Our Policies

Modern Slavery Act 2015 Company Policy Statement

Modern slavery is a crime resulting in an abhorrent abuse of the human rights of vulnerable workers. It can take various forms, such as slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour and human trafficking. The Company has a zero tolerance approach to modern slavery and is committed to acting ethically and with integrity and transparency in all of its business dealings and relationships and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure that modern slavery and human trafficking are not taking place anywhere within either its own business or in any of its supply chains, consistent with its obligations under the Modern Slavery Act 2015. The Company also expects the same high standards from all of its suppliers, contractors and other business partners and, as part of its contracting processes, it includes specific prohibitions against the use of modern slavery, and expects that its suppliers will in turn hold their own suppliers to the same standards.

Identifying potential victims of modern slavery can be a challenge because the crime can manifest itself in many different ways. There is a spectrum of abuse and it is not always clear at what point, for example, poor working practices and lack of health and safety awareness have become instances of human trafficking, slavery or forced labour in a work environment. In addition, some suppliers may go to great lengths to hide the fact that they are using slave labour. However, the Company accepts that it has a responsibility through its due diligence processes to ensure that workers are not being exploited, that they are safe and that relevant employment, health and safety and human rights laws and standards are being adhered to, including freedom of movement and communications.

This policy applies to all individuals working for the Company or on the Company’s behalf in any capacity, including employees, directors, officers, agency workers, volunteers, agents, contractors, consultants and business partners.

Compliance

The prevention, detection and reporting of modern slavery in any part of the Company’s business or supply chains, whether in the UK or abroad, is the responsibility of all those working for the Company or under the Company’s control. You are required to avoid any activity that might lead to a breach of this policy.

If you believe or suspect a breach of or conflict with this policy has occurred or may occur, you must notify your line manager or a Mancom member. You are encouraged to raise concerns about any issue or suspicion of modern slavery in any part of the Company’s business or supply chains as soon as possible. If you are unsure about whether a particular act, the treatment of workers or their working conditions within any of the Company’s supply chains constitutes any of the various forms of modern slavery, please raise it with your line manager. You can also contact the government’s Modern Slavery Helpline on 0800 0121 700 for further information and guidance on modern slavery.

The Company aims to encourage openness and will support anyone who raises genuine concerns in good faith under this policy, even if they turn out to be mistaken. The Company is committed to ensuring no one suffers any detrimental treatment or victimisation as a result of reporting in good faith their suspicion that modern slavery is or may be taking place in any part of its business or in any of its supply chains.

Training and Communication

Regular training on this policy, and on the risk that the business faces from modern slavery in its supply chains, will be provided to staff as necessary, so that they know how to identify exploitation and modern slavery and how to report suspected cases.

The Company’s zero tolerance approach to modern slavery must be communicated to all suppliers, contractors and other business partners when entering into new or renewed contracts with them.

Breach of the Policy

The Company may terminate its commercial relationship with suppliers, contractors and other business partners if they breach this policy and/or are found to have been involved in modern slavery.

Download the Modern Slavery Act 2015 Company Policy Statement (PDF)

Mental Health Policy Statement

Policy Brief & Purpose

Our Mental Health policy outlines our provisions to prevent and address mental health issues among our employees.

Mental health is just as important as physical health. Mental illness may be detrimental to a person, as it impact happiness, productivity and collaboration. Mental health issues may affect Hollywell, in the form of:

Turnover
Absenteeism
Poor employee performance
Employee substance abuse
Work-related accidents
Workplace violence or harassment

With this policy, we aim to support our employees and create a healthy and happy workplace. We want everyone to feel appreciated and be treated fairly.

Scope

This policy applies to all our employees. HSQE team is primarily responsible for communicating this policy and overseeing its implementation.

Our policy starts by seeking input from all stakeholders. We will consult employees, senior management and mental health professionals to develop and revise our policy.

What Are Mental Health Issues?

Mental health issues in the workplace are any conditions that affect employees’ state of mind. These conditions may include mild depression, stress and severe anxiety which may result in burnout and nervous breakdowns. Substance abuse may also perpetuate mental health issues.

Mental health problems manifest in different ways. Some employees may suffer with no physical side effects, while others may experience physical symptoms (e.g. increased blood pressure, lethargy, changes in eating habits.)

Factors That Cause Mental Health Issues

Employees may experience mental health issues for various reasons that an employer cannot control (e.g. hereditary, family conflicts, general health.) But, there are also work-related reasons for mental health problems, including:

Job insecurity.
Excessive pressure.
Work-life imbalance.
Lack of appreciation.
Hostile workplace conditions.
Unsatisfactory job or workload.
Unpleasant relationships with colleagues or managers.

To every extent possible, our company’s leaders aim to recognize and address cases of workplace pressures that contribute to mental health issues.

Company Actions

We aim to:

Treat mental illness seriously.
Identify issues proactively and resolve them.
Support employees who face mental health problems.
Create pleasant workplaces in collaboration with managers, employees, unions and health experts.

Internal Policies

As a way to prevent employee distress, we will set up policies for:

Anti-discrimination
Workplace violence
Open communication
Parental leave/ Short-term disability leave

This list isn’t exhaustive. All of these policies aim to preserve a harmonious workplace where employees can enjoy their work and balance their jobs with their personal lives. All managers and HR must ensure the company adheres to these policies.

