We have tried to make it easy for you to navigate, so in the index, simply click on the subject that interests you and then you can go directly to that point in the book.

It is, however, really important that you read through all the content and familiarise yourself on where to find more information with our supporting policies.

The portal also covers certain terms and conditions of your employment and to make this easier for you to distinguish, these are coloured silver and you will see this symbol . These sections should be read alongside your contract of employment or offer letter.

Other sections, unless stated otherwise, do not form part of your contract of employment. However, we most definitely do expect you to comply with all Group policies and procedures at all times.

The portal is reviewed and updated from time to time to comply with relevant changes in legislation and best ways of working – we will let you know each time we update the book. Previous versions will then be disregarded.

You may also receive information from your Manager on procedures in your own workplace, including fire, security, accidents etc and other special and specific requirements to your place of work. Check noticeboards regularly for news and notices, and don’t forget to raise any questions you may have with your Manager or HR.

Happy reading!

Absenteeism and Illness

As a team member it is extremely important that you follow the correct procedure in reporting your absence should you be unable to come into work due to illness or an accident.

  • You must notify a member of management at your place of work at the earliest opportunity and in line with local policies regarding notification of absence.
  • It is not appropriate to inform management via email or text message
  • It must be you who telephones your Manager, unless in exceptional circumstances
  • Whilst you are absent you must keep your Manager regularly informed and wherever possible inform them of your likely return to work date
  • For any absence less than 7 days you must complete a Self-Certificate form
  • Any absence over 7 days must be covered by a doctor’s fit note
  • Original doctor’s fit notes must be produced at all times

For further help and guidance please refer to the Absence Policy available on this portal

Illness

It is an offence to work with food whilst suffering from certain illnesses. If you or a member of your family are suffering from any disease or illness, including sickness and /or diarrhoea you must notify your Line Manager or Team Leader immediately, particularly before entering a Production area. Refer to the Illness Reporting code for further guidance.

Stool Testing, under certain circumstances, you may be required to undertake a stool test to ensure that you are safe to return to food-handling areas. For further details please consult the Absence Policy.

Medicines must not be taken into Production areas with the exception of emergency medication. Please seek advice from your Manager. For the work place, please also check with your Manager as to where medication is stored as it will change from site to site.

Return to Work interviews are conducted whenever you return to work after a period of absence. They are conducted to:

  • check that you are well enough to return to work (if your absence was health related)
  • check that there are no food hygiene or Health and Safety reasons to prevent your return to work e.g. travel to foreign countries, food poisoning etc.
  • update you on any changes in the workplace since you have been away
  • review your attendance record and discuss any issues and concerns

Return to Work interviews may be conducted by your Line Manager, Occupational Health Nurse, a member of the HR Team or a combination of the above. N.B. Absences such as jury service will not require a Return to Work interview.

When serving your notice, there may be circumstances where you are not well enough to come to work. If this is the case your employment will cease on the final day of your notice period, and you will be paid for this period at the rate of sickness pay appropriate to your role and circumstances. This could be Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) at the current government rate (if you satisfy the qualification conditions), or Company sick pay if you have entitlement to this (at the discretion of the Group), or unpaid if you do not qualify for either of these.

For further help and guidance please refer to the Absence Policy available and the Disciplinary Procedure on this portal

Unauthorised absence

It is the Company’s usual policy (subject to mitigating circumstances the Company deems appropriate to consider) to terminate a team member’s employment without notice if he/she has a period of more than 10 working days unauthorised absence.

For further help and guidance please refer to the Absence Policy available and the Disciplinary Procedure on this portal.

Accidents and First Aid

We are required to record all accidents, so please ensure you notify any accidents that you have, no matter how minor, to:

  • Your Line Manager and/or Health and Safety Representative
  • A suitability qualified First Aider
  • The Occupational Health Nurse or Deputy (if your site has an Occupational Health Department)

If you have a ‘near-miss’ where an injury was avoided, please also advise your Manager so that action can be taken to prevent it from happening again.

The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide adequate and appropriate first-aid equipment, facilities and people so employees can be given immediate help if they are injured or taken ill at work.

The minimum first-aid provision on any work site is:

  • A suitably stocked first-aid box / first aid facilities.
  • An appointed person to take charge of first-aid arrangements
  • Information for employees about first-aid arrangements

Make sure you know who your First-Aiders are and where the First Aid box / facilities are located.

If a visitor or a colleague has an accident, call the Emergency First Aider at Work and reassure the injured person that help is on its way.

Adoption

If you are planning on adopting a child, please let your Manager know as soon as you receive notification that you have been matched with a child for adoption. This will help us to ensure that you receive your statutory adoption rights based on current legislation. The law covering adoption is subject to change from time to time.

For further help and guidance please refer to the adoption section of our Family Friendly Policy available on this portal

Alcohol and Substance Abuse

Employees must not be under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs (or similar) whilst at work or representing the Group at an external event. Employees are not allowed to possess or supply illegal drugs in the workplace or on business. Failure to adhere to these guidelines will be considered gross misconduct and may result in summary dismissal.

Although testing will not routinely be undertaken by the company, we reserve the right to undertake unannounced testing when deemed appropriate.

Please refer to the disciplinary and poor performance procedures available on this portal

Attendance Recording

It is likely that each site has its own system of recording daily attendance that employees must follow. This allows us to record attendance figures properly, calculate pay properly and, in the case of an emergency evacuation, ensure that all employees are accounted for. Please note,  it is an offence to clock in for a colleague or to allow them to clock in for you or, to falsify any documentation relating to time keeping and attendance. Anyone found to be doing so may be subject to disciplinary action in line with the Company’s Disciplinary Procedure that could lead to dismissal without notice.

For further help and guidance please refer the Disciplinary procedure on this portal

Borrowing

We are not in the habit of lending equipment, stock or even cash, so please don’t borrow anything! It may be considered as gross misconduct which may result in summary dismissal.

Breaks and Meals

You are required to take a break or breaks each day in accordance with the provisions of your Offer Letter or Contract.

Each site provides a variety of facilities for meals, from canteens, to vending machines and microwaves.

Bribery

Any employee member accepting or soliciting a bribe or commission is liable to be dismissed. Therefore, you must not accept personal gifts, inducements, commissions or lavish entertainment during the course of your employment. Any such offer must be declared to your Manager and dealt with in accordance to the Company’s Anti-Corruption and Bribery Policy”. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action in line with the Company’s Disciplinary Procedure and lead to dismissal without notice

For further help and guidance please refer to the Anti-Corruption and Bribery Policy available on this portal

CCTV

Some of our offices and sites have CCTV or other recording devices in operation, in both internal and external areas. These devices are installed for your own protection and safety and must be used appropriately. There are clearly displayed signs informing you of this, and in some sites the recording is continuous. Recordings may be kept and used in such situations as evidence against employees.

At no time may any footage be distributed without Manager approval, nor should any footage be viewed or distributed for any inappropriate or non-work related purposes. Any breaches of this will be dealt with under the Disciplinary Procedure.

Should you have any questions regarding any security matter, please speak initially to your Manager.

Clothing and PPE

Clothing is issued clean and laundered free of charge. PPE must be put on before entering Production and Despatch areas and worn correctly at all times whilst in those areas. All production clothing must be removed on leaving Production areas and must be left in the designated changing area. Personal clothing and footwear are not permitted to be stored with factory issued PPE.

If you work in an area that requires PPE, High-Risk and Low-Risk overalls, hairnets or wellingtons must not be worn in the canteen, toilets, or offices. If wellingtons are worn in the offices then wellington covers must be used at all times. Any person who stores wellingtons in their office must have them securely bagged to avoid contamination. Different coloured overalls are issued for ‘High-Risk’ and ‘Low-Risk’ areas. Please refer to the PPE Changing procedures for each area. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES MAY OVERALLS OR FOOTWEAR FROM ONE SECTION BE WORN IN ANOTHER. No one is permitted outside the factory while wearing protective clothing unless your job requires it or if there is an evacuation alarm sounding (Company fleeces, high visibility jackets and safety boots are permitted outside). Personal clothing must not be worn over the protective clothing. Do not wear damaged or heavily soiled protective clothing. In these circumstances change for clean PPE.

