Arco awarded for ethical trading

An Arco product story

Edited by the Buildingtalk editorial team Jun 30, 2009

Arco, the UK's leading supplier of workwear and workplace safety products, has been awarded a Big Tick by Business in the Community for its supply chain excellence.

The award recognises companies who have shown innovation, creativity and sustained commitment to corporate responsibility.

Arco has been working for many years on its determination to procure goods and services in an ethical way and has developed its own policies and auditing regime to ensure this.

Its supply chain and ethical programmes help to create significant benefits for its suppliers and support its working relationships both locally and internationally.

Arco's wider CSR objectives have enabled it to become involved in the local communities around its China operation.

Arco is committed to its corporate social responsibility policy.

The introduction of its centralised supply chain has enabled the company to reduce the environmental impact it has on society.

Arco is also a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) and the Business in the Community (BITC) Percent Club, donating 1per cent of pre tax profits to charities.

Joan Irving, Supply Chain Director at Arco said: "It is a great honour to receive this recognition from BITC.

Over the last few years we have worked hard to ensure our products are ethically sourced as well as ensuring a safe working environment for all employees".

"Winning the Award is an acknowledgement of the hard work and determination that the Supply Chain team has demonstrated over the last few years".

"It is recognition of Arco's success in embedding an ethical trading policy into an already established supply chain system".

Stephen Howard, Chief Executive of Business in the Community said: "In the current economic climate it is fantastic to see so many strong examples of businesses that recognise the benefits, both social, environmental and to their bottom line, of being a responsible business".

"The Big Tick is now recognised as both a valuable and difficult award to achieve".

"It means a company has demonstrated ways in which they positively make a difference to the environment, their workplace, the community or in the marketplace in which they sell, advertise or trade".