Mental Health Awareness

We want to raise mental health awareness and combat the stigmas associated with them. To do this, we will:

Host information sessions. We will schedule workshops for managers and employees explaining important elements of mental health.
Keep employees informed. We will organize an event to present updates to this policy whenever it’s modified. HR will also present this policy to new hires.
Compile helpful resources. We will establish a repository of articles, videos and infographics about mental health.

Job-Related Issues

Issues related to work, compensation, job insecurity and work-life balance can heavily burden our employees. In these cases, we encourage our employees to speak to a mental health professional about how to handle their individual situations better.

Additionally, we encourage open communication between employees and managers. If employees have a work-related problem, they should speak openly to their managers. Managers are in turn obliged to listen to their employees and should search for a mutually satisfying solution together.

Managers’ Responsibilities

Managers should also proactively identify mental health issues among their employees. If they perceive that an employee is in a state of emotional or psychological distress, they should reach out to them.

Here are some tips on how managers can address an employee who suffers from mental health issues in common situations:

If an employee has work-related problems, managers should come up with a solution.
If an employee has issues collaborating with colleagues, managers should meet with concerned employees and serve as mediators. If the problem is severe (e.g. violence, harassment, victimization), managers should contact HR.
If an employee’s problems are personal or the employee refuses to discuss them, managers should encourage them to contact our mental health professional.

Open Communication and Support

HR is responsible for sending out surveys to gather information about mental health in the workplace. Surveys must be anonymous.

Often, it’s easier to reach out to a colleague instead of a supervisor or HR. We encourage coworkers to support one another when needed.

Employee Recognition and Development

One way to prevent our employees from excessive stress is to recognize their work and invest in their personal growth. For this reason, we will establish:

Recognition programs
Mentorship programs
Learning and development programs

Compliance with the Law

The law protects employees who suffer from medical conditions (e.g. clinical depression) or mental disorders (e.g. schizophrenia.) Consistent with our non-discrimination practices, we will treat these employees fairly and we won’t oblige anyone to disclose their condition or other medical information. Instead, we will attempt to support employees who come to us with mental health issues and establish strategies that apply to everyone.

Also, we will make reasonable accommodations for people with mental disabilities.

Evaluating Outcomes

This policy’s provision are not restrictive. We will test its elements to find out what works and what doesn’t. HR should continuously research mental health topics and evaluate the results of our policy with managers’ help.

To develop, revise and establish this policy, we need everyone’s help. We can all work to define mental health issues, their causes and seek or offer help when needed. We encourage employees to share their ideas and concerns.

External help can be sought through a number of organisations including:

Mind (www.mind.org.uk 0300 123 3393)
Lighthouse Club (0345 605 1956 or download their free Construction Industry Helpline App)
Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM 0800 58 58 58 5pm–midnight every day)
Samaritans (Call 116 123 free from any phone, or email jo@samaritans.org)
Find a local NHS urgent mental health helpline

Download the Mental Health Policy Statement (PDF)

Social Value Policy

Hollywell Building Services Limited (HBS) is committed to creating positive social, economic, and environmental impacts across all construction and building services operations. HBS will deliver Social Value across four key themes, aligned to framework objectives and applied consistently at call-off level.

1. Employment and Skills

Local Recruitment: Prioritise hiring trade staff and management within a 25-mile radius of specific call-off project sites.
Apprenticeships: Commit to maintaining a minimum of 5% of the workforce as apprentices or trainees.
Educational Outreach: Deliver career talks, trade demonstrations, and safety workshops at schools near major call-off contracts.
Skills Development: Provide minimum annual training budgets for every employee to advance their professional and technical skills.

2. Fair and Inclusive Working Environments

Occupational Health & Safety: Maintain the highest standards of workforce protection under our BSI-certified ISO 45001 accreditation.
Health and Safety Culture: Enforce a zero-harm policy through continuous safety training and mental health first aid.
Fair Pay: Ensure all direct employees and subcontracted staff receive the Living Wage across all call-off contracts.
Diversity and Inclusion: Implement blind recruitment practices to eliminate bias and increase workforce diversity.
Community Wellbeing: Provide employees with paid days for community volunteering.

3. Responsible and Ethical Supply Chains

Quality Management: Deliver all call-off projects to the highest standard under our BSI-certified ISO 9001 accreditation.
Local Supply Chain: Commit % of procurement spend to local subcontractors, SMEs, and micro-businesses.
Community Investment: Dedicate resources to local community initiatives and charities.
Minimising Disruption: Implement strict site management procedures to reduce noise, dust, and traffic impacts on residents.

4. Environmental Improvement and Carbon Reduction

Climate Commitment: Support global net-zero targets through active membership of the SME Climate Hub.
Environmental Management: Maintain robust environmental controls backed by our BSI-certified ISO 14001 accreditation.
Industry Standards: Ensure compliance and high-efficiency operations through trade-specific memberships including BESA.
Refrigerant Compliance: Guarantee safe, low-impact handling of greenhouse gases via F-Gas and REFCOM accreditations.
Carbon Reduction: Target a 10% annual reduction in fleet and site emissions.
Waste Management: Divert a minimum of 95% of construction and demolition waste from landfills on every project.
Sustainable Sourcing: Source 100% of timber from certified sustainable forests (FSC/PEFC).

Implementation, Measurement, and Monitoring

Application at Call-Off Level
Social value commitments will be tailored, measured, and reported specifically for each individual call-off contract to meet the distinct needs of the local client and community.

Responsibility
The Board of Directors holds overall responsibility for this policy. Project Managers are responsible for enforcing specific social value targets on individual construction sites.

