not confusing to do so;
  • Photocopy only relevant documents/pages
  • Make double-sided photocopies;
  • Make changes to digital documents before printing
  • Buy recycled paper where appropriate
  • Buy recycled or replenished ink or toner for printing devices, unless this impacts on performance
  • Use e-mail as opposed to physical post where appropriate
  • Use appropriate sized envelopes

 

Energy Efficiency & Conservation
  • Ensure all electronic devices are run in energy saving mode
  • Ensure all electronic devices are switched off, or powered down, when not in use
  • Ensure all lights are switched off when not in use
  • Email phone messages;
  • Use renewable energy sources wherever possible

 

Catering & Entertaining
  • We will avoid plastic and disposable cutlery where possible
  • When providing refreshments use, or choose a locally based supplier or caterer that uses, wherever possible;
    • Locally sourced produce
    • Seasonal produce
    • Fair trade products, if available
    • Rainforest certified products, if available
    • British Farm Standard assured products
    • Organic produce where possible
    • Meat products that meet animal welfare standards

 

Recycling

Recycling bins are provided throughout the building and should be made use of.  Currently we can recycle;

  • Paper
  • Card
  • Magazines
  • Glass
  • Plastic
  • Aluminium and tin

 

NB.

  • Confidential waste will be cross shredded and then recycled.
  • Electronic products will be recycled at the nearest suitable recycling centre.
  • Energy efficient light-bulbs will be recycled at the nearest suitable recycling centre.

 

Travel & Functions
  • Only travel if absolutely necessary;
  • Use public transport where possible, unless this significantly increases cost or inefficiency;
  • If private cars are used, share lifts if possible;

 

 

Working with sponsors and suppliers

 

Commitment to address ethical issues

The Community Foundation actively seeks opportunities to work with external organisations to achieve shared objectives. However, it is vital that we maintain our independence and do not allow external partnerships to bring the name of The Community Foundation into disrepute.

The Community Foundation therefore seeks, so far as is practical and within the constraints of UK law;

  • initiatives that do not compromise the independent status of The Community Foundation
  • To ensure that the activities of organisations we work with are consistent with our organisational values
  • The Community Foundation is not used in a manner that would express or imply endorsement of an external company/organisation or its policies.

This policy has been devised to ensure clarity and openness to all our stakeholders. It is designed to address sponsorship [and cause related marketing]. “Sponsorship” means payment by a private sector organisation – or individual – in return for public association with a Community Foundation activity, project, event or asset. This could be in cash or in kind.

 

Avoidance Criteria

Partnerships with companies involved in any of the following activities will be avoided:

  • Tobacco manufacture
  • Nuclear weapons systems manufacture
  • Armaments
  • Companies generating revenue from pornography

 

Areas of potential concern

The Community Foundation will not accept support that could compromise who we are and what we do – or undermine our effectiveness in achieving our goals.
Partnerships with companies whose commercial objectives would conflict with our goals and values, or which could promote inaccurate or misleading messages about our commitment to those goals and values would not be appropriate.

Companies whose interests are opposed to the interests of The Community Foundation or compromise, such as businesses, companies or individuals with a poor reputation for equal opportunities, human rights or diversity.

 

Cause related marketing, affinity marketing and endorsements

The Community Foundation does not endorse or approve products or companies, and a statement to this effect will be included alongside any branding or promotion associated with products.

No products will be promoted unless research has shown direct benefit to our beneficiaries.
Only The Community Foundation will have direct access to our databases.

 

Engagement

The Community Foundation believes that benefits to ourselves and our partners can be enhanced if the charity partner has an input into policy issues at the commercial organisation. To this end, for substantial partnerships of more than 12 months’ duration, The Community Foundation will seek to establish a formal process for consultation.

 

Process

The Community Foundation will not accept more than 30% of total income per annum from one corporate partner so as not to compromise our integrity. This does not include money raised via employee and customer fundraising as part of any corporate partnership arrangements.
All cause related marketing and sponsorship with a value of more than £20,000 must be approved by the Chief Executive and the Board of Trustees.
Contracts with partners must permit The Community Foundation to withdraw from any partnership where new developments mean that areas of this ethical sponsorship policy become breached.

 

Transparency

A full list of corporate sponsors giving over £10,000 will be maintained on our website.
Members will be made aware of this policy.