PPE must be removed before all breaks, including toilet breaks and is not permitted in the smoke hut. Dedicated factory footwear must be worn whilst in the factory and not worn outside, unless your job requires it, i.e. safety footwear. Beaded or sequined clothing/shoes are NOT permitted in the factory. All employees, contractors or visitors walking through or directly working in non-pedestrianised areas of the site must wear a high visibility vest at all times. Hairnets are to be worn in all Production and Despatch areas. Hairnets must cover the ears and contain all the hair. If a hat or bandana is to be worn this must be covered fully by a hair net. For facial hair, a snood must be worn. Please refer to the Company’s changing procedure.

Communication with Press & Media or Enforcement Agencies

The Company needs to manage and control contact with the media very strictly. Whilst to some of you this may seem unnecessarily harsh, in a Company this size – it is essential. News is increasingly a 24 hour commodity and can be transmitted around the world at the touch of a button.

No one should agree to an interview or provide impromptu comments to the press or contact the media without prior approval. If you are contacted by a journalist:

  • Take down his/her details and let them know someone will come back to them
  • Be helpful and polite, but do not attempt to answer the questions yourselves – even if you think you know the answer
  • Immediately contact your site Human Resources Manager

If a request is made by an Enforcement Officer (e.g., Police, Trading Standards, Local authority officers etc) for a Police and Criminal Evidence Act interview, whilst their enquiries must not be obstructed, other than senior members of the team or HR, you are not authorised to answer any questions on Group policy.

In all cases any employee who receives a request for such an interview should contact their Manager.

Communication with YOU!

We are always looking at ways to improve our communications at our sites.  Here are some of the methods we currently use;

  • Notice Boards and Table Toppers
  • Employee Forum
  • Newsletters and magazines
  • Employee Survey
  • Recognition schemes

Your ideas and thoughts are very important. We actively listen to you and have a number of schemes for team members to identify and share ideas to improve how we work and the working environment.

Company Property

Employees are expected to take care of all Company property in their possession at any time. Failure to take appropriate care of our property and premises may result in personal liability to replace the item(s) and, in some instances, disciplinary action – so please look after it!

When you leave us, you are required to return, in good condition, any property such as IT equipment, phones, uniforms, documents, manuals, keys etc. We reserve the right to make an appropriate deduction from any wages or other payments owed to you by the Group in respect of any property that is not returned to us, or is not returned in a satisfactory condition.

Compassionate Leave

Sympathetic consideration will be given by your Manager to requests for paid compassionate leave in the event of the death or serious illness of a close relative, i.e. parent, sibling, spouse or child. If leave is granted, it will normally be for a maximum of three days, however please check with your HR team for site specific arrangements.

Should you require extended leave, for example should you need to travel abroad, if approved, this must be taken from your holiday entitlement or will be unpaid.

Confidential Information

During the course of your working life, you may find yourself in possession in information which is of a confidential, sensitive or personal nature. This may include but is not limited to:

  • Customer lists
  • Formulae design, layout and operation
  • Pricing discounts and rebate policies
  • Applications and Terms and Conditions of Employment
  • Acquisition or disposal policies
  • Strategies, plan and negotiations
  • Other employees’ personal affairs

You must not, without the express authorisation of your Manager:

  • Disclose any information of a confidential nature concerning the Group’s current or future business interests to anyone who is not an employee of the Group (or the wider business) or to any employee whose job does not directly require the knowledge
  • Remove from any of our premises any information of a confidential nature concerning the Group’s current or future business unless in the legitimate course of your duties

On termination of your employment, you must:

  • Not retain within your possession any information of a confidential nature concerning any aspect of the Group’s current or future business
  • Continue to observe your obligation above regarding non-disclosure of any information of a confidential nature concerning the Group’s current or future business

Conflict of Interest

As a team member, you have a duty of fidelity, trust and confidence to the Group. Therefore, you must not do anything, whether at work or elsewhere, which could detrimentally affect our reputation or business interests. Any breach of this duty will be dealt with according to the Disciplinary Procedure.

You are required to seek the Company’s permission to undertake another job, whether paid or unpaid, whilst you are employed by us. This will not be unreasonably withheld. We want to make sure that this is unlikely to have any adverse impact on your ability to perform your role and to keep you safe. You may not be permitted to undertake or continue other employment should there be a conflict of interest between this job and the interests of the Group. You must inform your Manager of your intention to undertake a second job prior to accepting or starting in the other role.

In the event that you are absent which we believe is as a result of carrying out your second role, we reserve the right to withhold Company Sick Pay.

You may not without your Manager’s prior approval enter into any contract with, or commission any work from, any supplier in which you or your relatives or friends have an interest of any kind.

You may not, without your Manager’s approval, engage friends and relatives into employment.

Contact Lenses/Spectacles

The wearing of contact lenses and glasses is permitted, however if you lose a contact lens or glasses lens or you break your glasses at any time on site you must immediately report it to your Line Manager or Team Leader.

Cosmetics

The use of cosmetics, especially strong perfumes/aftershaves, by employees, contractors or visitors entering a food production environment must be controlled, as these can be potential sources of food taints. The wearing of nail varnish/nail art, false nails and/or false eyelashes is strictly prohibited.

Please refer to your local Hygiene Policy.

Criminal Allegations, Convictions & Court Orders

Before taking up a position with us you must tell us of any previous convictions including motoring offences, County Court Judgements, or Criminal Compensation Orders, which still need to be declared. You also need to tell us if you have ever been declared bankrupt or are listed on the Sex Offenders Register.

If you are charged with or convicted of any criminal offence, you must notify your Manager immediately with details of the conviction. We may then choose to investigate this further with you.

Disciplinary action, which may include dismissal, may be taken if the alleged offence and/or sentence have an impact on your work (or ability to attend work), or which severely impacts trust and confidence, is unacceptable to your colleagues or may bring the Group into disrepute. Failure to notify us of any of the above may also result in disciplinary action being taken against you, which could lead to summary dismissal.

For certain parts of the business, you may be asked to complete a DBS check.

CCTV Monitoring Procedure

Position Statement:

BPO Manufacturing has committed to ensuring that there is sufficient CCTV in place on site for the monitoring of personnel, visitors, contractors and to maintain site security.

Objectives:

To ensure effective monitoring of personnel’s, visitors’ and contractors’ on site, for the Food Safety Culture, Employee Wellbeing, Safety and Good Manufacturing Practices of the business and all team members.

Scope:

BPO Division: Primary, Value Added, Bakery This procedure applies to all CCTV monitoring equipment on site, all employees, visitors and contractors.

Responsibility Area R
Who is Responsible?
A
Who is Accountable?
C
Who should be consulted?
I
Who should be informed?
Communicate, implement and monitor this procedure Site Director / General Manager / Human Resources Operations Director Technical/EHS Technical/EHS
To ensure this procedure is adhered to at all times GMP Auditors / CCTV Monitors / FSQC Co-ordinators Head of Technical / Technical Manager / Human Resources Manager Site Director / General Manager / Union (if applicable) Site Director / General Manager

Procedure:

M1. CCTV System

  1. The CCTV system must be operational and images are capable of being monitored twenty-four hours a day throughout the year. All CCTV cameras are configured to record images only: any sound recording facilities will be switched off or disabled.
  2. All employees, visitors and contractors must be made aware of the presence of the CCTV system by appropriate signage which must be clearly visible, readable and sets out the purposes for processing the CCTV images and identifies BPO as the data controller responsible for processing those images.
  3. The CCTV equipment must be maintained and tested in accordance with a regular schedule. A competent, designated personnel on site will be responsible for testing the quality of images to ensure that recorded images and prints as well as live images are clear and fit for purpose.
  4. Images captured by cameras will be recorded on equipment located securely in a self-contained room within the site buildings. Access must be restricted and individually assigned and recorded on each entry/exit.
  5. Recorded media must be stored for a minimum of 6 months or until capacity is reached, whichever is the shorter period. After 30 days it will reduce to 1 frames per second, excluding all lairage/welfare cameras which remain at 180 days.