Review
This policy is reviewed annually. KPI metrics, including local spend percentages, waste diversion rates, and apprentice hours, are monitored monthly.

Download the Social Value Policy (PDF)

Drugs & Alcohol Policy Statement

This Drugs and Alcohol Policy Statement is applicable to all personnel under Hollywell Building Services control. Hollywell Building Services shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that all relevant personnel are made aware of this Policy statement.

Procedure HQW202 Drugs and Alcohol Management defines the process and responsibilities for ensuring compliance with Railway Industry Standard RIS-8070-TOM and Network Rail Company Standard NR/L2/OHS/00120 and preventing, so far as is reasonably practicable, offences under the Transport and Works Act 1992.

Control Measures

Control measures include:

Screening for drugs and alcohol prior to employment
An annual, unannounced, random screening of relevant personnel (a minimum of 20% of Sentinel card holders and Safety Critical Staff to be tested over a rolling 12-month period between RISQS Audits)
Arrangements with an approved provider for “for cause” screening
Reporting of results to Sentinel
Review of the Drugs and Alcohol Policy at least annually

Responsibilities of Personnel

Persons under Hollywell Building Services’ control shall:

Not come to work in an unfit state through drugs or alcohol
Not consume alcohol at work
Not use, possess or supply a drug of abuse at work
Not discontinue with an agreed course of treatment for an alcohol and drugs related problem without good reason
Undergo testing for an alcohol and drugs when requested to do so

When being prescribed medication, relevant personnel shall notify their doctor of the nature of activities they are engaged in. They shall ensure their Supervisor is immediately notified of any prescribed or “over-the-counter” medication being taken that may affect or impair their safe performance.

Support and Disciplinary Action

Hollywell Building Services personnel that believe they have drugs or alcohol related problems and pro-actively raise the issue (i.e. not after being involved in an incident or being nominated for a test) shall be provided confidential support. However, other personnel in contravention of this Policy or Work Instruction HQW202 shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.

On receipt of a positive alcohol test or non negative drugs test, the individual shall be suspended with immediate effect, pending confirmation of the result or breach of D&A Policy. The company disciplinary and grievance procedures shall be instigated where appropriate. Disciplinary action will normally result in summary dismissal for gross misconduct.

This policy statement will be briefed to all employees at induction and shall be formally reviewed on an annual basis at the Management Review meeting.

Download the Drugs & Alcohol Policy Statement (PDF)

Living Wage Policy

Hollywell Building Services Limited is committed to paying a living wage for all employees.

A living wage is defined as financial compensation that reflects what individuals need to support themselves and their families above the poverty line, based on the actual cost of living in a specific community. A living wage helps the essential costs of living and an improved standard of living for low-wage individuals and families.

Hollywell Building Services Limited uses the UK Living Wage Scheme in determining the minimum Living Wage it needs to pay employees.

1. Purpose

This procedure ensures that all employees receive at least a living wage for the work they perform. The organisation is committed to fair compensation that meets the basic cost of living in the regions where we operate.

2. Scope

This procedure applies to all direct employees of Hollywell Building Services Limited and, where feasible, to subcontracted or third-party workers providing services on a regular and ongoing basis.

3. Definitions

Living Wage: The minimum income necessary for a worker to meet their basic needs, including food, housing, healthcare, transportation, education, and other essentials, as determined by a reputable independent organisation (e.g., gov.uk Living Wage Calculator, Living Wage Foundation).
Benchmark Provider: An external, credible source used to determine living wage rates by region.

4. Responsibilities

HR Department:

Annually review and update wage benchmarks.
Ensure compliance with this procedure during hiring, payroll, and contract reviews.
Maintain documentation for wage benchmarking and audits.

Finance Department:

Budget for living wage adjustments as necessary.
Coordinate with HR to ensure all employees are paid appropriately.

Procurement/Supply Chain:

Include living wage clauses in supplier and contractor agreements where appropriate.

Managers/Supervisors:

Ensure that compensation for new hires and current employees complies with this policy.

5. Procedure

Step 1: Determine Living Wage Rates

Identify appropriate benchmark providers based on region (e.g., gov.uk).
Review published living wage rates annually or upon significant economic changes.
Document selected benchmarks and reasoning.

Step 2: Assess Current Pay

Review payroll data to identify employees earning below the benchmarked living wage.
Include full-time, part-time, and temporary staff.

Step 3: Adjust Compensation

For any employee earning below the living wage, adjust pay rates accordingly.
Changes must be made no later than 30 days after the annual review or identified discrepancy.

Step 4: Communicate

Inform employees of any changes to their wages and the rationale behind it.
Clearly state the company’s commitment to living wages in onboarding and HR documentation.

Step 5: Monitor and Audit

Conduct internal audits annually to ensure continued compliance.
Address any discrepancies immediately.
Report compliance status to senior management.

Step 6: Contractor & Supplier Compliance

Where feasible, require contractors and service providers to commit to paying their workers a living wage.
Include living wage clauses in procurement and contract policies.

6. Exceptions

Interns and apprentices may be exempt only if their total compensation package includes sufficient non-monetary benefits or learning opportunities.
Volunteers or unpaid roles must be clearly distinguished and comply with local labour laws.

7. Review and Revision

This procedure will be reviewed annually by the HR and Compliance teams to ensure alignment with evolving living wage standards and organisational goals.

