INTRODUCTION
THE TEN PRINCIPLES OF THE GLOBAL COMPACT
- Support and respect the protection of human rights
- Not be complicit in human rights abuses
- Uphold the freedom of association and the right to free collective bargaining
- Eliminate all forms of forced and compulsory labour
- Ensure the effective abolition of child labour
- Eliminate discrimination in respect of employment and occupation
- Support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges
- Promote greater environmental responsibility
- Encourage the development of environmentally friendly technologies
- Work against all forms of corruption, including extortion and bribery
introduction
Scott Wilson’s aim is to be a sustainable business providing market-leading services for sustainable development. We seek to facilitate development that safeguards the environment, enhances social wellbeing and inclusion and brings economic benefits to our clients and the wider community.
One of the ways in which we seek to ensure that our business is sustainable is through our commitment to the UNGC. We became a signatory to the UNGC, the world’s largest corporate responsibility initiative, in 2005. The initiative seeks to engage the support of the private sector for a series of universally accepted principles relating to human rights, labour, environmental protection and anti-corruption. Scott Wilson seeks to promote these principles in its own operation and to our clients and other stakeholders. We also report annually on our progress.
A summary of progress against each of the ten UNGC principles is appended as Annex 1 whilst the Report itself provides a commentary on the principles and our wider efforts to be a sustainable business.
The Chairman of Scott Wilson, Geoff French, leads on corporate responsibility. He is assisted and advised by the Sustainability Board and by a UNGC Advisory Group.
the sustainability board
Scott Wilson’s Sustainability Board was established in 2008 to manage a sustainability initiative within the Group and to advise the Main Board on sustainability issues. Sponsored and chaired by the Group Chief Executive, Hugh Blackwood, the Board comprises senior representatives of each of the regional and sector-based businesses, the Director of Business Systems, the SQE Director and an employee representative. The Board has three specific goals:
- to ensure that we operate as a sustainable business (corporate governance);
- to ensure that we proactively offer sustainable design services that address current and future concerns including climate change; and
- to ensure that we provide high level sustainability advice to government and corporate clients (sustainability as a discrete service offering).
We believe that this is a distinctive approach to sustainability linking directly our internal performance and our external services.
The Board met four times during the reporting period.
the way we do business
A major landmark in 2008 was the publication of The way we do business, a comprehensive collation and update of all Scott Wilson’s corporate policies. The document was published on our intranet and as a booklet which was provided individually to every staff member. The booklet was launched through a series of presentations in each of our offices.
The document makes direct reference to our UNGC commitments and has helped to create and strengthen awareness of it amongst staff.
Revised policies include statements on:
- Values and Ethics
- Dealing with a Concern
- Working with the Community
- Supply Chain Management and Procurement
- Sustainability
- The Environment
The way we do business is seen as a live document and will be updated, on the Group’s intranet, every six months. The first update is almost complete.