Our responsibilities
What CSR means at Grant Management
"Our core values of honesty, forward thinking and respect underpin everything we do including our approach to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). We understand the social, environmental and economic impact Grant Management has on our stakeholders and the outside world and we have developed an ethical policy framework to guide the way that we do business." Peter Grant.
By establishing and implementing a strong and clear CSR policy, we aim to ensure Grant Management experiences:
- Improved financial performance and transparency
- Reduced operating costs
- Enhanced brand image and stakeholder advocacy
- Increased sales and customer loyalty
- Increased productivity and quality excellence
- Increased ability to attract, retain and develop the best people
- Reduced regulatory oversight
- Improved access to capital
Workplace
Background
Our success can be attributed to our people. Their commitment and hard work ensures that Grant Management can continue to grow and prosper. We continually consider ways to develop and reward our staff and strive to ensure our people work in a positive, free-thinking environment.
Communication
Good communication with our people is essential. This helps us understand what they think is important, and how they feel about work. Every year we conduct an anonymous employee satisfaction survey, which allows us to gather staff opinions and make any necessary changes. We operate a staff board, which encourages ideas and debate about business improvement, customer service and reducing workloads. It gives our people the opportunity to express their opinions and put forward ideas. We are always looking at ways to engage our people. We give monthly email business updates, and our interactive intranet site keeps staff up to date. Regular 'good news channel' updates via email also highlight and celebrate success across Grant Management.
Equality/Diversity
For our business to be successful it is vital that we attract and retain the best people. We are fully committed to fair and ethical treatment of all employees and we develop and reward staff regardless of age, sex, disability, race, marital or civil partnership status, political opinion, ethnic origin, gender, nationality, sexual orientation or religious belief. We recognise the importance of work-life balance and where appropriate we have introduced flexible working arrangements including leave for paternity, adoption and child breaks.
Pay and benefits
All Grant Management employees receive a total reward package which fairly reflects each individual's contribution to the business. We review our salary and benefits package regularly to ensure we remain competitive in the market place and believe that by celebrating success and rewarding hard work we encourage our people to realise their full potential. Each Grant Management employee receives:
A competitive salary based on personal performance and contribution.
A bonus scheme.
A profit share scheme of up to 15% of their annual salary.
Bupa private medical insurance
A wide range of discounts, covering shopping to keeping fit
22 days paid holiday (plus public holidays) which rise annually for the first three years to 25 days to reward staff loyalty
Access to sports and social events, including our annual weekend in Gleneagles and teambuilding days on a yacht owned by a sister company GmSailing.com
Training and development
We are 'Investors in People', ARLA and NHBC accredited. We recognise and develop our staff across the business. We have a company wide training plan and individual training plans for all employees. We encourage our people to take on new challenges and develop their skills utilising our new learning centre and sponsored development programme.
Health, safety and wellbeing
All companies have a legal and moral responsibility to protect the health & safety of their employees and Grant Management has established a programme to ensure the health, safety and well-being of staff at work. Fresh fruit, and Fair Trade tea and coffee are delivered to each of our offices each week and all staff are given information on how to live healthily. We are introducing a bike allowance, which will help fitness and go some way to reduce pollution caused by driving to work.
Customers
Background
Customers are at the very core of our business. Put simply we would not exist without them, so we continually look at ways to offer a genuinely exceptional service. We have different types of customers, with different needs to consider. Landlords and investors own properties and have a mortgage to pay. Tenants rent properties which must be safe and of a high standard. We aim to provide all customers with a fair and efficient service. Over the next 12 months we will be asking our customers what they want from us and our corporate social responsibility policy; we plan to implement any necessary changes to ensure this feedback can be delivered.
Communication
To help us ensure our customers remain satisfied we communicate with Investors and landlords via a monthly newsletter. We plan to introduce a monthly newsletter for tenants also. Many of our staff also communicate with each client individually. By providing landlords with their own account manager, and by providing tenants and neighbours with a well staffed help desk, we can build more mutually beneficial relationships and offer a truly personal service. We welcome all customer feedback and conduct monthly customer satisfaction surveys to give us a clear picture of where and how we can improve and understand what already works.
Our service
Grant Management has devised a customer charter which outlines its promises and service level agreements and this is communicated with all customers. For tenants we operate a 24 hour repairs service for unexpected emergencies that occur and the Gm helpdesk, www.gmhelp.co.uk provides tenants and landlords with full A-Z information covering all property management and tenancy issues. It also has a word search function. Excellent customer service is at the very forefront of everything we do. Grant Managements' 'customer first' training is now also given to all employees where appropriate. We want contact with our people to be an enjoyable and worthwhile experience for all clients.