8. References

https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates

Download the Living Wage Policy (PDF)

Driver Policy

Our company driver policy describes our guidelines for using company vehicles. A “company vehicle” is any type of vehicle our company assigns to employees to support their transportation needs for their work. Company vehicles belong to the company and we want to ensure our employees use them properly. Be aware that while using a company vehicle, you are a representative of Hollywell and your actions will reflect on the company.

Driver Rules

Obey all traffic laws and be courteous toward other drivers
Do not drive while intoxicated, fatigued, or on medication that affects your driving ability
Do not use a phone or text while driving; unless using a hands-free device
Do not smoke in any company vehicles
Do not allow unauthorised drivers to use a company vehicle unless required by an emergency
Do not park if it will cause an obstruction and ensure parking is paid for where necessary
Report changes to your driver privileges, such as driver’s license suspension, immediately

Liability and Discipline

The company accepts no liability for fines incurred following offences involving your company vehicle and the responsibility for such offences, e.g., speeding, careless driving, drinking and driving, etc., is firmly placed with the driver.

Employees who violate the company driver policy are subject to disciplinary actions which may include verbal and written warnings, suspension of vehicle privileges, termination and legal action.

Download the Driver Policy (PDF)

Environmental Policy Statement

It is the policy of Hollywell Building Services to comply with all relevant legal requirements, industry standards and best practice. Hollywell Building Services shall manage its activities so they are acceptable to our customers and the community at large and ensure that environmental impact is reduced to a practicable minimum. Where possible, activities shall provide positive benefit to society e.g. through re-use/recycling.

Areas of Positive Influence

There are four areas in which we will positively influence environmental awareness and compliance and protect the environment:

In support of our core activities, we will ensure that our process for procuring consumable supplies maximise the use of biodegradable fluids and sustainable raw materials, those that can be recycled and those that have already been recycled, with due regard for the life cycle of the end product.
We will ensure that our process for disposing of all waste materials allow compliance with applicable legislation / duty of care obligations and maximises the possibility for the segregation of waste that can be recycled from that which can’t.
We will maximise the efficiency of our use of consumed energy through the adoption of an efficient transport policy for our personnel and the control of the use of our electrical supplies and consumables at premises under our control.
We will promote the highest standards of environmental excellence in customer organisations by matching our project environmental controls with the policies of our customers.

Our Commitments

Hollywell Building Services shall:

Encourage and promote best practice and continual improvement in environmental performance.
Commit to the prevention of environmental pollution and protection of the environment in relation to Hollywell Building Services activities.
Aim to minimise the environmental impact for the life cycle; (including disposal), of plant, equipment, and other physical assets under our control.
Provide information and assistance to ensure that materials are used, stored and disposed of in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.
Promote the open exchange of environmental information with customers and suppliers and provide appropriate environmental training.
Comply with the requirements of its customer’s environmental policies.
Set and monitor appropriate environmental objectives.
Operate an Integrated Management System certified to BS EN ISO 14001:2015

Core Values and Principles

In establishing its core values, Hollywell Building Services Limited is committed to achieving its business objectives in a caring and responsible manner by considering the economic, social and environmental impact of its activities alongside its key business issues.

We are committed to identifying and undertaking activities over and above compliance with the minimum legal requirements, in order to address both our own competitive interests and the interests of wider society as a whole.

In doing so, we strive to uphold the following principles:

To treat all employees fairly
To operate with integrity
To respect basic human rights
To sustain the environment for future generations
To be a caring and responsible member of the communities in which we operate.

This policy Statement will be formally reviewed on an annual basis.

Download the Environmental Policy Statement (PDF)

Hours Worked Policy Statement

At Hollywell Building Services we recognise our responsibilities under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 to provide a safe system of work and thereby reduce any potential risk to As Low as Reasonably Practicable. We acknowledge the increase in risk to our employees, contractors, passengers, visitors and those affected by working excessive hours.

Safety Critical Work Commitments

Additionally, we recognise our responsibilities under The Transport and Work Act, The Railway & Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulation and Network Rail Standard NR/L2/OHS/003 Fatigue Risk Management, and when carrying out safety critical work we will:

Not work more than 14 hours including door to door travel to site of work
Have a minimum rest period of 12 hours between rolling shifts
Not work more than 13 turns of duty within any 14 rolling days
Not work more than 60 hours within 7 consecutive days without recording a Level 1 exceedance
Not work more than 72 hours within 7 consecutive days without recording a Level 2 exceedance
Not work shifts where planning indicates a Fatigue Risk Index Fatigue score greater than or equal to 35 for day working or 45 for night working
Not work shifts where planning indicates a Fatigue Risk Index Risk score greater than or equal to 1.6 for day or night working

Review and Monitoring

The arrangements in place to implement this policy form part of the company’s day to day operational processes and as such are reviewed on a continuous basis. A formal review will take place in line with our quality management processes. Where opportunities for improvement in the management of safe working hours or safety problems are identified they will be tackled promptly, and with sufficient resources, to ensure that they are dealt with adequately.

The implementation of this policy will be monitored throughout the company in order to ensure compliance with its objectives.

This policy statement will be briefed to all employees at induction and shall be formally reviewed on an annual basis at the Management Review meeting.

Download the Hours Worked Policy Statement (PDF)

Refusal to Work Policy Statement

The Health & Safety at Work Etc. Act 1974 requires Hollywell Building Services Ltd to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of our employees and anyone else who may be affected by our acts or omissions.

The purpose of this Policy is to ensure that all employees are aware of the manner in which Hollywell Building Services Ltd requires employees to stop working should the employee(s) consider the working environment or the working practice to be unsafe.

