Ethical Statements
Reasons behind the policy:
Ethical responsibility
Star Cutouts Ltd acknowledges its obligations towards its employees, stakeholders the communities in which we work and its customers, because of that acknowledgment it wishes to carry out work and complete its business in an ethical fashion.
Adverse publicity and damage to the company’s reputation
The company will endeavour to the best of its ability ensure it meets all UK, statutory employment legislation for young person’s up to and including the age of 18, to include pay, numbers of permissible hrs worked and all other rights they may be entitled to.
The company will, where applicable, ensure young person’s risk assessments, training and supervision are completed in accordance with HSE guidance and UK legislative regulations.
To avoid poor labour standards within its supply chain and the adverse publicity that would inevitably and rightly accompany the discovery of such standards, Star Cutouts will not knowingly engage in business with those that are known to illegally employ directly or indirectly through subsidiaries or other sources child or forced child labour and where they do so legally have been found to not honour the local rights of children working for them.
Reduced quality of service
The company recognises that there is commonly a link between poor labour standards and poor quality of services. To this end, it is in the interest of the company to ensure that we reach and where possible always exceed labour standard requirements.
Implementation of the policy
Child labour
Star Cutouts Ltd does not and will not engage in or support the use of child labour. If the company engages any young workers (e.g. on work experience), it will ensure that a suitable risk assessment is carried out and that the young person(s) is/are not exposed to any hazardous conditions or work more than the legally permitted hrs per day, Star Cutouts will not engage young workers during evening or night shifts.
The company respects and supports children’s rights consistent with the United Nations Convention on Right of the Child and all relevant associated local rights in terms of work.
Forced or compulsory labour
The company shall not engage in or support the use of forced or compulsory labour, or bonded or involuntary prison labour. Employees are free to leave after providing reasonable notice in line with their individual contracts of employment.
Health and Safety
The company shall provide a safe and healthy workplace environment and shall take effective steps to prevent potential accidents and injuries to employee’s and those that are affected by its business by minimising so far as practicable and/or is reasonably practicable, in co-operation with its employees and where practicable those affected by its business - hazards that arise out of that business.
Employees shall have access to clean sanitary facilities and drinking water, as per the HASAW 1974 act.
The company will ensure the age of all its employees by checking original documentation in accordance with UK employment law and will store that information in accordance UK data protection regulations.
The company also commits to:
- Compliance with relevant legal and other requirements to which it subscribes.
- Ensuring that all key suppliers are aware of this policy by placing it in the public domain on the company website.
- Making available sufficient resources for the implementation of this policy.
The company will periodically review this policy and take into consideration any relevant regulatory changes.
Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement
Introduction
This Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement relates to actions and activities during the financial year 1st April to 31st March.
The statement sets down Star Cutouts commitment to preventing slavery and human trafficking in our business activities and the steps we have put in place with the aim of ensuring that there is no slavery or human trafficking in our own business and supply chains. We all have a duty to be alert to risks, however small.
Staff are expected to report their concerns and management to act upon them.
Organisational structure and supply chains
Star Cutouts are Your Cardboard Cutout Company. They are the premium UK Manufacturer of Lifesize, Stand Ins and Mini Cardboard Cutouts with a board consisting of 2 Directors, 5 Office Staff and 11 Production Staff.
The Company currently operates in the following countries:
- The U.K, where the business premises are based in Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside, Greater Manchester.
The following is the process by which the Company assesses whether activities or countries are high risk in relation to modern slavery or human trafficking:
Our Policies and Procedures
Star Cutouts operates several internal policies to ensure that the Company is conducting its business in an ethical and transparent manner. These policies and procedures include: -
- The Recruitment Procedure – Star Cutouts has a recruitment procedure in place which includes conducting eligibility to work in the UK checks for all employees to safeguard against human trafficking or individuals being forced to work against their will.
- Equality & Diversity Policy – Star Cutouts has a range of controls to protect staff from poor treatment and/or exploitation, which comply with all respective laws and regulation. These include provision of fair pay rates, fair terms and conditions of employment and access to training and development opportunities.
