Company Policies & Statements

Company Policies & Statements

About the Company

Our commitment to innovation and industry leadership does not stop at pioneering the latest technology and practices; we seek to anticipate challenges and changing client requirements before they arise.

Vision Statement

Our vision for ESS is to be a leading provider of security services to a diverse portfolio of customers.

Mission Statement

Through honesty, integrity, hard work and professionalism our company will strive to:

Build and progress its management and service of client’s needs with providing SIA licensed security operatives compatible with the assignment.

Ensure the client receives a second to none service and all operatives/ managers go that little bit further in their duty.

Facilitate that all employees work within the law, and work in acceptable conditions in conjunction with a detailed hazard and risk assessment.

Operate a Human Resources department to provide the best in selection of employees regardless of gender, race, religion or sexual orientation.

Take pride in how well we work as a team, and how our company has developed, I believe this is down to the above principles, which we all adhere to and we will continue to improve the services we offer.

Dan Wilson, Managing Director

Quality Policy

This policy statement of intent has been prepared to demonstrate endorsement of quality management throughout ESS and intends to communicate to all personnel, the overall aim of ISO 9001 within our business.

There must be no doubt of our commitment in this area, as quality is vital for our long term success. For us the term ‘quality’ relates to the suitability of the services that we provide, from initial enquiry and planning, right through to completion.

Put yourself for a moment in the position of ESS’s customer, what do they want from us? Some basic attributes must be consistently delivered, such as; effective communication, efficient planning, accurate information, clarity through each stage of the process, adherence to deadlines, swift resolution of problems and queries, etc.… In short, we must aim to get things ‘right first time’, complying with our own procedures, regulatory requirements and contractual obligations, ensuring that customers are totally satisfied by their experience with ESS

To monitor quality at ESS, our management system is structured to comply with the requirements of the international quality standard - ISO 9001. A central part of this is that, through our management planning and review processes, we shall define objectives and targets to help us continually improve the effectiveness and suitability of the shipping service that we provide.

To achieve our objectives, every member of staff must understand their responsibilities and appreciate how their role affects the customer. We must all work in a consistent and thorough manner to achieve these aims, as they are our route to continual improvement.

The emphasis of this policy statement should be understood throughout the organisation and it is expected that all persons carrying out work upon our behalf share these values. This policy statement shall be subject to annual review to ensure its continued suitability.

Health and Safety Policy Statement

Overall responsibility for health and safety rests with the Managing Director. It is the ESS intention to ensure that the duties carried out within the company are done so safeguarding, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all ESS employees working for the company and visitors the company. This statement sets out this objective and the manner in which this will be achieved.

ESS will:

• Comply with the Health and Safety at work Act 1974 and with the Health and Safety standards laid out in Government Guides;

• Provide working conditions that will ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, a healthy and safe working environment for all

• Provide a system for consultation with all personnel on health, safety and welfare matters.


ESS’s health and safety responsibilities will be executed through the management team and this will be reinforced by the inclusion of the supervisor’s health and safety responsibilities within job descriptions. These responsibilities will include the effective arrangements for identifying, controlling and monitoring potential hazards within their respective areas of work. These arrangements will be detailed and incorporated into the health and safety procedures. Procedures will be revised as and when required and will be available to all staff.

Apart from the duties outlined above, all personal, are required to take reasonable care for their own health and safety and of other persons that may be affected by their actions. All employed personnel are required to follow and implement procedures or instructions issued in respect of any duty or requirement imposed on the Directors or on them as individuals, by or under any relevant statutory provision or instruction.

Environmental Policy

ESS cares about the environment in all its forms, and recognises that concern for the environment should be an integral and fundamental part of the business.

We are committed to achieving environmental best practice throughout our activities. We are constantly working towards minimising the impact of our products and services upon the environment. To further this policy, we aim to:

• Meet, and where appropriate, exceed the requirements of all relevant legislation;

• Incorporate consideration of environmental factors into business decisions;

• Assess the environmental impact of individual services;

• Maintain an open information policy on environmental issues to any interested party;

• Provide staff with environmental awareness training and encourage employee initiatives that contribute to an improved environment;

• Allocate appropriate resources to ensure that the environmental policy is fully implemented;

• Take all measures necessary to prevent pollution;

• Keep the environmental policy under regular review;

• Be committed to continual improvement.


A copy of our Environmental Policy is given and explained to all staff on commencement of employment as part of their induction / orientation training.