M2. CCTV Privacy Impact Assessment

  1. A CCTV Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) must be carried out at each site prior to introduction of CCTV operations on site using ‘BPO UKP CCTV Privacy Impact Assessment Form (PIA)’ and in accordance with the data protection principles.
  2. CCTV PIA Form must be regularly reviewed, minimum annually and after significant changes to site buildings and operations, to identify and reduce privacy risks and ensure that CCTV use remains justified.
  3. Authorisation to proceed must be signed off and recorded on the PIA form prior to launch of CCTV monitoring operations on site.

M3. CCTV Monitoring Room

  1. Access to view CCTV recordings must be restricted and the monitoring system must only be used for the purpose it was intended for.
  2. Handling of images and information within the CCTV Monitoring Room must be carried out in accordance with these procedures and the Group CCTV & Surveillance Policy.
  3. Where possible, CCTV Monitoring Room shall be located close to the factory to enable quick access when necessary.
  4. No mobile phones are permitted while monitoring.

M4. CCTV Monitoring Personnel

  1. One CCTV GMP Auditor must be present on each shift during factory operational hours (production only). The auditor will report directly to Head of Technical / Head of Human Resources or Technical Manager /(Human Resources Manager in the absence of a Head of Technical.
  2. The Auditor must be fully trained on all relevant site procedures, including the internal audit procedure, GMP and relevant bulletins prior to commencement.
  3. Suitability of a candidate for the role of GMP Auditor must be thoroughly assessed to ensure that they:
    1. Have good attention to detail
    2. Have excellent understanding of the site GMP rules and be able to explain the reason behind these rules to operators, supervisors and area managers.
    3. Be able to speak and write very good English.
    4. Be confident in engaging teams at all levels and be proactive in preventing significant GMP breaches.

M5. CCTV Monitoring Programme

  1. The monitoring routine will consist of the following:
    1. One hour at a time monitoring GMP on CCTV camera recordings on screen (Cameras in production and packing areas).
    2. Another hour in the factory, physically verifying conformance against procedures and site GMP rules and engaging with team leaders and area managers; coaching and supporting staff with learnings and driving food safety culture and standards.
    3. The above shall result in 50% of the auditor’s time used in monitoring GMP via CCTV and the other 50% used in following up findings/investigating and challenging practices on the factory floor. Or if resource allows, it can be one person watching the camera’s and one in the factory, physically verifying conformance against procedures and site GMP rules and engaging with team leaders and area managers.

CCTV and GMP Verification Daily Shift Schedule (standard morning shift example)

Monitoring Activity 6:00am 7:00am 8:00am 9:00am 10:00am 11:00am 12:00am 13:00pm
CCTV Recording Monitoring A A A A
Physical GMP Factory Verification A A A A
  1. Monitoring Staff present
  2. Breaks will be taken in line with company policy and compliance with Health and Safety Standards (DSE).
  3. Appropriate cover of monitoring activities above must be provided during holidays and other absences, as well as during overtime and early starts. A member of the factory QA team shall be trained to provide cover when necessary.

M6. CCTV Monitoring Records and Corrective Actions

  1. All findings and time spent monitoring each camera must be logged. Communication of issues to the factory floor and/or Technical Manager/Head of Technical shall be in real time and actions taken must also be recorded.
  2. GMP Auditors must challenge, coach/mentor and support (offer advice) immediately after bad practices are observed.
  3. Records of bad practices observed and actions taken shall be transferred onto a database accessible only to a predefined list of colleagues. These must enable easy extraction of common themes/findings for training purposes.
  4. Implementation of any new ways of working or improvement actions must also be monitored and recorded.

M7. Findings and Escalation

  1. Non-conforming practices shall be categorised as either minor, major or critical.

    Minor Non Conformances – isolated instances of GMP failures e.g. incorrect hair coverage, dirty or damaged overall, excess make-up etc. Failure to make corrective action following initial report may result in disciplinary action in accordance with Company’s disciplinary procedure.

    Major Non Conformances – numerous instances of the same GMP failures, significant compromise to process or product integrity such as temperature abuse (stock left out of chillers for more than 30 minutes), an isolated tray without a label, evidence of product contamination which gets detected and resolved, etc. Failure to follow procedure resulting in major non conformances may result in disciplinary action in accordance with Company’s disciplinary procedure.

    Critical Non Conformances – Evidence of product contamination which goes undetected, food handlers picking meat off the floor, floor meat put on production line, poor line clearance and line gaps, label changes during a production run, two kill dates at the same work station and other breaches to bulletin 15 requirements. Critical Non Conformances may be considered gross misconduct and will be dealt with in accordance with the Company’s disciplinary procedure.

    NCN Category Themes (not limited to):
    Meat on Floor
    Culture/general bad practice
    Use of Mobile Phones
    Personal Hygiene – washing of hands
    Process Hygiene
    Equipment Handling
    PPE
    Labelling & Traceability
    Non-Conforming Product
    Product Handling
    CCP
    Weight Control
    Temperature Control
    H&S Breach

    • (If >10 minors in any sub-category then it becomes a Major. Example: 11 people not washing hands correctly would become 1 major).
  2. All minor non-conformances shall be reported to the area leader and resolved immediately. Major non-conformances shall also be reported to the Technical Manager or Head of Technical and the Site Director or General Manager and resolved immediately. A member of the divisional Senior Management Team shall be informed of any critical non-conformances raised.
  3. A weekly score of findings shall be generated as follows and communicated through the weekly technical dashboard:

    • <10 Minor Non Conformances per week – Green
    • ≥10 Minor Non Conformances or 1 Major Non Conformances per week – Amber
    • >1 Major Non Conformance or 1 Critical Non Conformance – Red.

M9. Guidelines for Implementing CCTV Monitoring

  1. For new or amended use of CCTV please complete the BPO UKP CCTV Privacy Impact Assessment Form (PIA)’ in accordance with the data protection principles.
  2. Map the current coverage of CCTV (Internal & External) and log where the blind spots are and whether all key processes and CCP areas are covered by the current camera’s. Also include coverage for areas where Induction Training is completed. For areas identified as not having sufficient coverage or that don’t have appropriate camera’s (i.e. Atex rated for areas using powders) please add these requirements to the sites capital project log for resolution.
  3. Survey the quality and direction of the images from the current camera’s and create a log of which camera ID’s refers to which areas of site coverage. Please ensure that Whistleblower posters are not positioned within areas that are covered by CCTV that could identify colleagues.
  4. Create a room for the monitoring of CCTV which allows privacy and adequate space for the required number of monitor screens. Also provide lockable areas for holding sensitive documentation.
  5. Set up an effective method of communication between the CCTV Monitoring room and the key contacts within the factory i.e. 2 Way radios.
  6. All staff that will monitor CCTV must be suitably trained and have signed an appropriate NDA prior to monitoring CCTV.
  7. Ensure that signage around the site reflects the current use and purpose of CCTV and that employees are made aware of the use of the CCTV data.

Also please refer to the CCTV section in A to Z in the Book of Everything.

Data Protection Policy (GDPR)

We all need to be mindful of our legal obligations under the General Data Protection Regulations 2018; therefore, all personal data relating to our customers, team members and suppliers must be obtained and managed fairly, kept secure and be accurate and up to date. Data must not be released to anyone who is unauthorised or used for purposes other than for the reason it was collected. Any breach in relation to data protection may result in disciplinary action, which could result in dismissal. Team members can incur personal criminal liability and fines if they knowingly or recklessly obtain and/or disclose personal information without consent.

