Corporate responsibility
View our Corporate Responsibility Report
Grass Roots is proud of our reputation as a responsible business founded on the following core values:
- To treat our colleagues, clients and suppliers as partners;
- To work with our partners in establishing and agreeing their needs;
- To acknowledge and pursue the principle of teamwork in all aspects of our business;
- To nurture, respect and recognise openly the virtues of Creativity, Energy, and Commitment in individuals and in teams;
- To strive for continuous improvement in all aspects of our work.
In 2007 we developed our corporate responsibility strategy with the following objectives:
- To provide world-class services with the minimum environmental impact.
- To comply with relevant UK legislation, to follow ethical trading standards and to encourage contractors, suppliers, and other stakeholders, to show equal commitment to these aims.
- To develop new products and services that meet not only functional needs of clients and participants but also their wider aspirations as individuals.
- Maintain our commitment to continuous improvement and the attainment of the "Best in Class" and demonstrating through monitoring and reporting.
Some examples of our strategy in action are as follows:
Workplace
It is company policy to take full account of the environmental, health and safety implications of its operations and to protect the natural environment. In 2007 the company measured its CO2 output and developed an action plan to reduce it.
In practice the company recycles paper, toner cartridges and plastic cups; uses e-mail or speech as the preferred communication method; provides Company cars on a needs-only basis, operates a car sharing and cycling to work scheme, and encourages the use of public transport wherever possible.
In 2007 we were also the principal sponsor of the Tring Chamber of Commerce environmental awareness campaign.
Employees
In the interest of achieving client goals, team members are encouraged to express themselves and maintain a Grass Roots tradition of innovation.
We are proud of our staff retention record and this is in no small measure due to our ability to move people around the business, broadening their experience and then promoting when the opportunity is right.
Flexible working is encouraged and every effort made to accommodate individual working preferences, be that in terms of hours, location or context. Exhaustive measures are taken to ensure that our basic terms and conditions for every role in our business compare favourably with general market rates.
Our people are encouraged to make themselves heard through to the open door policy operated by all Managers as well as the formal approach to satisfaction monitoring and the Employee Forum.
We have a structured mechanism to facilitate peer recognition, with tangible awards for those nominations that are approved. The very best achievements are eligible for annual awards for outstanding work.
Supporting local communities
When the local football stadium was damaged by fire, Grass Roots funded the rebuilding of the stadium and clubhouse resulting in a vastly improved facility.
As a further contribution to encouraging healthy lifestyles among the young, we also provide funding to deliver the coaching of cricket in local schools through a charitable trust.
In support of the Arts, we own and fully maintain the local theatre and make it available for use by the Tring Arts Trust. Investments in the facility have run into six figures and help create the special relationship between the Tring Arts Trust and the wider social community surrounding the business enterprise.
Pupils from local schools are regularly seen around various areas of the business on work experience programmes and Grass Roots has contributed significantly to facility development such as playground equipment and nature trails. The company also takes a stand at school open days and careers evenings, with a view to attracting local talent into the business.
Supporting charities
The Grass Roots nominated charity is CLIC Sargent.
CLIC Sargent is a charity caring for children and young people with cancer and their families - with clinical expertise, emotional care, and financial support in hospital, at home, and in the community all over the UK.
Our partnership involves regular fundraising events as well as giving staff two paid days a year for volunteering, one of which is for supporting a CLIC Sargent project.
For more information on CLIC Sargent visit http://www.clicsargent.org.uk
Registered charity number: 1107328.