Corporate Social Responsibility Policy

ESS seeks to be a good corporate citizen in everything that it does. We have therefore determined to bring together our existing operating principles into one framework policy under the heading of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The principles encompassed in this policy cover all areas of the ESS’s operations and have been developed and continue to be reviewed against and updated by reference to relevant codes of corporate governance and international standards including the United Nations (UN) Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises established by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and the UN Convention against Corruption. The ESS management team supports the principles set out in those codes and standards.

Compliance with this policy will be continuously monitored and subject to review by the ESS management team. Compliance will be reported to stakeholders where requested. Each member of the ESS management team is responsible for ensuring that the principles set out in this policy are communicated to, understood and observed by all employees and for ensuring compliance in their area of responsibility. Employees who reasonably suspect that there has been a breach of this policy must report such breaches to the ESS management team. We recognise that employees may be reluctant to report concerns for fear of retaliation and will take disciplinary action against any employee who threatens or engages in retaliation, retribution or harassment of any person who has reported or is considering reporting a concern in good faith. The ESS management team will not criticise management for any loss of business resulting from adherence to the principles set out in this policy.

We recognise that we must integrate our business values and operations to meet the expectations of our stakeholders. They include customers, employees, investors, suppliers, the community and the environment:

• We recognise that our social, economic and environmental responsibilities to these stakeholders are integral to our business. We aim to demonstrate these responsibilities through our actions and within our corporate policies;

• We take seriously all feedback that we receive from our stakeholders and, where possible, maintain open dialogue to ensure that we fulfil the requirements outlined within this policy;

• We shall be open and honest in communicating our strategies, targets, performance and governance to our stakeholders in our continual commitment to sustainable development;

• The Managing Director is responsible for the implementation of this policy and will make the necessary resources available to realise our corporate responsibilities. The responsibility for our performance on this policy rests with all employees throughout the company.


Our partnership focus:

• We shall ensure a high level of business performance while minimising and effectively managing risk ensuring that we uphold the values of honesty, partnership and fairness in our relationships with all our stakeholders;

• We shall support the development of our external stakeholders through led training courses and using our facilities for all of our business partners to hold seminars and industry meetings;

• Our contracts will clearly set out the agreed terms, conditions and the basis of our relationship and will operate in a way that safeguards against unfair business practices;

• We shall encourage suppliers and contractors to adopt responsible business policies and practices;

• We shall encourage dialogue with local communities for mutual benefit;

• We will register and resolve customer complaints in accordance with our standards of service;

• We shall support and encourage our employees to help local community organisations and activities in our region, particularly our employee chosen charities;

• We shall work with local schools, colleges and universities to assist young people in choosing their future careers, being an advocate for our industry;

• We shall operate an equal opportunities policy for all present and potential future employees and will offer our employees clear and fair terms of employment and provide resources to enable their continual development;

• We shall maintain a clear and fair employee remuneration policy and shall maintain forums for employee consultation and business involvement;

• We shall provide safeguards to ensure that all employees of whatever nationality, colour, race or religious belief are treated with respect and without sexual, physical or mental harassment;

• We shall provide, and strive to maintain, a clean, healthy and safe working environment in line with our Health and Safety policy and safe systems of work;

• We shall develop Environmental policies and objectives as part of the business planning cycle.



Protecting the Public Policy

ESS are conscious that as a responsible security company, the actions, words and presentation of ESS and their personnel are not simply our own or any one individual’s, but in any given situation, these may be considered to be representative of the company, our customers, the consumers of our services and indeed, the security industry as a whole. With this in mind, it is critical to our success, our integrity and the well-being of all stakeholders that the public be considered as important as any other interested party.

To understand this fully, we invite anyone to put themselves in the shoes of the general public and try to consider how ESS’s decisions, actions, words, appearance and conduct may impact upon them. Whether it is in the event of an emergency, during a major incident or at a time of stress and anxiety, or whether it is as part of our everyday activities where we are simply ‘doing our job’, ensuring the protection of the public remains a key priority for our success.

Therefore, the ESS is committed to the following promises:

• We promise to talk to all members of the public in a way that is responsible and considerate, regardless of context in which the exchange takes place;

• We promise to listen more and talk less, to strive to understand the needs of the public;

• We promise to be mindful of the consequences of our actions and to factor the possible impact upon the security and safety of the public into our decision-making process.

It would be naïve to think that any policy relating to a group of individuals outside of our control may be easy to implement and even more difficult to align with the commercial and security ambitions of our customers and ESS. This is why we expect any and all interaction with the public to be recorded and encourage all ESS personnel to seek guidance from the ESS management team in the event that there is any doubt as to how to proceed.