During the course of our activities we will process personal data (which may be held on paper or electronically) and we recognise the need to treat it in an appropriate and lawful manner, in accordance with data protection legislation including the General Data Protection Regulations 2018.

Protecting the confidentiality and integrity of personal data is a critical responsibility that we take seriously at all times. The Group is exposed to significant potential fines for failure to comply with its obligations. Furthermore, individuals may incur personal criminal liability and fines if they fail to comply with data protection legislation.

Please refer to our Data Protection Policy for full details, but in particular:

  • Personal data must be handled lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner. You may only process personal data when performing your job duties should it require it
  • Personal data must be accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date. It must be corrected or deleted without delay when inaccurate. You must comply with our retention policies and procedures to ensure personal data is deleted after a reasonable time for the purposes for which it was being held, unless a law requires such data to be kept for a minimum time
  • Personal data must be secured against unauthorised or unlawful use, and against accidental loss, destruction or damage. You must follow all procedures and technologies we put in place to maintain the security of all personal data, from the point of collection to the point of destruction
  • You must maintain data security by ensuring that only authorised people access personal data on a strictly ‘need to know’ basis
  • If you know or suspect that a personal data breach has occurred, immediately contact the internal person or team designated as the key point of contact
  • You must undergo all mandatory data privacy related training and ensure your team undergo similar mandatory training in accordance with our training guidelines

Your compliance with the relevant data protection policies and guidelines is mandatory. Any breach may result in disciplinary action, which could result in dismissal.

Deductions from Pay

We reserve the right (at any time) to deduct from your wages/salary any overpayment made and/or monies owed to the Group by you, including but not limited to, any excess holiday, outstanding loans, advances and the cost of repairing any damage or loss to company property caused by you.

This will be in instalments of up to 10% of your gross pay until the total amount is recovered. There is no 10% limit when such a deduction is made from your final instalment of wages or holiday pay.

By signing your contract, you give your irrevocable agreement to the Group making the above deductions.

Please note that if we also discover you have acted dishonestly in the course of your employment (and in some cases, outside your employment), you will be subject to disciplinary action which is very likely to lead to your dismissal.

(Please refer to the disciplinary and poor performance procedures available on this portal)

Dependants

You may be entitled to a reasonable amount of unpaid time off during your working hours to help dependants in certain emergency situations, e.g. to help them or make arrangements for them if they fall ill or are injured or give birth; because of an unexpected disruption to current arrangements for their care; or an unexpected incident involving your child at school. The Group will consider sympathetic requests for unpaid time off work for emergencies involving family or other dependants subject to prompt notification and the provision of satisfactory evidence when requested.

If you are a carer of an adult, you are entitled to request flexible working (in a similar way to parents caring for young or disabled children).

For further help and guidance please refer to our Family Friendly Policy available on this portal or speak to HR.

Dental and Medical Appointments

You should check with your HR team about the local arrangements for Dental and Medical appointments.

Usually hospital, doctors or dental appointments should take place outside normal working hours wherever possible.  If this is not possible, appointments should be scheduled for the beginning or end of your working day.

If you provide written evidence of a medical or dental appointment the Group may, in its absolution discretion, allow you paid leave usually of no more than a half-day.  Alternatively, we may ask you to make up lost time, take unpaid leave or take the time as holiday.

Disability

The Equality Act 2010 defines someone as disabled if they suffer a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day to day activities. If you are disabled in any way, or become disabled during your employment with us, it is important that you let us know. We can offer assistance and explore with you ways of overcoming any difficulties that you have at work and make adjustments to help you wherever possible.

Disciplinary and Poor Performance

The Disciplinary and Poor Performance Procedures are primarily designed to improve standards of performance and conduct, rather than to punish. They set out the steps which will be taken by the Group, if a team member breaches our policies or rules, commits other acts of misconduct or where there are performance issues to be addressed. The procedures also aim to ensure that discipline within the Group can be established quickly and consistently ensuring fair treatment for all our employees.

Please refer to the disciplinary and poor performance procedures available on this portal.

Driving on Company Business

Before driving any vehicles at work, you must make sure you are familiar with all the rules and regulations.

If you are required to drive on company business, you must be particularly aware of the following:

  • Drink driving – There is no safe limit for drinking and driving and the only way to stay safe is simply not to drink when you are driving. Be aware that alcohol remains in the bloodstream the day after it is consumed.
  • Drugs and Driving – On no account should you drive if under the influence of drugs. You should also be aware that even some prescription drugs should not be taken if you need to drive.
  • Smoking – Our smoking policy complies fully with current legislation. Smoking in a Non-Smoking area (which will include Company vehicles) is considered an act of Gross Misconduct and will result in your dismissal without notice
  • Telephone – We do not require you to receive and make phone calls at all whilst driving. In-Vehicle systems such as navigation, smartphones, tablets, PCs and multimedia that could distract your concentration whilst driving are discouraged by the Company.
  • When mobile phones and other in vehicle systems are installed in your own or company vehicle, only use them when its safe to do so.

Duties

As well as performing your usual job role, you may also be required to carry out such additional or alternative duties, either at your current workplace or another site as the Group considers appropriate to your abilities including duties which would not normally be associated with your job title such as may from time to time reasonably be required of you.

Eating

Eating, chewing or drinking is not permitted in any Production area or locker changing rooms with the exception of:

  • Drinking water at the stations provided
  • Taste panel station

Chewing Gum is prohibited on site.

Peanuts and Nuts: it is forbidden to bring any type of nut onto the premises. This includes chocolate bars with nuts in. Failure to follow this rule may result in disciplinary action being taken.

Email, Internet and Equipment

You should be aware that we can and do monitor the use of these facilities and can access the information contained in electronic communication you receive at work.

Computer resources and telephones are Group property and are provided for business use only, unless you have specific authorisation from your Manager.

Any unreasonable level of use or misuse of company property (or equipment used by or on behalf of us, e.g. CCTV equipment) for other than legitimate business purposes is normally regarded as misconduct, which can lead to disciplinary action in accordance with the Disciplinary Procedure.

(Please refer to the disciplinary and poor performance procedures available on this portal).

Computer users are required to comply with any further policy documents or guidance issued by the Group from time to time. Please refer to our current policy on Computer and Device Usage and Social Networking, also on this portal

English Language

We appreciate that English may not be the first language of many of our team members. However, in order to support good communication, training and teamwork, all our team members are expected to be able to communicate to a practical level in spoken and written English. On occasion, it may be acceptable to communicate in your first language in order to assist others with training and its translation.

The Company is committed to an active policy of equality and diversity (please refer to our policy in the policy section for more details on this). Any bullying or harassment of team members, on the basis of difference of nationality or first language, will not be tolerated. Examples of unacceptable behaviour related to the use of different languages may be:

  • When a team member chooses to communicate in his/her first language to another colleague who shares that language for the purposes of excluding others who do not speak that language, or to create a hostile or uncomfortable environment for them
  • When a team member uses words (perhaps swear words) from another colleague’s first language in order to create a hostile or uncomfortable environment for that colleague
  • When a team member makes fun of the way a colleague, whose first language is not English, speaks English

Anyone found to be using a different language as outlined above for the purposes of harassment and bullying a colleague will be subject to the current Disciplinary Procedure.

For further help and guidance, please refer to our Equality & Diversity Policy, Grievance and Disciplinary Procedures.

