Ethical Policy

Introduction

Steenbergs is committed to sustainable, responsible and ethical practices across all areas of its business.  In particular, we are fully committed to:

  • The protection and promotion of employee's health, safety and basic human rights in the workplace.
  • Fair pay in the workplace;
  • Fair trade;
  • Environmental sustainability;
  • Zero tolerance on bribery and tax evasion.

Steenbergs has an open disclosure policy on its ethics and provides detailed disclosure via Sedex.

Workplace Practices

Steenbergs is committed to ensuring the protection and promotion of employee's health, safety and basic human rights in the workplace.

Furthermore, we oppose the use and exploitation of slavery, servitude, any type of forced or compulsory labour as well as child labour and working hours that do not comply with local and national laws and trafficking for the purposes of exploitation, including modern slavery ("forced labour").

We expect our employees and all those who work for us or on our behalf to share our zero-tolerance approach, regardless of their country of operation, to all forms of modern slavery and/or behaviour that causes social injustice.

To promote human rights across our business and our supply chain, we require the following from our employees and our supply chain adhere to Ethical Trade Initiative Base Code:

  • Employment is freely chosen;
  • Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are respected;
  • Working conditions are safe and hygienic;
  • Child labour shall not be used;
  • Living wages are paid;
  • Working hours are not excessive;
  • No discrimination is practised;
  • Regular employment is provided;
  • No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed.

Steenbergs has a separate health and safety policy.  We work with NFU Risk Management Services to advise us on, and act as an external, independent challenge of, our health and safety systems.

Fair Pay

Steenbergs has a gender-neutral approach to recruitment, retention and development with talent being the only criteria for success.

Equality and inclusion are at the heart of all that we do, and we will continue to work with all of our employees and suppliers to make improvements and changes where they are needed.

Specifically:

  • All employees are paid above the National Living Wage in the UK;
  • All employees are paid an equal wage on an hourly basis.

Fair Trade

Steenbergs is committed to fair payment for goods and services purchased.  In particular, Steenbergs is committed to fair trade.

Steenbergs is registered with The Fairtrade Foundation and FLOCert and independently audited by FLOCert.

Environmental Sustainability

Our employees and suppliers must ensure that they are treating the environment with respect. 

Steenbergs is committed to organic agriculture and seeks to ensure that almost all its products are derived from organic farming.  We are audited annually and certified as organic on the basis of Article 29(1) of Regulation EC 834/2007 and of Regulation EC 889/2008, with certificate of conformity number 00595/000/03 that Steenbergs' organic products are manufactured under these organic operational procedures and practices.

Steenbergs has a separate environmental policy.  In short, it says that Steenbergs is fully committed to the protection of the environment through the following actions:

  • The prevention of pollution;
  • The fulfilment of our compliance obligations;
  • Continual improvement of our environmental management system to enhance environmental performance.

Further, to ensure that our commitments made in the environmental are robustly upheld, our environmental management system is independently inspected once a year by a UKAS-accredited inspection body against the British Environmental Standard BS 8555.

Bribery Policy

We define bribery to be the offering or requesting of a financial or other type of advantage with the intention of inducing or rewarding improper performance of a function or activity. This is with the knowledge or belief that accepting such a reward would constitute the improper performance of such a function or activity.

Our principles in respect of bribery are as follows:

  • We will carry out our business fairly, honestly and openly;
  • We will not make nor accept bribes, nor will we condone the offering or the acceptance of bribes on our behalf, so as to gain a business advantage;
  • We will continue to review all gifts and hospitality received and given to ensure that it does not jeopardise our principles;
  • We will keep to these principles even when it becomes difficult;
  • We will avoid doing business with others who do not accept our values and who may harm our reputation.

Accordingly, we require that our employees and suppliers do not in any circumstances (directly or indirectly):

  • Offer, promise or give a financial or other advantage, which would lead to an improper performance of a relevant function or activity;
  • Request, agree to receive or accept a financial or other advantage that might be considered to create an unreasonable obligation for Steenbergs or its supply chain;
  • Bribe another person intending to obtain or retain business or other advantage for Steenbergs;
  • Make or receive facilitation payments which might be considered unusual in order to speed up processes, which are ordinarily provided.

Taxation

Steenbergs is committed to fair taxes and, in particular, the payment of the right amount of tax in the right place at the right time.

Steenbergs has a zero-tolerance policy for the facilitation of tax evasion by its employees or persons acting for and on behalf of Steenbergs.  Accordingly, we require that our employees and suppliers do not in any circumstances and in any country (directly or indirectly) facilitate tax evasion whilst performing services for and on behalf of Steenbergs.

Axel and Sophie Steenberg
31st October 2019