All employees should be aware they can report any incidents, unsafe acts, concerns and safety related issues to the national Confidential Incident Reporting and Analysis Service, CIRAS (0800 4 101 101 https://www.ciras.org.uk/ or via the CIRAS app) operated by Railway Group Members (RGM’s) where they do not feel able to report through normal channels.

The Refusal to Work Process

In order to carry out this policy, responsibilities for health and safety have been clearly defined, allocated and accepted at all levels. All employees must play their part in implementing this policy if safety standards are to constantly improve. The Refusal to Work process is as follows:

Individuals must be free to report their concerns without fear of reprisal or being subject to an unfair disciplinary process.
If an employee (individual) believes that a task or condition will endanger either themselves or others, work shall cease, and the situation be immediately reported to the person in charge on site (Hollywell Building Services Ltd / customer representative as appropriate).
The situation will then be reviewed by the person in charge on site and consideration will be given to the safety impact on the individual and others. Wherever possible, immediate and appropriate action must be taken to resolve the situation.
As a result of the review, the system of work will either be confirmed as safe or amended. If the individual is satisfied with this outcome, they will resume work.
If the individual remains dissatisfied, the person in charge will contact the Hollywell Building Services Ltd HSQE Manager or the on-call Manager if outside of normal working hours, providing all the relevant details/ background to the situation.
If the situation cannot be resolved, a benchmark review will be undertaken by the HSQE Manager against all legislative, Railway Group, Network Rail Company standards and industry best practice to determine the safety impact of the task or condition.
If the benchmark review fails to produce a satisfactory outcome, the disputed system of work will cease and Hollywell Building Services Ltd’s responsible director and the customer will be informed as soon as practically possible.
The HSQE Manager will liaise with the customer to consider the disputed working arrangements, making any necessary changes and advise the HSQE Manager accordingly.
Changes to working arrangements will be documented and implemented by the HSQE Manager. This may include amendments to internal Procedures, Work Instructions, Processes, Risk/COSHH Assessments. Additional levels of training and competence may be required by individuals or further briefings as appropriate.
Full details of the eventual, agreed outcome will be forwarded to the complainant and the customer where appropriate. Suitable records will be maintained.
Should the complainant still be dissatisfied with the system of work, Hollywell Building Services Ltd will provide independent arbitration from an external source. Hollywell Building Services Ltd will undertake to follow the arbitrator’s advice.
Should the arbitrator uphold Hollywell Building Services Ltd’s safe system of work and the complainant still refuse to work, Hollywell Building Services Ltd will implement the disciplinary procedure.

Review

The arrangements in place to implement this policy form part of the company’s day to day operational procedures and as such are reviewed on a continuous basis.

Where opportunities for improvement in safety standards or safety problems are identified they will be tackled promptly, with sufficient resources, to ensure that they adequately are dealt with, implemented and briefed to all employees.

This policy statement will be briefed to all employees at induction and shall be formally reviewed on an annual basis at the Management Review meeting.

Download the Refusal to Work Policy Statement (PDF)

Fit to Work Policy

Hollywell Building Services Ltd are committed to ensuring that everyone working for or on our behalf is in a condition that enables them to perform their work competently and in a manner which does not threaten the safety or health of themselves or others.

“Fit for Work” means that an individual is in a physical, mental and emotional state, that enables the individual to perform their assigned duties effectively and in a manner that does not increase the risk to themselves and others. As a minimum, this means being well enough to work and not being fatigued or adversely affected by substances, drugs or alcohol. It is essentially the responsibility of the worker to manage personal factors, which impact on their ability to perform the required work, unimpaired and to the full extent of their capability.

Every worker is responsible for ensuring they are fit for work in accordance with their respective duty of care.

A worker’s fitness for work can be determined by the individual, their Supervisor or others in their team. This can be done either through observation with confirmation or through recognised and approved testing.

Ensuring Workers Are Fit to Work

As part of ensuring workers are fit to work, we will also:

Screen all personnel required to work on the Rail Infrastructure for alcohol and drugs prior to employment. We may also screen workers who are to be employed in other capacities/ on other projects.
Undertake an annual, unannounced, random alcohol and drug screening of personnel.
Undertake “for cause” alcohol and drug testing, which includes post-incident testing.
Require all workers, once formally appointed, to complete a Medical Self Declaration relevant to their role.
Ensure all workers undergo a periodic medical assessment through an approved medical provider, which includes an assessment of general health, eyesight, colour vision and hearing.
Monitor and manage sickness and other unauthorised absence from work, such as how much time is lost, where it occurs most and how often individual employees are absent.
Endeavour to establish and maintain a high standard of management, working relationships, job design, employment relations, communication and flexible working arrangements to minimise absences.
Require absent employees to phone in by a given time on each day of absence and provide a Fit Note if they are absent for more than 7 days in a row (including non-working days).
Arrange return to work interviews following absences so we can ensure there are no underlying issues, or for long-term absences meet with the employee to identify how we may help them return to work, such as by offering a phased return to work, flexible working, amended duties, or adapting the workplace, where these options are feasible.
Implement, maintain and communicate our policies, procedures and work instructions related to Fitness for Work, e.g. HQF3035 Alcohol and Drugs Policy, HQF3032 Hours Worked Policy, HQW200 Recruitment & Induction, HQW202 Drugs and Alcohol Management, and HQW205 Control of Hours Worked.
Ensure everyone understands they have a duty to present themselves for work in a condition whereby they are physically and mentally capable of safely carrying out their duties.
Ensure everyone understands their duty to declare at any point during their employment if they are taking medication or have a medical condition that could impact on their ability to work safely, and to inform the office or their supervisor of any change in personal circumstances that may affect their fitness for work.
Provide information to all employees and subcontractors on recognising the signs and symptoms of fatigue.
Consistently enforce and record disciplinary procedures for employees and contractors in breach of Fitness for Work related policies, procedures and work instructions.
Provide confidential counselling and other support as appropriate for employees and subcontractors.
Request confirmation from subcontractors that they have a similar commitment to ensuring the fitness for work of their workers and request evidence of an individual’s fitness as applicable.