Environment

We are committed to supplying products that meet or exceed the expectation of its customers and will conduct business in an environmentally-friendly and responsible manner. This will be achieved through:

  • Managing the impact on the environment in a pro-active way through waste prevention and minimisation, re-use, recycling and safe disposal
  • Conserving energy, raw materials and natural resources throughout all Group operations
  • Adopting appropriate measures to manage environmental risks, including emergency response plans
  • Complying with all applicable environmental legislation/regulations and with accepted codes of good environmental practice
  • Taking account of the environment at all stages, including product development, manufacturing and distribution operations
  • Encouraging and where appropriate requiring suppliers and contractors to implement sustainable environmental policies and effective environmental management systems
  • Striving to continuously improve environmental performance in all aspects of the business

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We place great emphasis on always treating people with fairness and respect. We believe that different backgrounds, experiences and points of view bring numerous benefits to our teams and our business.

We are proud and value our diversity and we recognise that people make the difference at work and everyone is different. We oppose all forms of unlawful discrimination.

The policy requires support from everyone who works with us , whatever their level. It is your responsibility to make sure that you understand the policy and comply with it at all times.

For more information please read the Equality & Diversity Policy on this portal.

The policy sets out our guidelines on all aspects of diversity and equality, as well as briefly explaining the relevant law. Our aim is for the policy to assist us in moving towards a workplace free from unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation.

Fire Safety

Fire arrangements will be explained to you as part of your induction training.

Make sure you are familiar with the fire exits where you are, and that you know where the assembly points are in the event of an evacuation.

From time to time and as part of the practice fire drill, you will receive refresher fire training.

If you discover a fire, raise the alarm using the nearest manual call point – no matter how small the fire. Remember it is very dangerous to use the wrong firefighting equipment and tackle a blaze that you cannot cope with – when in doubt leave the fire and evacuate.

A list of Emergency Fire Procedures and Fire Marshals will be displayed.

If you are unclear about the fire arrangements in your place of work, please ask your Manager, the site Health & Safety Manager or Health & Safety Representative.

Flexible Working

You are entitled to apply for flexible working if you have worked continuously for the Group for 26 weeks and you have not made a request in the past 12 months.

We will give serious consideration to such applications, but requests may be refused if there are valid business reasons for doing so.

Please see the Flexible Working Section of the Family Friendly Policy

Food Hygiene and Quality Assurance

High standards of food hygiene and quality assurance are essential in a food manufacturing environment and it is vital that you read and understand all the policies and procedures related to food hygiene and safety on site. Because of the differences in the environments and product ranges on site, the rules do vary. You will be provided with a details overview of each area of the factory and the food hygiene controls, It there is anything you do not understand, make sure your Line Manager explains it to you. You will be given appropriate levels of training in Food Hygiene and Quality Assurance to help you to maintain the high standards the business requires.

Gambling

Unless authorised by management (such as a raffle), no employee may practise or provide facilities for betting or gambling on Company premises.

Grievance

The Grievance procedure has been established so team members may raise problems or concerns about their work, working relationships or working environment and have them dealt with fairly and speedily.

If you have any concerns about your treatment or working conditions but do not feel you can raise it directly with the person or your Manager, please seek some advice from your HR Team.

Please see the Grievance Procedure on this portal.

Handwashing

You must keep your hands and fingernails clean, fingernails must also be kept short.

Always wash your hands thoroughly:

  • On entering the factory
  • After visiting the toilet
  • After using a handkerchief, coughing or sneezing
  • After a cleaning operation, including after picking up items from the floor/handling waste in between production runs
  • Following the spillage of product
  • After washing hands, ensure the hand sanitiser is used

Harassment & Bullying

We are committed to being a business in which equality of opportunity is a reality, and in which every individual can seek, obtain and continue employment without unlawful discrimination.

In line with its values, we expect all of our team members to be treated with respect. It is our policy to provide a working environment in which all employees can realise their potential free of harassment and/or bullying on the basis of their sex, race, age, disability, religion or sexual orientation.

Harassment is not acceptable under any circumstances and may constitute unlawful discrimination under UK law. Every effort will be made to deal with alleged harassment as soon as possible in accordance with Group policy. Any team member, regardless of grade or position, found to be responsible for inciting, perpetrating or condoning harassment and/or bullying may
be disciplined. We regard such behaviour as gross misconduct and it is likely to result in dismissal.

Please note:
If you harass colleagues, you could be personally liable and may personally have to pay compensation to them. In serious cases, harassment may be a criminal offence for which the harasser can be imprisoned. Bullying can also be unlawful, particularly when it leaves the victim with no choice but to resign.

All team members, regardless of position, have a responsibility to ensure that harassment and bullying do not occur.

If you witness that some form of harassment and bullying is taking place at work and you stand by and ignore it, you may be perceived as condoning such behaviour.

Please see the Harassment and Bullying Policy

Health & Safety

We aim for the highest standards of health and safety.

It is our policy to promote safe working conditions and a healthy environment in all our premises. A copy of the Health and Safety Policy statement is displayed and make sure you know where it can be located. Please ensure you have read and understood this statement and your responsibilities.

All team members have a legal responsibility under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to pay attention and adhere to the content of any statutory warning, information notices, training and instructions provided and to carry out regular risk assessments of your work place with your Manager, and point out any potential areas of risk.

We will audit our workplace to ensure these standards are maintained.

Before starting work you will receive all the personal protective equipment and clothing you need, plus instructions on how and when to use it. It is your responsibility to use this clothing and equipment properly at all times. Whilst line managers are responsible for maintaining health and safety standards in their teams, you are responsible for your own safety and that of your work colleagues. Make sure you follow our Health and Safety procedures to the letter. We do not compromise on health and safety and believe that no one should be hurt as a result of our operations. All accidents are preventable, if it’s not safe, don’t do it.

Any breach of your responsibilities, as set out in the policy, may lead to disciplinary action being taken, but more importantly, your mistake or failure could lead to risk of injury to you, your colleagues or one of our visitors.

These rules must be followed to maintain a safe, working environment.

You must NEVER:

  • start or operate any power-driven machinery until you have been trained to operate it safely (no matter who asks you)
  • alter or adjust a machine guard unless your manager has authorised you to do so and the appropriate safety procedures are in place
  • attempt to clean a machine while it is working
  • dismantle or assemble a machine until you have received proper instructions
  • talk to – or distract – any employee who is operating power-driven machinery
  • run on company premises
  • start or take part in any form of horseplay

Holidays

For most, the holiday year runs from 1 January to 31 December, but please refer to your contract to confirm this and to find out your annual holiday entitlement.

General rules regarding booking holiday:

  • Please give as much notice as possible in writing if you wish to take holiday

The minimum periods of notice are:

  • Two weeks for a holiday of less than one week
  • Four weeks for a holiday of one week or more

Generally holidays are for a minimum period of one day and a maximum period of two weeks, other than in exceptional or site specific circumstances. If you want to request a holiday of more than two weeks, you must make your request at least two months before the date you wish the holiday to start.

It is important that you do not make any holiday arrangements until your holiday has been authorised, as all holiday is at the discretion of the Group. Holiday requests will be dealt with in order of receipt.

We reserve the right to require you to take holiday to which you are entitled in your holiday year on certain dates by giving you notice of that requirement.

Accrual of holiday

During the first year of employment, holiday accrues at the rate of one twelfth the annual entitlement for each complete month. You may not be able to take paid holiday in excess of the amount you have accrued at the time. After your first year of employment you may be permitted to take paid holiday in excess of the amount accrued at that time provided this is authorised by your Manager.

Holiday entitlement does not accrue during any unauthorised absence from work.

Failure to return from holiday

If you fail to return to work after a holiday without notifying us of an acceptable reason (in the opinion of the Group), on or before your agreed date of return, your absence from the first day you failed to return will be considered unauthorised absence. The matter will be dealt with under the Disciplinary Procedure on your return.

Sickness during holiday

If you are sick or injured during a holiday period and would have been incapable of work, you may choose to treat the period of incapacity as sick leave and reclaim the affected days of holiday.

Employees already on sick leave before a pre-arranged period of holiday may choose to cancel any days of holiday that coincide with the period of incapacity and treat them as sick leave.

