Alupro Code of Conduct
Foreword from the Executive Director
At Alupro our purpose is to use interesting, innovative and creative means to maximise the recycling rate of aluminium packaging in the UK in support of our member’s objectives and priorities. Our ambition is to get a rate as close to 100% as possible, and our vision is to always be the partner of choice for our members in helping them to position aluminium packaging as a sustainable packaging choice.
With over 30 years of experience doing just this, we’ve had some fantastic employees and directors who have contributed their time, energy and talents to bringing us to where we are today. We have some amazing programmes, a diverse portfolio of projects and trusted partners as well as a stellar reputation throughout the sector and beyond.
But we can’t be stationary. Success brings its own challenges and the landscape in which we operate is changing. Packaging has never been more in the spotlight, has never been under such scrutiny as today. The world needs creative solutions to big problems, and we must play our part in that.
Whilst navigating this changing world, we must be nimble and must make sensible decisions. But sometimes we may need some extra help and guidance; that’s where this Code of Conduct comes in. It spells out the spirit of how we all should conduct ourselves, it should guide the essence of our activity and the outcomes we’re working towards. It also helps us to identify who we should partner with, and perhaps who we shouldn’t, in achieving our aims.
After our people, our reputation is our best asset; we must maintain our integrity at all times.
Tom Giddings, Executive Director of Alupro
Our Code of Conduct
- Who are we?
We are an industry funded not-for-profit organisation that represents the whole spectrum of the aluminium packaging industry. We work to fulfil the industry’s obligation to meet and exceed recycling targets for aluminium packaging.
Our funding comes from across the industry, from aluminium producers to beverage canmakers, fillers, reprocessors and exporters. We always aim to authentically represent all of our members in our programme of work to ensure that funding is spent appropriately to meet the recycling targets.
We work with a variety of partners, including Local Authorities, Waste Management companies and community groups to help increase the recycling of aluminium packaging in the UK. We also act as the voice of the industry on issues on government policy and legislative development.
Why have a code of conduct?
Our code of conduct applies to all Alupro employees, and we seek to partner with other organisations that share similar values.
It’s to serve as a guide for good business conduct for all employees. We expect all employees to conduct business honestly with members, suppliers and partners and in everything we do we will:-
- Be Trusted – We can always be trusted to deliver on our promises and work toward our goals.
- Be Respectful – We will always treat each other and our partners with respect and compassion.
- Be Innovative – We aren’t afraid to challenge each other and our partners to find new ways to achieve our goals and respond to new challenges.
- Working Conditions & Employment
Alupro is committed to working with our members, partners and suppliers in a professional, positive and fair way. We treat all individuals the same way and work hard to meet our commitments, displaying honesty and integrity and we would expect to be treated the same way in return.
We will recruit, employ and promote employees solely based on their experience, qualifications and ability to do the job.
We are committed to providing a safe working environment that is free from all types of discrimination and strive to ensure that there is equal treatment in hiring, compensation, access to training and career progression, termination or retirement according to the law and regulations.
Open & Honest Communication
We strive for a supportive environment where everyone can feel comfortable to share their thoughts, ideas and feelings. If any employee, business partner or member observes any behaviour that violates our code of conduct, we absolutely want to hear about it. Alupro operates a ‘whistleblower’ policy, where any incidents should be reported first to the Executive Director but if there any doubts about the impartiality of the Executive Director then any incident can be escalated to a Board Director. All reports of this kind will be treated seriously and with discretion.
Health & Safety
The welfare of all of our employees and business partners is paramount. Alupro will ensure that we provide a safe working environment and maintain appropriate training, support and when required protective equipment that meets applicable laws and regulations. For more information on the H&S policy, please contact us at info@alupro.org.uk
Part of our work at Alupro takes us away from our offices and homes. Whenever we are travelling for work, we’ll obey any safety rules at the facilities we visit and will act responsibly to minimise risks to ourselves and others.
The most important factor controlling our Health and Safety is us!
- Business Integrity
Our commitment to integrity begins with complying with laws, rules and regulations where we do business and our ethical standards, which are founded on the principles of honesty and fair play. We will conduct business honestly with all members, partners and suppliers and hold ourselves accountable for the consequences of our operations.
Alupro maintain accurate records of any business transactions and are audited annually by an external party (Kendall Wadley https://www.kwca.co.uk/ ). We also endeavour to make payment to suppliers promptly in accordance with their terms and expect and rely on prompt payment from our members and funding partners.
Bribery & Corruption
Whilst it is accepted that occasional gifts and entertainment are given to members and business partners, we ensure that they are never excessive or frequent. The courtesies given should never be interpreted to influence a business decision and we would never expect the same courtesies given in return. All gifts will be accounted for in the accounting records.
Competition Law
As a representative of the Aluminium Packaging Industry, we often attend and hold meetings with other industry organisations and have a strict policy in place to manage compliance with competition law.
All meeting attendees agree to abide by this policy, to ensure that proper conduct takes place during these meetings. It is the top item on the agenda, and attendee’s verbal compliance is reported in the minutes.
Avoiding Conflicts of Interest
All employees and Board members of Alupro will strive to avoid any conflict of interest between the interests of the organisation and personal, professional and business interests. We always aim to protect the integrity of the organisation’s decision-making process, to enable stakeholders to have confidence in the organisation’s integrity as well as protecting the integrity and reputation of employees and Directors.
- Handling Information & Data
Alupro has a policy with procedures in place for the retention and disposal of information that meets the GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018. For more detailed information on our GDPR policy, please contact us at info@alupro.org.uk
Records are kept for as long as they are needed to meet our operational needs together with legal and regulatory requirements. Any paper trail that contains personal data that is no longer required, is recycled in a confidential waste container for shredding. The container is locked and can only be opened by the Administration Manager if paper needs to be removed from there. The bag within the container is removed for shredding and recycled by an external company every 4 weeks. A certificate of evidence of shredding is provided.
Where we share information with other body’s we will ensure that they have adequate procedures for records to ensure that the information is managed in accordance with the relevant legislation and regulatory guidance.
We take IT security very seriously and again have appropriate procedures in place. Company policy allows access to customer records to only those employees that need specific access to specific data in order for them to carry out their job role. Under the Company Misuse Act it is an offence to gain access to a computer, even if no damage has been done and no files are deleted or damaged.
- Environment & Social Responsibility
We encourage all employees to take care of the environment that we work in as well as the outside world! We recycle all materials that we possibly can at the office and have outside contractors (Bromsgrove District Council) that take away the recycled material.
As part of our work, we support many community’ and social service groups that have involvement with recycling activities. We support them by providing them with materials and helping with PR activities that help them to collect and recycle aluminium cans and foil.
During their course of their duties, all employees will pay heed to the environmental impacts of decisions they make and should seek to minimise these. For example, when travelling for work, public transport alternatives should be considered.
- Corporate Governance
Our membership consists of the full spectrum of the aluminium packaging loop and we take that responsibility very seriously. We work on behalf of our members to ensure that the industry’s obligation to meet and exceed recycling packaging targets are met. Our Board of Directors is made up of representatives from the member companies who approve our strategy and financial commitments. Board meetings are held three times per year as are the strategy and finance group meetings, which are sub committees of board members.
Alupro also has funding partners that fund our specific programmes, Every Can Counts and Metal Matters. We hold steering group meetings at least twice per year for the funding partners to update them on the progress of the programmes and to gain their approval for future campaigns.