Confidentiality and Review

Hollywell Building Services Ltd shall ensure that if workers present fit for work issues, they are dealt with in an effective, fair and constructive manner. All issues pertaining to these matters shall be kept strictly confidential. This Policy will be reviewed following any changes to working practices or applicable legislation, or at least annually.

Download the Fit to Work Policy (PDF)

Anti-Bribery Policy Statement

It is the policy of Hollywell Building Services to comply with all relevant legal requirements in respect of bribery and operate systems and procedures that are both legally and morally sound. The company is committed to undertaking the following actions to ensure that its obligations are fulfilled:

Training all employees so that they can recognise and avoid the use of bribery by themselves and others;
Encouraging its employees to be vigilant and to report any suspicion of bribery, providing them with suitable channels of communication and ensuring sensitive information is treated appropriately;
Rigorously investigating instances of alleged bribery and assisting the police and other appropriate authorities in any resultant prosecution;
Taking firm and vigorous action against any individual(s) involved in bribery.

This policy Statement will be formally reviewed on an annual basis.

Download the Anti-Bribery Policy Statement (PDF)

Diversity and Equalities Policy

Introduction

This policy aims to outline Hollywell Building Services commitment to ensuring equality of opportunity and equal treatment for staff, workers, sub contractors, and customers in terms of employment and access to services; and to provide guidance on anti-discriminatory practice. This policy is non-contractual.

Scope

The policy applies to employees directly employed by Hollywell Building Services, to workers employed via agencies, sub-contractors and customers in terms of service provision. The policy applies specifically to discrimination and equality of opportunity in respect of ‘protected characteristics’ as defined in the Equalities Act 2010:

Age
Disability
Race
Sex
Religion or cultural beliefs
Gender reassignment
Marital status and civil partnership
Sexual orientation
Pregnancy and maternity

The policy applies across the range of employment policies and practice, including those relating to Discipline, Grievance, Harassment and Complaints.

Responsibilities

Hollywell Building Services values its staff, contractors, workers, sub contractors and customers, and expects them to be treated in a respectful manner. Accordingly, all have a responsibility to treat others with dignity and respect. The Managing Director is responsible for providing advice and guidance on equality and diversity issues, and to ensure the Policy document is kept up to date.

Aims

As one of Hollywell Building Services core values is “Ethical Behaviour”, Hollywell Building Services aims to:

Promote equality of opportunity
Celebrate and value diversity
Eliminate unlawful direct and indirect discrimination

Hollywell Building Services will provide equality of opportunity and equal treatment as an integral part of good practice. The organisation is committed to a working environment in which the contribution and needs of everyone are fully valued and recognised. We will support our staff, workers, and sub-contractors in not tolerating any inappropriate, violent or abusive behaviour from colleagues, other organisations or customers.

General Purpose

Hollywell Building Services practices will ensure that staff, workers, sub-contractors, and customers will not be discriminated against on any grounds including age, disability, race, sex, religion or cultural beliefs, gender reassignment, marital status and civil partnership, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity.

Hollywell Building Services commitment to anti-discriminatory practice relates to all kinds of discrimination, as set out below:

Direct discrimination – where someone is treated less favourably than another because they have a protected characteristic
Indirect discrimination – when a requirement or a condition is applied which has a detrimental effect on a particular group or individual. This applies even if there was not a deliberate intention to discriminate.
Associative discrimination – direct discrimination against someone because they associate with another person who has a protected characteristic.
Perceptive discrimination – direct discrimination against someone because others think they have a protected characteristic even if they do not possess that characteristic.
Harassment – unwanted conduct related to a protected characteristic which violates a person’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them. This applies even if the conduct is not directed at the individual or if they do not have the protected characteristic.
Third party harassment – potential liability for the harassment of staff by others such as clients or customers.
Victimisation – when someone is treated badly because they have made or supported a complaint under the Equalities Act or it is thought that they have done so.

Employment Practices

Hollywell Building Services aims to promote equality and diversity as an employer and to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment or is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements that cannot be shown to be justifiable in the context of the policy. Selection, recruitment, training, promotion and employment practices will be subject to regular review to ensure that they comply with the Diversity and Equalities Policy. All training opportunities will be published widely to all appropriate employees and not in such a way so as to exclude particular groups. Hollywell Building Services regards discrimination, abuse, harassment, victimisation or bullying of staff, sub-contractors, customers or others in the course of work as disciplinary offences that could be regarded as gross misconduct.

This policy will be reviewed on an on-going basis and amended in line with new developments in Equality and Diversity best practice.