Relevant sick pay will only be paid for such days if you comply with the Absence Policy, including notifying your Manager immediately of your incapacity and obtaining medical evidence, even if you are abroad.

Dishonest claims or other abuse of this policy will be treated as misconduct under our disciplinary procedure.

Please refer to the disciplinary and poor performance procedures on this portal

Carrying forward of holiday

In most cases, holiday entitlement may NOT be transferred from one holiday year to the next. Therefore, any holiday you do not take by the end of the holiday year will be lost. 

Working on Public Holidays

To maintain our customer service levels, you may find that you have to work on national public holidays. Details of this requirement and how much you will be paid are set out in your local Terms and Conditions of Employment.

Leaving employment

When you leave our employment, your statutory holiday entitlement up to and including your leaving date will be calculated. Your final wages/salary will be reduced or increased in accordance with the number of days of holiday taken in addition to or less than your entitlement at your leaving date.

The Group has the right to require you to take any unused holiday entitlement during any notice period.

Hours of Work / Working Time Regulations

Your normal weekly basic hours and days of work per week will be agreed at the time of your appointment and are set out in your contract or letter of appointment. You must arrive at work in good time to start work.

You may have to change your hours or days of duty, or work additional hours to get the job done and out to the customer. Alternatively, if there is a shortage of orders and we are unable to find you suitable alternative work, we may have to ask you to work shorter hours or to take holiday until the situation is resolved. Either way, we will expect you to be flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of the business.

Working Time Regulations

Under employment law, you have the right not to be required to work more than an average of 48 hours a week, over a 17-week period. You may, however, agree to work more than this limit, provided you sign the agreement to it in your contract. If you do not sign such an agreement, you will not be allowed to work more than an average 48 hour working week and this may reduce your wage/salary if you have previously worked more than 48 hours a week on average.

Jewellery

No jewellery, hairgrips or wristwatches may be worn in production or despatch areas with the exception of a plain band ring, a plain religious bangle (Kara-Sikh Religion) or plain dagger (Kirpan-Sikh Religion) and medical alert jewellery following recommendation from the Occupational Health Advisor. All visible piercings including body piercings must be removed prior to entering all areas of the factory. All jewellery exceptions must be declared. Any employee found to be wearing any jewellery item that has not been declared and/or not been signed off by the Company as being acceptable to wear may be required to remove the item and may be subject to disciplinary action in line with the Company’s Disciplinary Procedure.

Jury Service

If you are called for jury or witness service, you should request leave of absence from your Manager as soon as possible.  You should produce written evidence that you are required to attend court as a juror or witness.  Depending on the demands of the business, we may request that you apply to be excused from or defer your jury service.

Employers are not required to pay employees while they are absent on jury service.  You will be advised at court of the expenses and loss of earnings that you can claim should this be the case.

Keys and Alarms

You must make sure all procedures and guidelines are followed when leaving our buildings and so it is very important that you familiarise yourself with the security measures where you work.

Keys and alarm codes must be kept safe and secure at all times and it would be considered a disciplinary offence for these to be passed on to unauthorised parties.

You must secure all properties and premises when unattended and make sure all appropriate electrical equipment is switched off, safeguarding the property and conserving energy!

KIT days

We would like to keep in touch with you during your Maternity, Adoption, Additional paternity or Shared leave, partly of course to hear how you and your new baby are doing, but also to keep you updated about developments at work.

While you are on leave, there may be occasions when you would like to come to work; for example, to go on a training course, to update yourself on a particular project, or to attend a team member away day. If so, we would be generally keen you came in, although there will be no pressure on you to do so. We will agree at the time how much pay you will receive for coming into work (which will include any SMP that you are entitled to for that week). Before you start your leave, we can discuss arrangements for keeping in touch and whether there are any particular circumstances in which you would want to come to work.

We have no right to demand that you undertake any such KIT work and you are under no obligation to undertake such work. Equally we are under no obligation to agree any KIT days if we feel it is unnecessary, or outside budget constraints.

For more information see the Family Friendly Policy on this portal

Lateness

If you are late for work, for whatever reason, you should make every effort to notify your supervisor or Line Manager as early as possible. You must report to your Supervisor or Line Manager after clocking on/arriving but before starting work. N.B. Being late for work may result in a loss of pay. Persistent lateness may result in disciplinary action in line with the Company’s Disciplinary Procedure and could lead to dismissal.

Maternity

If you become pregnant, please let your Manager know as soon as possible after the pregnancy is confirmed. This will ensure that you receive your statutory maternity rights based on current legislation.

For further information please refer to the Maternity section of the Family Friendly Policy on this portal.

Mobile Telephones and Camera Equipment

Mobile telephones or photographic equipment, unless issued by the company, are not permitted to be used in Production areas without permission from the General / Site Manager.

The taking of photographs on site is prohibited unless prior authorisation has been given by a Senior Manager.

Medical examinations

If you have an ongoing or intermittent illness or condition that causes frequent absence from work or means that you are unable to perform some of your normal duties, then we reserve the right to ask you to undergo a medical examination by a doctor, site occupational health practitioner or medical advisor appointed by us and for the appointed person to receive a detailed report from your own doctor so that we get the most informed opinion on your fitness to work.

If you refuse or fail to attend a Medical Examination or attend a Medical Meeting, it will result in you having no entitlement to Company Sick Pay and may, in appropriate circumstances, be treated as misconduct.

We will take such action as we consider reasonable based on the information provided.

Please see the Absence Policy on this portal for full details.

National Insurance

All employees are required to provide evidence of their National Insurance number or proof that they have applied for a NI number before they start work with us. Where an individual has made an application for a NI number then this issued number must be provided to us within 12 weeks of their start date or their employment will be terminated.

Notice Period

The notice periods between you and the Group will be detailed in your contract of employment. For longer serving team members statutory notice calculations will be applied if they exceed your contractual terms.

In addition, the Group reserves the right to:

  • Terminate employment without notice or wages in lieu of notice if you are guilty of an act of gross misconduct. (The Disciplinary Procedure, located in this portal, explains what may be considered to be gross misconduct)
  • Pay you only up to and including your last actual day of work if you leave without giving the correct notice period
  • Once notice of termination of employment has been given, your obligations under your contract will continue until your last day of employment. The rules regarding other work (please see Conflict of Interest) continue to apply until your employment ends
  • Pay the equivalent of net wages/salary in lieu of a period of notice

Parental Leave

To make a request for Parental Leave, please discuss your requirements with your Manager. You will qualify for parental leave if you:

  • Are a parent of a child under 18, meaning a person named on the child’s birth certificate or a person having or expecting to have parental responsibility for the child under the law
  • Have been continuously employed by us for one year by the time you wish to take leave
  • Are taking the leave to look after the child or make arrangements for the child’s welfare

Each parent can take 18 weeks parental leave for each child. This is on top of any entitlement to Maternity, Parental Leave or Shared Parental Leave.

You are entitled to take Parental Leave at any time up to the child’s 18th Birthday; it is the same if the child is adopted.

Your contract of employment continues during Parental Leave and you will be entitled to return to the same job.  However, you will not be paid during the leave period and it will not count for the accrual of holiday pay other than statutory holiday entitlement.

For more information refer to the Parental Leave section of the Family Friendly Policy on this portal

Paternity

If your partner becomes pregnant, please let your Manager know as soon as possible after the pregnancy is confirmed. This will help us to ensure that you receive your statutory paternity rights based on current legislation.

For further information please refer to the paternity section of the Family Friendly Policy on this portal

Pension & Retirement

The Group does not recognise a normal retirement age. Those team members who are eligible for insured benefits, e.g. Death in Service, Disability and Medical Insurance, should note that their membership of such schemes will terminate automatically at State Pension Age.

We are required by law to provide a qualifying workplace pension for you. Please refer to your contract regarding your own pension arrangements. Minimum requirements are that following assessment and if you meet the required criteria, with regards to age and earnings, you will be enrolled in one of our workplace pension schemes and you will be able to opt out if you do not wish to be a member.