- Child Labour Policy - Star Cutouts believes that a child, young person, or vulnerable adult should never experience abuse of any kind. We acknowledge the duty of care to safeguarding and promote the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
- Anti-Bribery Policy - All business activities are undertaken in an honest and ethical manner. Star Cutouts takes a zero-tolerance approach to bribery and corruption and is committed to acting professionally, fairly and with integrity in all its business dealings and relationships wherever the Company operates.
Due Diligence
The Company is satisfied from its own due diligence there is no evidence of any act of modern-day slavery or human trafficking within its own organisation. The Company’s approach to procurement and its supply chain includes:
- Star Cutouts has zero tolerance towards slavery and human trafficking. Star Cutouts expects all those in its supply chains for goods and services to comply with its policies and values.
- Ensuring that its Manufacturers and Suppliers are carefully selected through our robust supplier selection process.
- Liaise with manufacturers and suppliers to ensure they are identifying and assessing potential risk areas in the supply chain.
- Star Cutouts reviews its supply chain members annually, using the standard supplier questionnaire and expects each member to confirm its adherence to the issue of modern-day slavery and human trafficking.
Training
To ensure a high level of understanding of the risk of Modern-Day Slavery and Human Trafficking in the supply chain Star Cutouts provide training to all employees.
Modern Day Slavery and Human Trafficking is discussed at staff induction or as a minimum, within three months of joining.
Performance Indicators
Star Cutouts will know the effectiveness of the steps that the Company is taking to ensure that slavery and/or human trafficking is not taking place within the business or supply chain if:
- No reports are received from the staff, the public or law enforcement agencies to indicate that modern slavery practices have been identified.
The Company will undertake responsibility for implanting this policy statement and its objectives. The Policy Statement will be reviewed by the Board of Management and published annually.
Risk Assessment
The Company has assessed the business and can confirm that all staff are employed by the Company, there are no subcontractors or agency workers. All employees are paid at least the appropriate minimum wage and are not subjected to excessive working hours or unsafe working conditions.
The Company uses only specified, reputable employment agencies to source labour and always verifies the practices of any new agency it is using before accepting workers from that agency. Proof that workers have a legal right to work in the UK is always requested prior to employment.
The Company has long standing relationships with many of its key suppliers, and together they continue to monitor and manage the supply chain to eradicate modern day slavery.
Responsibility for the Company’s anti-slavery initiatives is as follows:
- Policies: the Managing Director together with the HR Consultant is responsible for creating and reviewing policies. The process by which policies are developed is looking at best practice and adapting to the needs of the company.
- Risk assessments: The Directors are responsible for risk assessments in respect of human rights and modern slavery.
- Due diligence: The Directors are responsible for due diligence in relation to known or suspected instances of modern slavery and human trafficking.
Training
To ensure a good understanding of the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in our business and supply chains, the Company requires all staff to go through a training activity by end of June 2024.
Policies
The Company is committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in our business or our supply chains. This Statement affirms its intention to act ethically in our business relationships.
The following policies set down our approach to the identification of modern slavery risks and steps to be taken to prevent slavery and human trafficking in our operations.
- Whistleblowing policy - the Company encourages all its workers, customers, and other business partners to report any concerns related to its direct activities or its supply chains.
- Employee Code of Conduct - The Code of Conduct sets down the actions and behaviour expected of employees when representing the Company.
- Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Policy - The Company’s CSR policy summarises how we manage our environmental impacts and how we work responsibly with suppliers and local communities.
- Anti-Bribery Act.
- Ethics Policy
- Due Diligence Processes for Slavery and Human Trafficking
The Company undertakes due diligence when considering taking on new suppliers, and regularly reviews its existing suppliers. The Company’s due diligence process includes building long-standing relationships with suppliers and making our expectations clear to any business partners.
Performance indicators
The Company uses the following key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure how effective we are in ensuring slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in any part of our business or supply chains including use of labour monitoring and payroll systems.
- Completion of site audits by Senior Managers.
- Use of labour monitoring and payroll systems.
- Suppliers All recruiters are briefed on issues around third-party labour exploitation.
- Ensure that labour sourcing, recruitment and placement processes are under the control of trusted staff members and are not open to corruption.
- Encourage workers to report cases of hidden third party labour exploitation and investigate and act on reports appropriately.