Policies

Equality & Diversity

We are an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to equality of opportunity and to providing a service and following practices which are free from unfair and unlawful discrimination. No applicant or member of staff receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation, or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be relevant to performance. We seek to ensure that no person is victimised or subjected to any form of bullying or harassment.

We value people as individuals with diverse opinions, cultures, lifestyles and circumstances and this applies to all our employees and to all areas of employment, including recruitment, selection, training, deployment, career development, and promotion.

All employees, workers, or self-employed contractors, whether part-time, full-time, or temporary, will be treated fairly and with respect. Selection for employment, promotion, training, or any other benefit will be based on aptitude and ability. All employees will be helped and encouraged to develop their full potential and the talents and resources of the workforce will be fully utilised to maximise the efficiency of the Organisation.

Equality of opportunity, valuing diversity and compliance with the law is to the benefit of all individuals in our Organisation as it seeks to develop the skills and abilities of its people. While specific responsibility for eliminating discrimination and providing equality of employment lies with the managers and supervisors, individuals at all levels have a responsibility to treat others with dignity and respect.

 

Living Wage

We are committed to raising the standard of living for all our workers and as such commit to paying the living wage wherever possible.

 

Modern Day Slavery and Child Labour

ACS is committed to eradicating Modern-day Slavery and Child Labour.

We regularly review our own internal practices and demand evidence that our suppliers and any organisation within our supply chain does too.

No labour provided by ACS in the provision of our services is obtained by means of slavery, human trafficking or child labour and we strictly adhere to the minimum standards required in relation to our responsibilities under relevant employment legislation in the UK.

We expect the same commitment from all our Clients and will require evidence of a Modern-Day Slavery and Child labour policy.

If a supplier or organisation in contract with ACS is found in violation of this commitment, we will take prompt action that may lead to termination of the contract.

 

Recruitment and Training

We are an equal opportunities employer. This means that no applicant or member of our staff will receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

To attract and retain the best workers, we offer fair pay, employment rights, supportive training and flexible working hours agreements that allow the worker to fit their work around their family and home commitments.

Our workers are familiar with our company policies, work methods and procedures.

Cleaners are trained at induction and through monthly toolbox talks and updates. Cleaners are required to complete a trial induction, at probationary review stage and annually receive appraisals.

We use …….. for all our HR and Health & Safety advice and training.

We are known throughout our workforce for being an employer with integrity and compassion and as a result we have a stable and long-term workforce.

 

Commitment to the Environment

Affordable Cleaning Services is committed to a policy of sound environmental management both in our own practises and in our partnerships with clients, suppliers and other contractors. Our principle focus within this commitment is to prevent harm both to the environment and to people. This commitment is made by all ACS management, employees and representatives and we set aside time and resources to evaluate and reduce the effects that our practises may have on our local and worldwide environment.

We aim to:

  • Establish and maintain working procedures that are environmentally sound and to constantly challenge ourselves and our partnerships to reduce our carbon footprint and promote sustainability in all aspects of the business
  • Fully integrate these procedures as essential elements of our business
  • Assess the environmental impact of all new works before they start and during their progress
  • Be efficient in the consumption of energy and natural resources, and where possible ensure that materials used can be reduced, recycled, reused, or disposed of safely
  • Make our clients aware of alternative approaches to their projects or changes in materials that would be of greater environmental benefit than those in use.
  • Keep abreast of product and procedural developments so that we can continually improve our approach to environmental issues and our environmental footprint
  • Promote the adoption of these principles to any sub-contractors working for us.
  • Have emergency procedures that take account of environmental spills and relaeases, which indicate that those should be reported to the authorities
  • Educate, train, and motivate our employees to conduct their activities in an environmentally responsible manner

 

Health & Safety

We recognise our responsibilities under Health & Safety Law and we work hard to ensure that we have the correct policies and procedures in place.

Health & Safety is at the core of everything we do. We have a highly effective Health & Safety Business Management System, outsourcing this area to ……………to ensure that all our staff are trained to the highest standards.

We are fully insured with Public Liability Insurance to the value of £10M and Employers Liability Insurance to the value of £10M

 

Business Continuity

The ability of Affordable Cleaning Services to provide an ongoing and continuous service to our clients is a vital part of our reputation and services. We assess risk and managing continuity as an integral part of our business planning. Our planning has been tested in many ways, from adverse weather conditions, to global pandemics and we have continued throughout to provide an excellent and seam free service for our clients, reacting appropriately and making necessary changes in the time required.

We provide Business Continuity Plans in the following areas:

  • Site Premises
  • Personnel
  • Sub-contractors
  • Systems

Each plan is tested annually through operational management and assessed on its ability to respond.

 

Complaints Policy

We are committed to providing a quality service for our clients. We listen and respond positively to all complaints and feedback and take the best possible action to ensure Client satisfaction.

We aim to ensure that:

  • Making a formal complaint is as easy as possible
  • We treat a formal complaint as a clear expression of dissatisfaction with our service, which calls for an immediate response;
  • We deal with complaints promptly, politely, and when appropriate, confidentially;
  • We respond in the right way, apologising when mistakes have been made and giving an explanation of how the mistake happened and how it shall be rectified
  • We learn from complaints, using them to improve our service
  • We review annually all complaints, along with policies and procedures

Our formal complaints procedure is intended to ensure that all complaints are handled fairly, consistently and wherever possible resolved to the complainant’s satisfaction.

Our responsibility will be to:

  • Acknowledge the complaint
  • Assign the complaint a unique reference and record the complaint
  • Respond within 24 hours
  • Deal reasonably and sensitively with the complaint
  • Take action where appropriate
  • Record all activity

A Complainants Responsibility will be to:

  • Bring their complaint to ACS’s attention as soon as the issue arises, usually by next working day
  • Raise concerns either by email (info@affordablecleaning.co.uk), by letter or by telephone
  • Explain the problem as clearly and as fully as possible
  • Allow ACS a reasonable amount of time to deal with the complaint

 

Confidentiality

Except in exceptional circumstances, every attempt will be made to ensure that both the complainant and ACS maintain confidentiality. However, the circumstances giving rise to the complaint may be such that it is not possible to maintain confidentiality (with each complaint being judged on it’s own merit)> Should this be the case, the situation will be explained to the complainant.

 

Monitoring and Reporting

Affordable Cleaning Services monitors all formal complaints so that we can review all previous issues and provide a better service for our Clients

 

Review

This policy will be reviewed regularly and in line with our Client’s requirements