Legislation

We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that we and our staff do not unlawfully discriminate under:

the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974;
the Employment Rights Act 1996;
the Human Rights Act 1998;
the Part-Time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000;
the Fixed-Term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002;
the Civil Partnership Act 2004;
the Work and Families Act 2006;
the Equality Act 2010;
Race Relations Act 1976;
Disability Equality Duty;
Gender Equality Duty;
Racial equality code of practice for employment;
Sex Discrimination Act 1975;
Equal Pay Act 1970;
Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 and;
any other relevant legislation in force from time to time relating to discrimination in employment and the provision of goods, facilities or services.

Complaints and Sanctions

Hollywell Building Services Limited will treat seriously any complaints of unlawful discrimination on any of the stated grounds made by employees, sub-contractors, clients or other third parties and will take action where appropriate.

All complaints made by external parties will be investigated in accordance with Hollywell Building Services Complaints Procedure and the complainant will be informed of the outcome.

In the event of an investigation concerning a complaint against an employee, Hollywell Building Services Grievance Policy and Procedures will be followed and any action necessary dealt with under Hollywell Building Services Disciplinary Procedure.

Complaints will be monitored annually and any outcomes/action recorded.

Glossary

Protected Characteristics
The protected characteristics as listed in the Equality Act 2010 are sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, age, disability, pregnancy and maternity.

Disability
Under the Equality Act 2010, a person is disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse affect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

Gender reassignment
A transsexual person is someone who proposes to, starts or has completed a process to change his or her gender. The person does not have to be under medical supervision.

Race
Race includes colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins. A racial group can be made up of two or more different racial groups (e.g. Black Britons).

Religion or belief
Under the Equality Act 2010, religion includes any religion. It also includes lack of religion, in other words employees or jobseekers are protected if they do not follow a certain religion or have no religion at all. Additionally, a religion must have a clear structure and belief system. Belief means any religious or philosophical belief or a lack of such belief. To be protected, a belief must satisfy various criteria, including that it is a weighty and substantial aspect of human life and behaviour.

Sexual orientation
Includes bisexual, gay, heterosexual, and lesbian people.

Direct discrimination
Direct discrimination occurs when someone is treated less favourably than another person because of a protected characteristic they have or are thought to have (see perceptive discrimination below), or because they associate with someone who has a protected characteristic (see associative discrimination below).

Associative discrimination
This is direct discrimination against someone because they are linked or associated with another person who possesses a protected characteristic.

Perceptive discrimination
This is direct discrimination against an individual because others think they possess a particular protected characteristic. It applies even if the person does not actually possess that characteristic.

Indirect discrimination
Indirect discrimination can occur when you have a condition, rule, policy or even a practice in your company that applies to everyone but particularly disadvantages people who share a protected characteristic and which cannot be justified in relation to the job.

Harassment
Harassment is “unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic, which has the purpose or effect of violating an individual’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that individual”.

Third party harassment
Harassment of employees by people (third parties) who are not employees of your company, such as clients. Hollywell Building Services has a duty to prevent harassment and may be liable if aware that harassment has occurred on at least two previous occasions and does not take reasonable steps to prevent it from happening again.

Victimisation
Victimisation occurs when an employee is treated badly because they have made or supported a complaint about discrimination or harassment, or raised a grievance under the Equality Act; or because they are suspected of doing so. An employee is not protected from victimisation if they have maliciously made or supported an untrue complaint.

Positive action
Some people with protected characteristics are disadvantaged or under-represented in some areas of life, or have particular needs linked to their characteristic. They may need extra help or encouragement if they are to have the same chances as everyone else. The new positive action provisions held within the Equalities Act 2010 enable service providers to take proportionate steps to help people overcome their disadvantages or to meet their needs.

This is the current copy of this policy.

Download the Diversity and Equalities Policy (PDF)

Harassment and Bullying Policy

1. Policy Statement

1.1 The Company wishes to provide a stimulating and supportive working environment which will enable its staff to fulfil their personal potential and creativity. Such an environment cannot exist where any member of staff is subjected to harassment, intimidation, aggression or coercion.

1.2 The Company is fully committed to the principles of equality and diversity in the workplace and regards harassment as a form of discrimination. As such the Company will not tolerate any form of bullying or harassment.

1.3 The Company will treat all complaints of harassment and bullying seriously and will investigate them promptly and in confidence.

2. Harassment

2.1 Harassment is unwanted conduct which violates a person’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. It may be on the grounds of sex, marital status, race, disability, religion or beliefs, sexual orientation, age or gender reassignment. For the purposes of this Policy this list should be considered non-exhaustive, and harassment or bullying on any grounds will not be tolerated by the Company.

2.2 Harassment may be persistent or an isolated incident, obvious or subtle, face-to-face or indirect. It may even be through unequal or unfair application of monitoring systems, for example through the monitoring of breaks where it is not applied equally to all employees.

2.3 Examples of behaviour which may constitute harassment or bullying include (but are not limited to):

spreading malicious rumours;
professional or social exclusion;
insulting behaviour;
unwelcome sexual advances or physical contact;
unfounded threats relating to job security;
calculated undermining of an employee’s competence, for example through a consistently unreasonable or unfair workload, overbearing supervision or unnecessary circulation of critical memoranda;
physical assault;
verbal abuse, threats, derogatory name-calling, ridicule, insults and offensive or embarrassing jokes;
offensive emails, texts or visual images;
derogatory graffiti/insignia or display of derogatory or offensive material; and
inciting others to commit any of the above.