If you’re over the State Pension age, you won’t be automatically enrolled into a workplace pension, but you have the right to opt in until age 74.

Personal Belongings

As you are not permitted to take any personal belongings into the production environment, most production sites provide lockers in which you may store your personal belongings.

It is your responsibility to keep your locker clean and tidy. Because of the risk of cross-contamination, food must NOT be stored in lockers for any reason and glass (including glass bottles) is not allowed on site at any time. Spot checks will take place to ensure that our high standards of hygiene and safety are being maintained.

Unfortunately we cannot accept any responsibility for losses or damage, and so you should not bring large sums of money or valuable items to work. As a general rule, keep all money or valuables hidden from view.

Personal Information

You must inform us, of any change in your name, marital status, address and bank, or other personal details. Any notice sent by post to the address last notified to the Group shall be considered to have been properly given.

The Company accepts no responsibility for private correspondence sent to team members at its address.

Please note that we are required to maintain personal information and records about you, including on occasion medical information, for payroll and statutory purposes and to monitor compliance with the Group’s policies and regulations. Such information is maintained on a confidential basis and will only be revealed to external authorities which have a statutory right to receive it, and, internally, to management with a legitimate interest in it. In some circumstances you are entitled to view your personal records and, if you wish to do so, you should write to HR.

Performance Review

During your time with us, we will review your performance. Initially as part of a probationary review. Thereafter a performance review, or job chat and this is your opportunity to discuss your progress with your line manager to determine what is going well and what could be improved.

As part of this process you may be set a series of objectives (goals) to work on. In addition, a development plan with training/experience goals may also be outlined as part of this review.

Reviews are used to develop and encourage our teams to improve and they may highlight any shortcomings against our set competencies.

Personal Search

We may require you or your personal belongings on our premises (e.g. pockets, locker, bag, car) to be searched at any time. You will be allowed to ask a colleague to be present as a witness whilst the search takes place. Unreasonable refusal to submit to a search will be dealt with according to the Disciplinary and Poor Performance Procedures and may be deemed sufficient grounds for summary dismissal.

Production Areas

You must not bring glass and plastic items, ceramic items, money (coins and notes), medicines (unless authorised), food and drink items, smoking materials, cosmetics, jewellery and wrist watches into any Production or Shop floor areas. The only items allowed in Production and Shop floor areas are:

  • factory issued pen
  • A plain wedding band
  • A plain religious kara
  • A locker key
  • Clock card
  • Company issued mobile phone
  • Company issued radio
  • Prescription glasses / contact lenses

Failure to adhere to the above may result in disciplinary action being taken against you.

Redundancy

In the unfortunate event of a redundancy situation arising, we will endeavour to find suitable alternative employment for team members within the Group. During consultations with individuals and/or groups affected by the situation we will listen to all ideas and suggestions regarding alternative positions, and offer training where necessary. If no suitable alternative can be found, our usual policy is to pay redundancy payments at the statutory level only.

References

All offers of employment are conditional upon receipt of references satisfactory to the Group. Unsatisfactory references may result in the offer being withdrawn or your employment being terminated.

After you have left us, any reference given on request by your new employer will be provided at our discretion and be factual only.  References are issued by HR and we do not normally provide open references, or allow local management to provide references.

Recruitment

We take the hiring of our team members most seriously and are committed to responsible recruitment :  

  • Directly paying recruitment fees or related costs where possible. Where not possible, or where the employee is legally required to pay a fee or cost directly, repaying the employee as soon as practicable.
  • Ensuring effective systems are in place to maintain records demonstrating that all recruitment fees and related costs have been paid correctly.
  • Ensuring recruitment fees or related costs are not charged directly or indirectly to employees.
  • Not charging back or accepting reimbursement from the employee to recover any fees in the recruitment or hiring of the employee.
  • Ensuring that any expenses payable by employees that are not included in the definition of recruitment fees or related costs, comply with legal requirements, reflect fair market value, are itemised, and are specified and explained to each individual.
  • Providing full transparency of our labour supply chain to customers.
  • Reviewing purchasing practices to ensure there is no unintended impact on charging of recruitment fees such as short lead times, short-term contracts, sudden changes in workload, poor labour planning or unsustainable purchase prices.
  • Engaging with recognised preferred suppliers and partners to identify and map recruitment fees and support remediation, where necessary..
  • Terminating contracts with any business partners where there has been a gross violation of terms and explicit intent to exploit employees after ensuring workers will not be negatively impacted by this termination.

Any concerns should be raised with your Line Manager or HR Team and please refer to our Responsible Recruitment Policy.

Association of Labour Providers

We are associate members of the ALP

ALP promotes, supports and represents labour providers

Labour providers play a vital role in our economy, supplying key workers to critical sectors to keep our nation fed and supplied with essential goods.

ALP is a not-for-profit trade association promoting responsible recruitment so that labour provision in our sectors is recognised as a model of sustainable good practice.

Stronger Together / Modern Slavery

Help reduce exploitation of migrant workers!

Recent statistics show that migrant workers, often with limited or no English language are the group of people most at risk. People who lack knowledge of rights or how to enforce them are also at risk. Research shows that people are kept in control by individuals and gangs, through actual or threats of violence, financial debts, withholding documentation and control finances. This activity is highly profitable, second only to drugs, as the most profitable criminal industry in the world. It is also the fastest growing criminal activity in the world

If you suspect anything that you have seen or heard regarding human trafficking, forced labour, rogue landlords or hearing of anyone paying to get a job, you should report it.

Confidential numbers can be found on the posters displayed on site.

Whistle blower hotline: 0800 069 8730

  • Used for any circumstance, where you need to report something confidentially, not just Stronger Together concerns
  • All calls are investigated independently
  • Save the number in your mobile phone now, it can be called at any time (day or night)

Religious Holidays

We recognise that some team members may require time off for specific religious holidays and we will try and fulfil any reasonable requests wherever possible. If you wish to observe specific religious holidays and need to request the time off, please follow the holiday booking procedure, and any time taken will be deducted from your annual holiday entitlement.

Resignations

If you decide to leave us, you should give your resignation in writing to your immediate Line Manager. You are expected to give and work the relevant notice period (contained in your statement of Terms and Conditions of Employment or offer letter).

Where appropriate, we may conduct an exit interview with you.

To avoid any delays in receiving your final wages, you must ensure that all Company property is returned promptly and in good condition. Please also read the Notice Period section above.

Right To Work in the UK

Prior to commencing employment all members of the team are required to prove that they are eligible to work in the UK by providing originals of relevant documents before commencing employment, a copy of which will be kept on each team member’s personal file.

We reserve the right to request proof of eligibility to work both prior to the start of employment and during the course of employment.

If you are working in the UK on a student visa your Hours of Work will usually be restricted to 20 hours per week, during term time. This may vary according to what is detailed on your visa, however, you will be unable to work more than your restricted term time hours.

Without the necessary documents, you are unable to work. If we reasonably believe that false or misleading documents have been provided, the individual will be summarily dismissed.

Smoking

Smoking indoors in all public places is forbidden in England, Scotland and Wales. Smoking indoors anywhere on our premises is therefore not allowed. Smoking is restricted to designated outdoor areas; your Manager will let you know where they are.

E-cigarettes or Vaping are considered to be the same as cigarettes for the purpose of these instructions and so are restricted to outdoor designated areas.

The Company operates a general no smoking policy which applies to all staff and smoking is only permitted in the designated area. Cigarettes and smoking materials, i.e. lighters and matches MUST be not carried onto the Production and Shop Floor areas.

Our rules around smoking also covers alternative smoking devices known as electronic cigarettes, personal vaporizers (PVs), and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) or of a similar name. These devices must also be kept away from the Production and Shop Floor areas and can only be used in the designated area. Any type of smoking outside the front of the building is discouraged as we are a food factory and this gives the wrong impression to visitors

Smoking in non-designated areas or other breaches of smoking guidelines may lead to disciplinary action which could result in dismissal.

