Ethical Environmentalsustainability Policy v0.1 170921

Ethical/Environmental/sustainability Policy Sign Solutions recognise and accept that our business has an impact not only on the environment, but also the community, our clients, our suppliers and our employees. Our impact on the environment is principally through the use of energy, water, transport, generation of waste, consumption of paper and the use of print technologies. We therefore support good environmental management and consider ourselves a responsible business. We are committed to minimising the impact of our activities on the environment and in line with government targets. We have sought guidance from the Department of Energy & Climate Change and also incorporated recommendations from the Carbon Trust, into our organisation. We actively encourage environmental good practice within our organisation: • To integrate sustainability considerations into all our business decisions • To ensure that all staff are fully aware of our policy and are committed to implementing and improving it • To minimise the impact on sustainability of all office and transportation activities. • Switching computers and electrical equipment off out of hours and enabling standby features • Purchasing new equipment with better energy efficiency ratings • Setting up printers to print both sides of the paper (duplex printing) • Regularly maintaining equipment to ensure it is more efficient and lasts longer • Keeping equipment free from obstructions and preventing over-heating by cleaning filters and fans regularly • Replacing fluorescent tube lighting with LED lighting • Upgrading lamps and fittings to T5 to bring greater savings and retain a high light output • Maximising use of natural daylight and switching off unnecessary lighting V0.1 17/09/21

• Using lighting with built in occupancy/movement sensors • Use of “Employee awareness posters and stickers‟ to educate staff • Heating timed and only used in accordance with office hours/seasons of the year and set by thermostat control • Temperature controls are set relative to the space and occupation levels • Actively promoting recycling both internally and amongst customers and suppliers • Meet, with the aim of exceeding, all the environmental legislation that relates to the Company • To make clients and suppliers aware of this Policy, and encourage them to adopt their own sustainable management practices • To review and to continually strive to improve our sustainability performance • Endeavouring to use, where practicable, resources and materials that are sustainable, capable of being recycled and are used effectively with the minimum waste • Endeavouring to use, where practicable, materials and processes which do not have an adverse impact on the environment and, where such impact is unavoidable, it is minimised • Effectively communicate this environmental statement to all members of staff, raising awareness and understanding. • Encourage all staff to be proactive in the maintenance and development of the policy. • Endeavour, where possible, to be energy efficient and to repair and recycle as much as we can. • Avoid physically travelling to meetings etc where alternatives are available and practical, such as using teleconferencing, video conferencing or web cams, and efficient timing of meetings to avoid multiple trips. These options are also often more time efficient, while not sacrificing the benefits of regular contact with clients and partners. • Reduce the need for our staff to travel by supporting alternative working arrangements, including home working etc. • Seek to improve our environmental performance, through researching better ways to reduce waste, improve recycling and reuse the waste that we generate V0.1 17/09/21

• We are conscious that reducing the amount of waste our business produces can save money as well as reducing our environmental impact. • Ensuring that any waste we do produce is taken to our local waste transfer station where any recyclables are removed (by hand and machine) and recycled. • Upgrading the boiler system to a more efficient combi-boiler • Being paperless as an environment and using all online cloud based systems. • Use ceramic mugs and plates instead of plastic ones. In order to maximise our contribution to the environment and to minimise waste, all staff are expected to uphold the following practices: Use of e-technology Sign Solutions recognise that the use of electronic media can have a positive effect on the minimisation of paper consumption. Over 90% of all of our administration communication occurs either via email, telephone or text messaging which enables us to substantially reduce our impact on the environment. Where practical, we use VOIP and video conferencing to minimise the need for face- to-face meetings, thereby minimising the need for unnecessary travel. Use of Video Interpreters Utilising video interpreters in place of in-person interpreters, reduces the carbon footprint as this type of interpretation, limits the need to travel. We also provide local Interpreters, if in-person interpretation is required as again the carbon footprint is reduced. Consumption of paper We actively conserve paper by ensuring we do not print unnecessary information. Where printing is necessary, we use recycled paper and for draft or internal working documents, we re-use the blank side of already used paper. Every effort is made to ensure all waste paper is recycled. Transport Interpreters and trainers are often required to travel to perform their duties. To counteract the impact of such travel, we run the government backed initiative “Cycle to Work” scheme, which helps to reduce our carbon footprint as well as keeping V0.1 17/09/21

