CSR has become increasingly important in all areas of our business in recent years and is something that we, at Searcys, take seriously.

We recognise it is vital to remain attentive and responsive to the changes taking place in the catering industry and that our future depends upon how well aligned our CSR policy is to the society in which we operate.

So, our challenge is to endeavour to integrate social and environmental concerns in our business operations. Our core objective is to be as sustainable as we can be in all our dealings. But what does that look like?

This thinking has been incorporated into our Company Vision and Mission.

Our vision underlines our long-term ambition to sustainably grow and develop in all spheres of the catering industry and our mission emphasises our aspiration to develop trustworthy and mutually benefiting partnerships that are founded on professionalism and supported by accountability.

And we shall make sure this lives through embedding our CSR Values:

We live and breathe our CSR values and do our utmost to instil them in everything we do.

1. Trust

This value manifests itself in simple, yet meaningful, ways:
• Clients: trust us to deliver the best catering solution to their needs, exceeding requirements and delivering true partnership.
• Customers: trust us to provide them with quality assured products that are safe and represent good value for money.
• Staff Members: trust us to treat them fairly and to continually invest in their professional development.
• Suppliers: trust us to foster a buyer-producer relationship built on mutual respect and mutual profitability (after all, we are in business).

2. Partnership

Partnership to us is about more than simply working together or collaborating, it is about establishing mutually beneficial relationships with all of our stakeholders.
What do we mean by mutually beneficial?
Well, this obviously varies depending on the partner, but basically we want our partners to be successful. If they are successful, it makes it easier for us to be successful. A kind of virtuous circle.

So, whether it be success through more money, through faster service, through better quality, through better information or all of these, we want our partners to be successful.
We see the partnerships we have established as the clear result of our commitment to trust, respect and true understanding of needs.

3. Professionalism

From the faultless set-up of a table to the delivery of the perfectly cooked cut of beef. Professionalism dictates our vision and reinforces the success we have enjoyed in the industry.
Professionalism encompasses expertise, integrity, and above all confidence, qualities we hire and train our workforce for.

4. Accountability

As a business we are accountable to our stakeholders, from the customers who choose to eat at our venues to the communities where our contracts are located. We define accountability as our ability to integrate financial, social and environmental concerns in our business operations and to demonstrate that we take ownership of our actions and keep to our commitments.

But what does that look like in reality in the Market place, the Environment, the Work Place and in the Community?

At Searcys we pledge to undertake the following:

MARKET PLACE

Develop new services to address social or environmental problems.

Better understand our supply chain, the risks and the stakeholders affected by it and will actively work with suppliers to manage these risks.

Work with legislators and regulators to help the business to enjoy business success whilst serving the public interest.

ENVIRONMENT

Use natural resources efficiently, minimising waste.

Offer innovative products and services that minimise harm to the natural environment.

Help suppliers and customers reduce their own environmental footprint.

Improve our climate change impact by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from energy use and transport.

Measure, report and continuously improve the environmental impact of our operations, products and services.

WORKPLACE

Invest in individual excellence through training and development, equipping employees with the skills to do their jobs effectively and supporting them to progress within the business.

Recognise the value of diversity in meeting customer expectations, developing products and services and managing their business.

Operate in a culture where inclusion is the norm and diversity and equality in the workplace are promoted through recruitment, staff development and flexible work practices.

Create a working environment that supports and promotes the health, safety and well-being of our employees and sub-contractors.

COMMUNITY

Reflect the local community in our workplace profile and remove barriers to employment.

Review local purchasing and supplier opportunities to include local products and services.

Engage employees in community activity by supporting their involvement in volunteering.

Work in partnership with community organisations and charities to invest through employee support, expertise, skills, cash, and gifts in kind and linking brands to causes.

Listen and engage in real dialogue with communities, and the public and voluntary sector on matters of mutual concern.

Work collaboratively with other businesses, measuring the benefits to business and the
community and communicating the impact.

Want to know more? We have a dedicated CSR Manager and her name is Viviane Negrao
To contact her you can either call 020 7585 0505 or email viviane.negrao@searcys.co.uk.