Social Networking

There are lots of different social media sites and programmes that you might use to keep in contact with friends and family such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. In your own time, and using your own mobile phone or computer you are absolutely free to use social media, including in your breaks. We are only concerned about what you say online if it affects our business, reputation or our team members and clients.

You should remember that anything you post online is permanent and public and cannot necessarily be easily removed, even after you have attempted to delete it. You should think carefully before posting anything and realise what would happen if your comments were read by people that you don’t know, team members, clients or even people who work in the media, like journalists. You should remember that YOU are personally responsible for anything you say online. If you talk about your job or people from work, it may be assumed that you are talking on behalf of the Group, which could be confusing or embarrassing for you or for us. You should steer clear of arguments about work. Debate and discussion can be helpful, but disputes can sometimes turn nasty online.

What if someone is saying things about you or the Group and you are not happy with the content?

If you find sites, comments or postings by colleagues that you think are untrue, unfair or inappropriate, or if you feel you are being bullied or harassed by someone you work with through social media, you can in the first instance talk to your Manager or contact HR. It may be helpful in this case to provide evidence of the offending comments.

We do not accept this kind of behaviour in person or online and we will always investigate and take action where appropriate.

If you make public, information about the Group, which is a breach of confidentiality, or which may bring us into disrepute (e.g. via social networking or other websites or via other forms of media), this could lead to disciplinary action being taken against you. Please refer to section on Confidential information.

For more information see the Computer and Device Usage, Data Protection and Social Networking policy on this portal

Spitting

Spitting is prohibited on site. Spitting may be considered as Gross Misconduct and could lead to your dismissal in line with the Company’s Disciplinary Policy.

Termination of Employment

If the Company terminates your employment, it will outline the reasons for ending your employment in writing and give you details of the notice period you are expected to work.

Should you wish to leave the Company, you should put your resignation in writing, giving the appropriate period of notice relating to your position and length of service.

When serving your notice, there may be circumstances where you are not well enough to come to work. If this is the case your employment will cease on the final day of your notice period, and you will be paid for this period at the rate of sickness pay appropriate to your role and circumstances. This could be Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) at the current government rate (if you satisfy the qualification conditions), or Company sick pay if you have entitlement to this (at the discretion of the Group), or unpaid if you do not qualify for either of these.

Where termination of employment is due to gross misconduct, there will be no notice payment and no entitlement to pay in lieu of notice. Where termination is due to gross misconduct or you do not work your notice period for any other reason, the last day of actual employment will be taken as the termination date. For any payment made in lieu of notice, there will be no entitlement to Group benefits beyond the termination date. Please also see section on Notice Periods.

Time off for Public Service

We are proud to support employees’ participation in public duties. They play an important role in our society and local communities. You may have a right to a reasonable amount of unpaid time off work to carry out certain public duties.

Public service duties include service as a Tribunal member, Magistrate, Local Councillor, member of an NHS Trust, prison visitor, lay visitor to police stations, or school governor.

If you require time off for performance of a public service you should notify your Manager or Human Resources as soon as possible, in writing, providing full details of the time off that is being requested and the reasons for your request.

We will consider your request in light of such things as how much time you have already taken and now need, the business requirements and the effect your absence may have.

Trade Unions

Depending on where you work, we may or may not have formal union recognition. Please speak to your Manager about this.  You are free to join, or not to join, any independent trade union you wish and will not be penalised for taking part in its activities outside your working hours, or in working hours if agreed in advance by your Manager. You will be consulted about any business change that might affect your employment, whether  or not you belong to a trade union.

Training and Career Development

We are committed in providing a superior quality service to our customers. We understand that our success is built on technical knowledge, skills and motivation of our people.

We have therefore made the development of our colleagues a key part of our management process. As a colleague, training is key to you carrying out your role, you are expected to play your full part in helping to identify your training needs and to take responsibility for ensuring that you have all the skills and knowledge you need to do your job efficiently and effectively. Training will be provided from day 1. You will progress through our site induction, being trained in such areas as food safety and health and safety, onto our on the job training. Your training covers everything you need to become skilled in your role. You will progress through refresher training, where required, so you are consistently operating at the right standard.

Because we need to maintain our position in a very competitive industry, it is a condition of your employment that you are willing and able to re-train as and when the requirements of the job change or new machines or technologies are introduced.

As you progress through the business, you will also be expected to pass on your skills and expertise to less experienced colleagues, and, when requested, be willing to help train new colleagues. If, at any time, you find it difficult to reach the performance levels required of you or if you have any other training issues you should discuss the situation with your Line Manager. All training is carried out in line with our Equality & Diversity Policy.

There is no training which the Company requires you to complete and which the Company will not bear the cost of.

Transfer and Mobility

You may be required to transfer on a temporary or permanent basis to a different department or site depending on business needs. We will try to give you reasonable notice of any transfer. However, there may be occasions, when the operational need is urgent, when you will be required to transfer to a site office which is reasonably close to your own, with little or no notice.

If it is your wish to transfer to another site within the Group, as a matter of courtesy you must speak with your line manager and HR before arranging any alternative employment. You may not be able to transfer without completing these steps.

In arranging any transfer and alternative employment, we will always try to take into account your wishes and reasonable requirements, but the overriding consideration will be the needs of the business.

Trial Period

A trial period gives both you and the Company time to decide whether or not to continue with your employment. Please refer to your offer letter to confirm your trial period. If we decide during this time that you are unsuitable for the role in the long term, your employment will be terminated without resorting to the full disciplinary and poor performance procedures regardless of the reason your trial period was failed. You will be told why you have failed, and you will be paid your trial notice. We may choose to extend the trial period if necessary; once completed you will revert to your contractual notice period.

Visitors

You must not bring any unauthorised person onto Company property without prior agreement from a member of the Senior Management Team and HR, unless you are authorised to do so as part of your job.

Children under the age of sixteen will not be allowed on site under any circumstances unless there is prior approval from a member of the Senior Management Team and HR.

Volunteer Reserve Forces

We support the commitment given by individuals who volunteer their services to their country or community. If you are required to attend an annual training camp.

We will authorise an additional five days paid leave as long as you comply with the following conditions:

  • you must give at least four weeks’ notice of your training period
  • any remaining time needed to complete your annual training must be taken from your normal annual holiday entitlement.

If you are mobilised for active duty, the Company will support your mobilisation without appeal unless there is an overriding business reason not to do so. You will be granted ‘special unpaid leave’ for the duration of your mobilisation and your service will be considered as continuous.

Wages/Salaries

Both wages and salaries can only be paid by bank credit transfer directly into your bank or building society account. Payments may not be made into a bank account which is not in your name.

Unfortunately, if you do not have a bank account you will not be allowed to work until you do, nor will you be paid for this period.

Wage/Salary payments are made, dependant on where you work in the business and you should ask your Manager if you are unsure.

For each pay period, you will receive an electronic itemised payslip detailing earnings and deductions. Please be mindful that any bank holidays may affect the timings of such payments.

Wellbeing

We are committed to developing a healthy and safe working environment that promotes the wellbeing of the organisation and its team members as well as working towards a good work/life balance.

For more information, please refer to our Wellbeing at Work Policy

Whistleblowing

All team members are expected to act honestly and diligently at all times. We expect team members to report any acts of misconduct, dishonesty, breach of Group rules or licensing regulations by any other employee, including Senior Management if applicable, or third parties such as suppliers.

Whistleblowing is defined as the disclosure by a person, usually but not always, an employee, to those in authority of mismanagement, corruption, illegality, or some other wrong doing.

For further details please refer to the Whistleblowing Policy.

Our Whistleblower hotline:

Telephone: 0800 069 8730

Online: http://www.boparan.ethicspoint.com/