Corporate Social Responsibility & HBXL
A CSR policy plays an important part of our business governing our activities as a service provider, employer and consumer. Our aim is to be a responsible business committed to building a sustainable future for people and planet. Catch up on our latest activities on our Company News page.
Workplace
HBXL is committed to providing a safe, stimulating and pleasant working environment and developing all of our staff to achieve their maximum potential.
As well as providing comprehensive HR and staff development practices and procedures, we have revised our staff appraisal system and training and development procedures to ensure our employees develop the skills, competencies and qualities needed to succeed and progress their careers now and in the future. Details of the staff development practices and procedures can be found in our HBXL Policies and Procedures file and on the virtual Huddle site, but in summary comprise a commitment to give each staff member time for Continued Professional Development (CPD) and CPD planning procedure that takes into account both the business preogative and the individual staff member's personal requirements.
Obtaining regular feedback and opinions from staff is important to us and we run a staff consultation at least once a year. We also have a range of established communication channels to encourage knowledge sharing and feedback. Feedback channels to management comprise regular business briefings, quarterly staff conferences with the board of director and team meetings.
We also set up anonymous feedback system to management consisting of a suggestion box in the breakout area, where staff can make suggestions on management process or technique without fear of reprisal.
We encourage a two way process of ideas and knowledge exchange across departments and all staff, through a virtual white board on Huddle and a physical white board in the tea making area in Marketing. All ideas are welcomed, and the best ones will be celebrated and rewarded through a Board, Management voting system, whereby the top three ideas receive shopping vouchers at Christmas.
We also encourage our staff to think proactively for themselves, to find solutions to problems and take responsibility for their decision making. This encouragement takes the form of positive feedback from management for new ideas and innovative procedures. A supportive management approach to new practices, with no blame culture if innovative approaches do not suceed.
Environment
As a company dedicated to the development of environmental software solutions in addition to other business software, HBXL are committed to acting environmentally responsibly and minimising the impact of our business on the environment and that of other building firms who are responsible for large amounts of construction waste and homes responsible for significant CO2 emissions.
In the past year HBXL has taken steps to improve on environmental performance but there is more we can do and in 2010 our company will attend environmental workshops and benchmark our business with the Environment Index of BITC.org.uk. Information gathered at these events will be circulated via Huddle.
Today we;
• Encourage riding to work schemes and car sharing - We do this through the Tax Free Cycle scheme and through a liftshare noticeboard found in the tea making area in Marketing. Staff are made aware of these through our Staff Handbook, whiteboards on Huddle and regular team meetings.
• Recycle paper, ink cartridges, cartons, cardboard, tins, glass and confidential waste
• Ensure heating is switched off overnight and only comes on as necessary and that computers and other equipment are switched off overnight
Commitments for the coming year;
• Reduce use of resourses and continue to use 80 gms paper for standard printing throughout the business and ensure this paper is from a recycled source. Encourage electronic filing where practicable. We will look for ways of reducing the resourses used inb the production of CDs by 2012.
• We will introduce a policy of replacement of old electrical equipment with more energy efficient models
• For business travel we will commit to use of public transport rather than private where practicable
• This will be achieved through: a staff awareness programme; the use of switch off policies. We will also encourage staff to switch off lights when daylight is adequate, and open blinds rather than turn lighting on. Ideas for energy saving will be encouraged via our knowledge share and ideas exchange system
• Encourage the use of local suppliers to reduce carbon footprint and in addition look in to the CSR policies of the suppliers we use
On top of which we support EDF’s ‘Green Britain Day’ in June 2010 to focus our team’s attention on this crucial issue.
In addition to our business facilities we are committed to helping building firms and allied trades improve their environmental impact.
Housing, repair and maintenance work represents nearly 42% of construction work according to UK Office for National Statistics, 2009) and is therefore a very important sector for the government in terms realizing their Code for Sustainable Homes targets.
The Government is obliged to address existing housing stock in its bid to reduce carbon omissions. Britain has the oldest housing stock in the developed world with 8.5 million properties over 60 years old. At current demolition rates, the average house will have to last for, in theory at least, 1,000 years before being replaced. It is therefore vital that we make improving the environmental performance of our housing stock a priority – this presents an opportunity for the general builder through HBXL’s software development program which has sustainable construction at its core.
What is particularly encouraging for the general builder is that at a time when the building sector is suffering a downturn, there is a market worth £3.5-£6.5 billion per year to upgrade existing housing stock to make it greener and more efficient. The creation of practical tools for sustainability-promoting businesses improves the ability of firms to recognise and undertake commercially viable sustainability-promoting activity.
