Corporate Social Responsibility
Click on the link to download Severnside's Corporate Social Responsibility statement
Principles
Severnside Recycling is committed to providing good sustainable returns for its parent company while maintaining high standards in the way we conduct our business. Our primary consideration is the safety of everyone involved with our operations. We also place considerable emphasis on fulfilling our responsibilities towards the environment and on the way we interact with employees and local communities.
The way in which we require our people and businesses to operate is defined in Severnside’s Key Corporate Values, which in summary, stipulate that all employees at all times will act ethically and with integrity, treat their colleagues with respect, work safely and protect the environment. The Key Corporate Values statement is reinforced by more detailed policies on health & safety, the environment and other relevant topics; these documents may be viewed on our document downloads page.
Recycling
Severnside Recycling makes a major contribution to conserving resources and reducing landfill waste through its position as the largest collector of waste paper in the UK and also through the collection of other materials for recycling.
Our groups recycling operations, responsible for circa 24% of fibre recycled in the UK, plays an important role in meeting the EU and UK government objectives for recycling of packaging waste, as prescribed in the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive and the UK Packaging Waste Regulations.
The Environment
The lowering of the amount of waste being disposed of in landfill are important aspects of caring for our environment.
Severnside recognises its responsibility to contribute to the conservation of resources and we fulfil this responsibility by innovating and developing recycling services to enable our customers to divert their waste from landfill and improve environmental performance.
Severnside carry out work to evaluate the carbon footprint of the services provided.
Health and Safety
At Severnside, we believe that the Health & Safety of our employees and others who may be affected by our business dealings is a matter of key importance. We are committed to providing a working environment where we strive to eliminate, or suitably control, risks to tolerable levels. This will be achieved by using risk assessment, and ensuring safe systems of work. The provision of a safe place of work and continuous improvements in our health and safety performance are essential requirements for delivering our business strategy.
Severnside plays a major role in promoting improved safety performance within the recycling and waste management sector, via its membership of the Confederation of Paper Industries’ Health & Safety Working Party. The aims of the Working party are to identify Health & Safety problem areas within the industry, and produce/provide guidance to enable CPI members to tackle these problems.
Employees
We aim to create a working environment that will attract, retain and motivate good people, and enable them to fulfil their potential. Severnside ensures that there are appropriate structures, procedures and resources in place to implement the employee-related aspects of its Key Corporate Values, which include: providing fair opportunities for employment to all; treating everyone with dignity and respect; not tolerating any form of harassment or discrimination; ensuring advancement is based on merit; and providing appropriate training and development opportunities.
Severnside is committed to applying equal opportunities in all recruitment and employment practices. It is also committed, as a minimum, to meeting labour rights and legislation requirements.
Severnside communicate and consult with its employees through internal newsletters, intranet and regular briefing meetings. Training and development programmes are carried out by Severnside to meet specific needs for raising operational performance and career development. The individual training needs of employees are met through a variety of schemes including: management development programmes, which in some cases involve external accreditation and support for study for external vocational and professional qualifications.
Community
We seek to develop and maintain good relations in the local communities in which we operate. As well as providing significant employment contributions, we aim to make positive contributions to these communities and build a reputation as a good employer and a good neighbour.
Severnside works with local schools providing work experience placements and other opportunities for pupils to learn about industry and business. We also get involved in community activities including sponsorship of sports teams and community events. Severnside supports charitable fund-raising activities through cash contributions and in the form of voluntary participation in fund-raising events.
Quality
Severnside complies with the requirements set by ISO9001, ISO14001 and OHSAS18001 and is open for periodic external reviews as well as continuous internal monitoring of the quality and environmental processes to ensure compliance. To this end, performance is measured at every level and improvement implemented consistently and effectively. Furthermore, Severnside proactively seeks and values customer feedback as a means of maximising effectiveness and meeting expectations.
Relevant and regular staff training is considered essential throughout the company in order to achieve the stated objectives. To this end the company is a committed Investor in People.