3. Unlawful Grounds of Harassment or Bullying

The Company reiterates that it will not tolerate any instance of harassment or bullying, regardless of the grounds. This Policy will equally apply to work related events even if they occur away from the normal workplace. The following are expressly unlawful grounds by which a person may experience harassment or bullying:

3.1 Sex
Harassment or bullying on the grounds of a person’s sex, pregnancy, maternity leave etc. This can apply even where the complainant was not the employee to whom the harassment was directed;

3.2 Marital Status
Harassment or bullying on the grounds of a person’s marital status;

3.3 Gender Reassignment
Harassment or bullying on the grounds that a person intends to undergo gender reassignment, is currently undergoing gender reassignment or has already undergone gender reassignment;

3.4 Sexual Harassment
This is distinct from sex harassment, as it is physical, visual, verbal or non-verbal conduct that is sexual in nature;

3.5 Race
Harassment or bullying on the grounds of race, colour, ethnicity or nationality;

3.6 Disability
Bullying or harassment on the grounds of a person’s disability;

3.7 Sexual Orientation
Bullying or harassment on the grounds of a person’s sexual orientation, applying equally to “same sex” orientation, “opposite sex” orientation and “both sexes” orientation;

3.8 Religion or Belief
Harassment or bullying on the grounds of a person’s religion or beliefs;

3.9 Age
Harassment on the grounds of a person’s age, applying equally to all people regardless of age;

3.10 Grievance
Harassment or bullying as a consequence of a person raising a grievance.

4. Reporting Harassment

4.1 Employees have the right to complain if they are treated in a way that they believe constitutes harassment or bullying. Aside from complaints about the behaviour of colleagues, employees have the right to complain if they believe they have been bullied or harassed by a third party e.g. a client, customer or supplier.

4.2 Employees who make a genuine complaint under this policy will not be subjected to any unfavourable treatment or victimisation as a result of making the complaint.

5. Procedure for Complaints

5.1 Any employee who feels that they have been subjected to harassment or bullying by any other member of staff should raise the matter as soon as reasonably practicable.

5.2 Employees can raise a complaint informally and/or formally. They should contact either the HR Officer or the Managing Director; or another manager in the absence of this personnel or where their complaint is against that specific personnel.

5.3 Before raising a formal complaint, the employee is encouraged to talk directly and informally to the person whom they believe is harassing him or her, using the informal procedure below. It may be that the person whose behaviour is causing offence is genuinely unaware that his or her behaviour is unwelcome or causing distress and that a direct approach can resolve the matter without the need to use the formal procedure.

5.4 Informal Procedure

5.4.1 If the employee feels able, they should speak up at the time when they feel harassed or bullied. It is important to be direct and for the employee to state explicitly that they feel they are being harassed and that the behaviour is unacceptable to them. The employee can also discuss the matter with another colleague or their supervisor and ask them to speak to the harasser on their behalf.

5.4.2 Alternatively, if the employee feels unable to speak to the harasser directly, they could write a letter to them which clearly identifies the offending behaviour and requests that it stops immediately. The employee should sign and date any such letter and ensure that a copy is kept for any possible future formal complaint. It is also advisable that the employee keep an ‘incident diary’ of any offending behaviour.

5.4.3 Where the informal procedure has not resolved an employee’s complaint, a formal grievance can be raised by the employee.

5.5 Formal Procedure

5.5.1 Any employee who feels that they have been subjected to harassment or bullying may at any time decide to deal with the issue through formal procedures (using the Company’s grievance procedure), regardless of whether informal steps have been taken or not.

5.5.2 When bringing a complaint of bullying or harassment, the employee should state:

The name of the person whose behaviour is believed to amount to bullying or harassment;
The behaviour that is causing offence, with specific examples;
Dates and times when incidents of harassment or bullying occurred;
The names of any employees who witnessed any incidents;
Details of any action the employee has taken to try and address the bullying/harassment.

5.6 The Company will investigate any informal or formal complaint thoroughly and fairly.

5.7 An employee accused of harassment or bullying will be informed of the exact nature of the complaint against him or her and given a full opportunity to give his or her version of events.

5.8 During the investigation, the Company reserves the right to suspend or temporarily redeploy either the employee making the complaint of harassment or bullying, or the employee suspected of harassment or bullying. Suspension will be on full pay and is not a disciplinary sanction. As soon as the investigation is complete, the Company will inform the employee suspected of bullying or harassment of the outcome and decide if it is appropriate to start disciplinary proceedings.

6. Consequences of Breach

6.1 Harassment is a disciplinary offence and will be dealt with according to the Company’s Disciplinary Procedure. Bullying, harassment, victimisation or discrimination may constitute gross misconduct, punishable by summary dismissal without notice.

6.2 Employees should bear in mind that harassment or bullying may also constitute a criminal offence punishable by a fine and/or imprisonment.

7. Responsibilities of Employees and Managers

7.1 All employees are responsible for their own behaviour and should ensure that they comply with this Policy at all times.

7.2 All managers are responsible for implementing this Policy and bringing it to the attention of employees.

7.3 Any complaints under this Policy bought to the attention of a manager must be dealt with promptly, confidentially, fairly and consistently.

7.4 All incidents of harassment and bullying will be reported to HR.

8. Confidentiality

8.1 The Company will treat any complaint received under this Policy confidentially.

8.2 All employees involved with an investigation are required to respect the need for confidentiality.

8.3 The Company will maintain records of investigations into alleged incidents of harassment or bullying and the outcome of the investigations. These records will be maintained in confidence and in line with the Company’s Data Protection Policy.

8.4 Any breaches in confidentiality will be subject to disciplinary action.

Download the Harassment and Bullying Policy (PDF)