We are on the journey to help achieve this through;
• Our estimating software EstimatorXpress encourages builders to consider wastage and it’s associated costs to ensure they are mindful when procuring building materials and take care of their materials on site to prevent damage and therefore skippage
• HBXL are a key partner with the University of West of England – (with the FMB and RICS on the advisory board) to develop software through the Technology Strategy Board that will help building firms design new homes whilst simultaneously producing a Code for Sustainable Homes rating, as well as interactive advice on how to improve the rating of the property and costing information – as well as the whole of life costs for the consumer. This is in support of the governments target to achieve zero carbon homes by 2016, and with an eye on a future Code for Existing Homes being introduced
• Impacts of the project include;
The environmental benefits reside in the low carbon solutions provided through the design software, as well as the planned reduction of waste materials and carbon usage during the actual building process. The software will not only make it easier for general and house builders to achieve a better understanding on the environmental performance of their buildings, and adapt their design and construction methods accordingly, by connecting to suppliers of sustainable materials, it will also make it easier for general builders to access more sustainable materials which have not been available through more mainstream construction material suppliers
•Impact on the sector would not only be to streamline the process from design to building through supply chain management, but largely to enable the complicated regulations of CfSH, BREEAM, and other codes, to be understood and incorporated at design stage.
•Provide a methodology for suppliers to educate the market about environmental systems and emerging technologies. By connecting the less mainstream suppliers of new and innovative materials with a broader base of builders, it may also help support the producers and merchants materials
•Use by UWE for teaching purposes and as case studies/project work
•Use by education establishments to deliver relevant experience and knowledge to the builders and contractors of tomorrow in order that they have an appreciation for the importance of sustainable construction which can be transferred in to the workplace
•Pressure on policy makers through lobbying groups such as Building a Greener Britain
•We sponsor the Master Builder Heavenly Builder of Year awards to encourage professionalism in all that building firms do including their impact on the environment
Our Environmental policy:
The objectives of the statement are a commitment to:
•Comply with relevant legislation and regulations
•To provide solutions to house builders on good practice for improving the quality of new homes and their health and safety/environmental responsibilities
•To provide solutions to general builders on good practice for improving the quality of existing homes their health and safety/environmental responsibilities
•Support the continual improvement of the environmental performance of the UK’s housing
•Identify the environmental impacts, both direct and indirect of HBXL’s office activities and transportation and take steps to mitigate the environmental impact of these activities
•Adopt the practice of responsible fuel and energy management through the encouragement of reducing energy consumption
•Where appropriate provide training and information to employees to ensure the objectives in this statement are fulfilled
•Take environmental factors into account in the procurement of resources
•Take all measures that are reasonably practicable to reduce waste at source and recycle where possible
Community
Although a small firm itself, HBXL are committed to taking steps to support charities and local community projects and aim to advance our involvement in 2010 and 2011 as we recognise this is an area for improvement. To improve our support of staff engagement and involvement in community activities HBXL will develop a Community Policy in 2010.
Previously HBXL have;
• Supported building projects in Lusaka in Zambia by donating a percentage of software sales revenue to Aid International ‘Street Kids Building Project’
•Supported Armed Forces Day by donating a percentage of software sales revenue to the Army Benevolent Fund
•Rewarded ‘Great Women in Building!’ through our Better Halves Awards to acknowledge the 3% of women in construction to encourage further women in to the industry
HBXL staff also fundraises and give time to a wide range of charities.
Marketplace
Part of HBXL’s mission statement is;
‘The purpose of HBXL is to develop & provide best in class building software & support for the small-medium construction company and allied trades at a fair price to our customers in the UK & abroad’ Our goal is to have a positive influence on the building industry by providing software solutions that will improve UK building firms.
Our fair treatment for all goal is to;
‘Earn an adequate profit for the total enterprise to grow, providing the opportunity for our employees, share holders and suppliers to achieve their own reasonable personal objectives.’
Our marketplace responsibility principles are;
•Respect our customers
•Support vulnerable customers
•Seek potential customers within excluded groups
•Manage the impact of product or service
•Actively discourage product misuse
•Actively manage responsibility in our supply chain
•Treat suppliers as partners
•Work with the rule makers
•Have consistent standards
Our approach to marketing;
This is about influencing customer behaviour to create both profit and positive societal change, actively managing our responsibilities to customers, and being honest in our communications.
•high quality products
•priced affordably so accessible to all
•collateral (marketing literature and packaging) sourced from sustainable sources packaged minimally to avoid waste
Ways in which we support our customers;
•Provide mechanisms for software to contact our Managing Director directly
•Provide User panels to enable software users to share their experiences
•Provide Forums for software users to share ideas and support each other
•Research current building business issues to develop software solutions which will help these firms run better businesses
•Provide essential services such as out of hour Chat Support, Training and Feedback mechanisms
How we handle our supplier relationships;
We pride ourselves on conducting our business in a fair, ethical and friendly manner and pay our bills on time, checking firms environmental credentials before trading with them.
The next chapter
It doesn’t end there. We will be working hard on engaging customers through awareness-raising marketing including literature and web content regarding the building industry’s affect on the environment and how our business is endeavouring to assist it meet governments carbon targets through software and training.
Employees will also be trained to have a thorough understanding of how to relate to sustainability in construction in order that they can further engage customers and empower them to use sustainability software fully.
Our mission does not stop with the UK. HBXL will take its sustainability software into international markets – including the United States which has one of the world’s largest construction industries.
Finally HBXL need to connect with customers fully on the issue of site health and safety to help improve their health and safety awareness and understanding of their responsibilities and thus improving their health and safety record through extensive campaigning.