Firmin House

Environmental and Social Commitment

Firmin House is the Group Headquarters for the Kashket Group of Companies comprising:

  • Firmin & Sons Ltd
  • Kashket & Partners Limited
  • Kashket Tactical Group (KTG)
  • EC Snaith and Sons Limited

Kashket Group of Companies operate manufacturing plants, warehousing and tailoring / retail stores across the UK. The group products are primarily manufactured in UK wherever possible with component parts and raw materials sourced from a broad range of national and international suppliers. Many of those international supplier relationships are sourced and managed by our dedicated team based in Firmin House, Birmingham and London. We seek to build lasting relationships with our suppliers. We are committed to respecting the rights of workers throughout our product and services supply chains and collaborating to raise labour standards, to improve working conditions and to create fairly rewarded employment.

Along with ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 26001, internationally recognised accreditation, we have a Policy / Code of Conduct on Ethical Trading, which sets out our policy on legislation, child labour, conditions of employment, wages and benefits, health and safety and the environment. Our comprehensive Corporate Governance Handbook and Code of Conduct we as a group are committed to the welfare, health and safety of all our employees and suppliers and to delivering socially and environmentally responsible products to our customers.

We always conduct our business with integrity and respect for human rights.  We will continue to ensure safe and fair working conditions throughout our supply chain including our commitment to ethical sourcing.  We will ensure that we comply with relevant and local current legislation and industry standards to ensure that labour standards and human rights at the workplace are met.

It is the group aim to continuously review and improve our environmental performance and to prevent and minimise any environmental impact.

Firmin House and the entire group operation, all perform in line with our comprehensive, Corporate Governance Handbook and detailed Policies and Procedures covering the entire Corporate Social Responsibility spectrum. Below is a summary of some of the principles and extracts from the policies we as a group of companies adhere to. 

Ethical Compliance

We are holders of ISO 14001 – 2015 accreditation.

ISO 14001:2015 sets out the criteria for our environmental management system. It is externally certified to international standards. It maps out a framework that a company or organization can follow to set up an effective environmental management system. It can be used by any organization regardless of its activity or sector.

Using ISO 14001:2015 provide assurance to company management and employees as well as external stakeholders that environmental impact is being measured and improved.

Firmin House is passionate about sustainable business practice and protecting the environment. The four R’s (Remove, Reduce, Re-Use, and Recycle) are at the heart of the business’ approach to sustainable working.

We appreciate the nature of the business makes sustainable practice challenging. Firmin House ensures resources are consumed cautiously, minimising waste material and fabrics via new technologies and careful planning. The company works with a diverse range of materials – ensuring these are used economically and recycled where possible is a crucial part of our environmental work.

Within our policy document we expand on how Firmin House recycles the majority of materials including: base metals, Aluminium, steel, paper/cardboard (packaging), fabric, paints and inks.

Firmin House is passionate about continuing to develop and improve business processes to ensure we are as eco-friendly as possible. Investment in new machinery and tools continues to ensure the business remains as environmentally neutral as possible.

Equality and Diversity

The workplace of today is ever-changing and includes employees from all walks of life, and everyone has the right to the same opportunities, no matter who they are, what they look like or where they come from. The Kashket Group is committed to valuing and promoting Equality & Diversity in all areas of recruitment, employment, training and promotion. The Group work towards an environment that is based on meritocracy and inclusiveness, where all employees can develop their full potential, irrespective of their race, gender, marital status, age, disability, religious belief, political opinion, or sexual orientation.

Ethical Trading Initiative ‘Base Code’

This policy applies to all employees of The Kashket Group have adopted The ETI code of labour practice – the ETI Base Code. In doing so we, as a group reflect the international standards most relevant to labour practices.

The Kashket Group through policies and procedures contained within our Corporate Governance Handbook are committed to Sustainable Global Sourcing Principles and follow the Ethical Trading Initiative ‘Base Code’ and fully support the ETI’s philosophy of learning.

The Ethical Trading Initiative Base Code is summarised as follows:

  1. Employment is freely chosen
  2. Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are respected
  3. Working conditions are safe and hygienic
  4. Child labour shall not be used
  5. Living wages are paid
  6. Working hours are not excessive
  7. No discrimination is practised
  8. Regular employment is provided
  9. No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed

More detail can be found at www.ethicaltrade.org

We undertake all reasonable and practical steps, including factory, warehouse and tied accommodation inspections and audits, to ensure that our standards are being implemented throughout the businesses of our suppliers and that local legislation and regulations are complied with. We will assess any instances of non-compliance on a case-by-case basis and will then tailor remedial action appropriately. We will only trade with those who fully comply with this policy or those who are taking verifiable steps towards compliance.

Security and Confidentiality

The Kashket Group of companies are responsible members of the business community. We acknowledge that we have responsibility to seek to ensure the security of individuals working on our premises or who are or might be affected by our operations, the security of real or personal property whether belonging to the company or to any other legal person and the security of information including personal data. In addition to policy and related procedures documented within the company’s Integrated Management Systems, which has ISO 9001:2015 (quality) and ISO 14001:2015 (environmental) and ISO26001 (social responsibility) we also operate to ISO 27001 Information Security Management standards and are accredited holders of the U.K. Government ‘Cyber Essentials’ standard.

Accreditations and Memberships

Companies within the Kashket Group hold several internationally recognised accreditations that are externally audited and verified. We also are members of global organisations and governing bodies dedicated to driving ethical and sustainable improvements in global supply chains. These include (but are not limited to):

  • ISO 9001:2015 – quality management systems (QMS)
  • ISO 14001:2015 – international standard for environmental management systems (EMS)
  • Cyber Essentials – Data & Information security management
  • SafeContractor – Demonstrating Health & Safety Compliance
  • SEDEX – Working together to better manage their social and environmental performance, and protect people working in the supply chain.