people fit! We also ask staff to consider the effect of transport on the environment and, wherever possible, encourage the use of public transport and car-sharing. Energy Ensure all unnecessary sources of power are turned off if not required. This includes: • all electrical equipment including computers and other office and kitchen equipment • lights • dripping taps Promotion of good environmental practice All outgoing emails should contain the signature statement: 'Please consider the environment before printing this email' V0.1 17/09/21

OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR EMPLOYEES, CUSTOMERS AND THE COMMUNITY (Stakeholders) Employees All employees are treated with dignity and respect with equal employment opportunities given to all irrespective of their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, maternity, marital status, family status, disability, age, or national origin. Employees are offered a safe and healthy workplace and the company will not tolerate any form of harassment. We adopt ethical working standards and practices so that our staff can reach their full potential, aid their future employability and help to increase motivation and improve the quality of services they provide: • We offer flexible working arrangements • Pension schemes • Private Healthcare • Bradford factor scheme • A range of training, mentoring, support and development opportunities • Clear and open channels of communication • Internal and External awards to recognise the achievements of employees Customers The company will take all reasonable care to avoid misleading statements, concealment, and overstatement in all of its advertising and public statements. It will seek to build long term partnerships with its customers by being honest and straightforward in its dealings at all times. It will respect the confidentiality of any information that it might obtain in relation to its stakeholders. Our service provision is centred around our clients/suppliers/service users and staff By implementing an internationally recognised ISO 9001 Quality Management System our clients are assured of high quality service provision and that our business methods are constantly monitored and reviewed to ensure ever increasing standards of service. By providing our employees with regular training and continuing professional development opportunities, our clients are again assured of high quality service provision. We try to ensure we do right by our clients by taking into account what the interpreting is needed for and sending the best interpreter in that field. By keeping in regular contact with clients and providing a personalised service our bookings department often know exactly what individual client expectations are and are able to fulfil it, if not exceed it. V0.1 17/09/21

By sending out client feedback forms after every appointment/training course and acting upon feedback received, we actively aiming to continuously improve the client experience. Community We would like to give back to the Deaf community by using our resources and expertise. We therefore engage with the Deaf community via social media, forum groups and events. To seek feedback to improve our services and breakdown barriers to communication and access. Competitors The company will build its reputation on the basis of its performance alone. It will compete vigorously and lawfully and will not compete unfairly with others. It will not seek to damage the reputation of its competitors either directly or by implication. Bribes and Corrupt Practice The company does not allow the direct or indirect offer, payment, solicitation, or acceptance of bribes in any form. The company has a separate Bribery Policy in place which examines in detail the procedures all employees must follow to avoid involvement in any situation which might lead to the offer of bribes. The policy makes it clear that any employee found to be involved in any kind of corrupt practice is likely to be immediately dismissed and may well have committed a criminal act which could lead to prosecution. Government, Regulators, and Legislators The company will seek to comply with all international, national, and local legislation affecting its operations. It will strive to follow the best practice in corporate governance. It will meet its tax obligations. It will not make any financial contributions or offer support to any political party. Giving and Receiving Gifts and Entertainment Employees will neither seek nor accept for themselves or others any gifts, favours, or entertainment without a legitimate purpose from any person or business organisation that does or seeks to do business with, or is a competitor of, Brown McFarlane. Gifts, favours, and entertainment may be given to others at the expense of the company as long as these are consistent with customary business practice and are not excessive in value. Our policy adheres to all of the principles outlined in the Ethical Trading Initiative’s ‘ETI’ base code V0.1 17/09/21

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