Communication Policy

All communication should remain consistent and transparent, all communications about ESS must be truthful, fair and accurate - they should never be misleading. They must be transparent and based on reliable information, as well as consistent with our brand standards and core values.

When using social media, people must use common sense when communicating on social networks, paying special attention to confidentiality and company loyalty. For the purposes of this policy, social media means any facility for online publication and commentary, including but not limited to Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, Yammer, Snapchat and WhatsApp, as well as blogs, wikis, or any news sites/blogs comment sections. In particular, employees must not:

• Engage in any activity or disclose information that brings or is likely to bring ESS into disrepute;

• Use the internet to attack, abuse or criticise ESS businesses or teams, colleagues, clients, suppliers or partners or post any derogatory comments;

• Retweet, share or forward content that is in bad taste or potentially damaging to ESS or others;

• Blog or post messages anonymously, using pseudonyms or false screen names. Always use your real name, be clear who you are and identify that you work for ESS;

• Use ESS’s logo or branding, or post as ESS on blogs or social networks - only the ESS management team can post as ESS;

• Say anything that is dishonest, untrue or misleading – if you have a vested interest in a discussion, say so;

• Post or publish any sensitive or confidential information;

• Set up a group, page, blog, website or network that mentions ESS without the prior approval of the ESS management team;

•Let your use of social networking sites interfere with your job or commitments to clients;

• Before posting to a social network, sending a text or an email, or posting a comment on a news article or blog, the following must be considered if it is…

• True?
• Helpful?
• Inspirational?
• Necessary?
• Kind?

We are surrounded by technology that is constantly connected, such as smartphones with social media apps and cameras, therefore you must not:

• Send texts, emails or photographs that could impact ESS’s reputation as a responsible business, even if sent in confidence, as these can end up in the public domain;

• Work or drive in an unsafe or reckless manner as not only does this endanger yourself and others; it can be caught on camera and uploaded to YouTube or Twitter, bringing ESS into disrepute. Such acts will result in disciplinary action.

Nobody is allowed to talk to the media without approval from the ESS management team. The only person permitted to communicate with the financial community (analysts, investors and financial media) is the Managing Director. All communications material for the media should be produced to a high professional standard and must be clear, accurate, timely and fairly reflect the relevant facts and the views of ESS. Media material must:

• Comply with all codes and laws applicable in any jurisdiction where it is issued;

• Comply with all applicable ESS policies and procedures, including those relating to intellectual property, brand standards, sales and marketing practices;

• Be reviewed and approved by the ESS management team prior to release, and appropriately archived.

All information must be reviewed and approved by the ESS management team, as well as by any relevant specialist departments, before being publicly released. All information provided to government bodies and public authorities must be accurate, up to date and void of any political opinions. It must also be consistent with our strategy and any previous communications we may have made on the matter. All public relations representatives acting on our behalf are bound by confidentiality agreements and must disclose any conflicts of interest.

Any incident that has the potential to attract attention from the media, damage ESS’s reputation or our licence to operate, must be immediately reported to the ESS management teams. Such incidents include, but are not limited to, the following events:

• Multiple fatalities or casualties;

• Ethical issues or corruption;

• Unauthorised disclosure of critical information or assets;

• Major environmental incidents;

• Industrial relations events;

• Operational performance issues.

 

Complaints Policy


Roles and Responsibilities

The ESS management team receive all formal complaints and is responsible for logging and monitoring the complaints in accordance with the procedures below. The ESS management team has a responsibility to take a lead role in resolving complaints through investigation (when appropriate) and responding to the complainant.

All front-line staff have a responsibility for receiving complaints, treating them seriously and dealing with them appropriately. Wherever possible, complaints should be dealt with informally and promptly. All complaints (formal and informal) received by a member of staff must be forwarded to the ESS management team to be recorded.

Confidentiality

All complaints will be handled sensitively and with discretion. If a learner makes a complaint against a member of staff, that member of staff may be informed about the substance of the complaint so that they are in a position to make a response. The company will not normally investigate anonymous or malicious complaints except in exceptional circumstances and for justifiable reasons. This may be considered if the complainant wishes to remain anonymous in cases of harassment.

Informal Complaints

Where possible, complaints should be raised immediately with the member of staff most directly concerned with the issue. The aim being to resolve the problem directly and informally at the earliest opportunity.

Formal Complaints

If it is found that the resolution of a complaint cannot be achieved informally, , or it is felt that it is of a very serious nature, a formal complaint should be made in writing to the ESS management at 12 Haviland Road, Ferndown Industrial Estate, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 7RG or via email to info@eventsecuritysouthern.com.