Indirect customers
As a property business we understand that we also have an impact on the neighbours whom reside next to our properties and we work to ensure that these important relationships remain positive for all concerned. In particular we now reduce noise levels in new properties, by carpeting hallways and improved kitchen floor insulation. We incorporate good neighbour issues in our leases. We have a customer and neighbour complaint policy, on GmHelp.com. To support our desire to constantly improve the types and level of service offered to customers, we work in partnership with affiliated organisations including local councils, universities and trade bodies to ensure we comply with all legislation and operate responsibly.
Out of respect for our customers' and other parties' privacy GM do not share client information with any third parties in accordance with the data protection act.
Suppliers
Background
It is in our stakeholders' and our own interest to ensure we always use the best quality sub-contractors and we audit all suppliers to ensure they comply with Grant Managements' code of conduct, a summary of which can be seen here. This document provides a framework to monitor operating practices as suppliers must adhere to a set of rules which ensures they always provide Grant Management with a straight-forward, efficient service that offers good value for money. This enables us to properly look after our customers. Superior customer service and contractual/legal obligations All suppliers/contractors must:
Fully comply with all relevant laws and regulations
Only provide competent person/s that are suitably qualified to undertake the works and trained on any equipment used
Have the relevant trade or professional qualifications for the jobs instructed by Grant Management and hold valid current public and product Liability Insurance
At all times be courteous to tenants/clients and clear up/clean and remove any rubbish created
Seek permission to carry out work which will exceed the agreed quote given to Grant Managements' client
Ensure that all appointments will be carried out on the agreed times and dates
Undertake any work within the timescale given, notifying Grant Management Ltd. should this not be possible
Environment
Background
Whilst maintaining our profitability and future growth we recognise the impact we have on the environment and have taken steps to minimise the inevitable negative effects of our business.
Energy and emissions
The use of energy and its contribution to climate change is one of the biggest environmental challenges faced by the world. 52% of carbon emissions come from property. Grant Management is working with Edinburgh City Council to comprehensively review what we can do to reduce carbon footprints in flats we develop and reduce energy waste caused by both staff and customers. Our aim is to become as environmentally friendly as practically possible. We will also encourage tenants and staff to help reduce their own carbon emissions. To date we have adopted the following actions:
Emissions
Environmentally friendly brand ‘ecover' detergent and dishwashing powder is now used in all Grant Management offices to reduce the use of toxic chemicals. Grant Management will offer staff a bicycle allowance to reward those who travel to and from work using this mode of transport which is healthy for body, mind and of course the environment.
Energy efficiency
All electrical appliances installed in our tenanted properties after July 2006 are ‘A' rated for energy efficiency, where possible. We will put high quality loft insulation into all new top floor flats. We aim to use only low energy light bulbs as standard across all Grant Management operations.
Educating for change
To educate our people and customers we have an energy efficiency guide which highlights the importance of turning off computers, lights and taps for example. It also includes many useful tips to lower household bills and as energy emissions. This is communicated to staff through monthly newsletters and regular email communication to avoid wasting paper. Fair Trade tea and coffee is provided in all Grant Management places of work as we believe that helping to give farmers in the developing world the chance of a sustainable and brighter future is important.
Waste
To be included as part of Grant Managements' new energy efficiency guide, all tenants will be provided with information on local recycling initiatives when they move into one of our properties and this message is also to be highlighted by signs in each flat and using our monthly customer newsletter. We will ensure Grant Management offices have easily accessible recycling bins for paper waste. Where possible, we donate furniture (which needs to be replaced to maintain standards for tenants) to local community initiatives and charities in each of our areas of operation.
The Community
Background
Whilst having an impact on the communities and the environment in areas in which we operate, this part of our social responsibility policy outlines how we plan to give something back. Rather than being purely altruistic, this policy is an integrated part of our company strategy moving forward in order to ensure our actions benefit not only our designated ‘good causes' but also our staff and customers.
Charity
Grant management has always been a big charitable supporter. GM now support one main charity - Global Trees (see below). We will also support one other main charity each year, selected by staff and clients.
Give as you earn
In response to demand from our people who actively want to give to charity, we are currently setting up a scheme whereby all staff can opt to make monthly donations to Global Trees directly from their salary. Because the money is taken before income tax is taken off, these donations are tax free, giving even more to a worthwhile cause.
Global Trees
In July 2006 the founders of Grant Management set up Global Trees, an environmentally conscious enterprise aimed at buying land and growing trees across the world. We plan to work with local communities at a global level to both create jobs and counter carbon emissions.
As Peter Grant explains; "Global Trees is absolutely not about charity. It is about embracing enterprise and engaging the human spirit to make a positive difference to the world in which we live. Global Trees is at the end of the day about people rather than trees."
In August 2006, www.globaltrees.co.uk was launched, an informative and inspiring resource for those who would like to find out more and get involved in our new company. Visitors to the site are able to evaluate their personal lifestyle choices and learn how these create a carbon footprint, as well as find out about green alternatives available. The website also provides the opportunity to invest in Global Trees online.