Acknowledgement of a Complaint

Upon reporting of the initial complaint, the complaint is to be recorded with supporting information and a unique identifier code in the Complaint Management Form. The form will record

• A description of the complaint, the identification of the root cause and relevant supporting data;

• The remedy requested by the customer;

• The practices complained about;

• The due date for a response (acknowledgement and initial action within 24 hours of the receipt of the complaint and investigation and stage one conclusion within 72 hours);

• List and details of all persons involved in the complaint;

• Preferred means and details requested by the customer.


Initial Assessment of Complaints

In order to assess each complaint, the following framework will be used:

• How severe is the problem for the complainant prior to any rectification?

• Safety implications - How at risk are individuals prior to any rectification?

• Complexity - How complex is the complaint?

• Impact - How much of an impact could this have on the complainant?

• The possibility of immediate action - What can be done at present?


It is the intention to assess the complaint within 12 hours of the receipt of the complaint.

After having had an opportunity to consider the complaint and assess the complaint, should the complaint be severe enough that it is considered best to escalate the matter to another authority (i.e. the police, licencing authority, industry regulator, etc.), ESS will communicate this to the complainant and restrain from taking any investigation until it is decided appropriate to do so.

N.B. A complaint that requires escalation in this way may still constitute a non-conformity and the relevant steps should be considered.

Investigation of the Complaint

The investigator will be determined and provided the information outlined above. The investigator must be independent from the complaint. Where necessary, external support should be sought to ensure the fairness and impartiality of the investigation.

Every reasonable effort will be made to investigate all the relevant circumstances and information surrounding a complaint. The level of investigation should be commensurate with the risk assessment conducted, frequency of occurrence, and severity of the complaint.

The Response to the Complaint

Within 72 hours of the complaint being received, the complainant should receive a request for additional time from the investigator (along with a valid justification) or a summary of the findings of the investigation in the format initially identified as their preferred format. Their acknowledgement and response to the investigation will be noted.

If the complainant accepts the proposed decision or action, then the decision or action should be carried out and recorded potentially using the non-conformity procedure and documentation. If the complainant rejects the proposed decision or action, then the complaint should remain open. This should be recorded and the complainant should be informed of alternative forms of internal and external recourse available and that the investigation will be reviewed by another party independent from both the complaint and the investigation.

Within 72 hours of the refusal of the findings of the initial investigation, the complainant will be contacted to discuss the findings of investigation re-review. ESS will continue to monitor the progress of the complaint until all reasonable internal and external options of recourse are exhausted or the complainant is satisfied.

Equality and Diversity Policy

We recognise that discrimination is unacceptable and although equality of opportunity has been a long-standing feature of our employment practices and procedure, we have made the decision to adopt a formal equal opportunities policy. Breaches of the policy will lead to disciplinary proceedings and, if appropriate, disciplinary action.

Our policy aim is to ensure no job applicant, employee or worker is discriminated against either directly or indirectly on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, sex, marital status, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, disability or age.

We ensure that this policy is circulated to any agencies responsible for our recruitment and a copy of the policy will be made available for all employees and made known to all applicants for employment. The policy is communicated to all private contractors reminding them of their responsibilities towards the equality of opportunity. The policy is implemented in accordance with the appropriate statutory requirements and full account will be taken of all available guidance and in particular any relevant Codes of Practice.

We maintain a neutral working environment in which no employee or worker feels under threat or intimidated. The ESS management team ensures effective implementation through reviewing results of our monitoring procedures on a quarterly basis.

Policy Awareness / Communication to Staff

ESS raise the awareness of our commitment to our Equal Opportunities Policy by ensuring that it is included in our:

• This Handbook, which is provided to all employees

• Management training.


In addition, we recommended, including Equal Opportunities, compliance in our monthly review meeting agenda’s to monitor compliance.

Recruitment and Selection

The recruitment and selection process is crucially important to any equal opportunities policy. We provide appropriate training to ensure that employees making selection and recruitment decisions will not discriminate, whether consciously or unconsciously, in making these decisions. These guidelines are documented in our Handbook.

Promotion and advancement will be made on merit and all decisions relating to this are made within the overall framework and principles of this policy. Job descriptions are revised to ensure that they are in line with our equal opportunities policy. Job requirements will be reflected accurately in any personnel specifications. We adopt a consistent, non-discriminatory approach to the advertising of vacancies. We do not confine our recruitment to areas or media sources that provide only, or mainly, applicants of a particular group.

All applicants who apply for jobs with us receive fair treatment and are considered solely on their ability to do the job. All employees involved in the recruitment process periodically review their selection criteria to ensure that they are related to the job requirements and do not unlawfully discriminate.

Where possible, more than one person carries out short listing and interviewing. Interview questions are related to the requirements of the job and will not of a discriminatory nature.

We do not disqualify any applicant because he/she is unable to complete an application form unassisted unless personal completion of the form is a valid test of the Standard English required for the safe and effective performance of the job.

Selection decisions are not influenced by any perceived prejudices of other staff.

Training and Promotion

The ESS management team receive training in the application of this policy to ensure that they are aware of its contents and provisions.

All promotion is in line with this policy.

Monitoring

We maintain and review the employment records of all employees in order to monitor the progress of this policy. Monitoring involves:

• The collection and classification of information regarding race, in terms of ethnic/national origin, and sex of all applicants and current employees;

• The examination by ethnic/national origin and sex of the distribution of employees and the success rate of the applicants;

• Recording recruitment, training and promotional records of all employees, the decisions reached and the reason for those decisions.

The result of this monitoring procedure is reviewed at regular intervals to assess the effectiveness of the implementation of this policy. Consideration is given, if necessary, to adjusting this policy to afford greater equality of opportunities to all applicants and staff.

Anti-Money Laundering Policy


Introduction
Event Security Southern Ltd is dedicated to preventing money laundering and financial crimes within its operations. This Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Policy is established in compliance with applicable laws and regulations to combat money laundering activities and ensure the integrity of our financial transactions.

Policy Statement
Event Security Southern Ltd is committed to adhering to the highest standards of financial ethics and compliance. We have zero tolerance for money laundering and any activities that facilitate money laundering or the financing of terrorist or criminal activities.

Scope and Applicability
This policy applies to all employees, officers, and directors of Event Security Southern Ltd, as well as contractors, consultants, and agents acting on behalf of the company.

Identification and Verification
We will take reasonable steps to identify our customers, understand the nature of their businesses, and assess money laundering risks associated with their transactions. This includes verifying the identity of our customers using reliable, independent sources.

Due Diligence and Monitoring
We will conduct ongoing due diligence and monitor transactions for suspicious activities. Enhanced due diligence will be conducted for high-risk customers and transactions.

Reporting Obligations
Event Security Southern Ltd will comply with all legal requirements to report suspicious activities to the relevant authorities without notifying the customer of the report.

Training and Awareness
All relevant employees will receive regular training on AML procedures, the recognition of suspicious transactions, and their reporting obligations. This training will be updated in response to changes in legislation and regulatory guidance.

Record Keeping
We will maintain records of customer identification, verification, and transactions for a minimum period as required by law.

Compliance and Review
Our compliance officer is responsible for implementing and enforcing this policy, ensuring compliance with regulatory obligations. This policy will be reviewed and updated regularly to reflect changes in law, regulatory guidance, and best practices.

Approval
This policy has been approved by the company's board of directors and will be reviewed and updated annually.

Modern Slavery Statement


Introduction
Event Security Southern Ltd is committed to preventing acts of modern slavery and human trafficking within its business and supply chain. This statement aligns with our company ethos of upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct and legal compliance, in accordance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Our Business and Supply Chains
Event Security Southern Ltd specializes in providing comprehensive security solutions, including event security, door supervision, and related services. Our supply chains include procurement of security equipment, technology solutions, and partnership with subcontracting agencies.

Policies on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking
We have in place a robust Modern Slavery Policy, which reflects our promise to act ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships. The policy outlines the measures to identify, mitigate, and prevent slavery and human trafficking in our operations.

Due Diligence and Risk Assessment
We implement stringent due diligence procedures to identify and assess potential risk areas in our business and supply chains. This includes background checks on suppliers and partners, and regular audits to ensure compliance with our ethical standards.

Training and Awareness
To ensure a high level of understanding of the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking, we provide training to our staff, particularly those in procurement and supply chain management.

Effectiveness and Performance Indicators
Our effectiveness in combating modern slavery is monitored through internal audits, supplier audits, and feedback from employees and external stakeholders. Key performance indicators include the number of staff trained, audit outcomes, and the swift addressing of any identified issues.

Commitment
Event Security Southern Ltd remains committed to improving our practices to combat slavery and human trafficking and will continue to update our policies and procedures as necessary to reflect this commitment.

Approval
This statement has been approved by the company's board of directors and will be reviewed and updated annually.