Fair and Trusted Business
Being a fair, trusted and well-respected Company is a top priority for all at Glasdon. Our Business was built with family values and loyalty at the heart of everything we do, and we reward a high level of personal commitment and passion. Ethics and integrity are key considerations in all aspects of the Business, with a focus on quality and value in terms of our products, customers, employees, distributors and all other personnel associated with Glasdon.
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Company Values & Policies
Company Values
Glasdon Group Limited has evolved from a single, one-man business founded in 1959 by the Group Chairman, Donald J Sidebottom MBE, FCIHT to the worldwide brand it is today.
Family values are central to our Business operations and we always reward those who are passionate and committed to their work within the Company. We communicate with employees faithfully and positively to build and share values of mutual confidence and responsibility. We aim to foster team spirit in all areas of our Business so that each and every employee knows they are a valued and contributing factor towards our Company’s development.
We continually strive to achieve our goal of being an employer that people want to work for. Our yearly Glasdon Employee Opinion Survey helps to identify areas of improvement as well as areas where we are doing well, so that we can maintain our standards of employment. Our latest survey results reported an average score for ‘Overall Employment Satisfaction’ of 77%, with less than 2% of respondents disagreeing with the statement “I am proud to work for Glasdon”.
We are also proud of the fact that many of our staff have been with the company for a long time. In fact, 54% have been with us for over 10 years and 32% more than 20 years!
A big part of our Company ethos is giving back to the community. We actively support charities, organisations and community groups through donations, grants and fundraising and have done ever since our company’s inception. We champion social responsibility and encourage our employees and business partners to do the same. To elevate our efforts, in 2021 we developed our Charitable Giving Committee into the newly formed DJ Sidebottom / Glasdon Charitable Programme, allowing us to further our contributions to both the local and global community.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Policies
We are a Company that believes strongly in fair opportunity for all. We do not discriminate on any grounds and are committed to the promotion of equal opportunities regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race (including skin colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or religious or philosophical beliefs, political views, sex or sexual orientation.
We are committed to creating a working environment free from bullying, harassment, victimisation, and unlawful discrimination, including all forms of abuse such as verbal, sexual, psychological, physical or racial. We endeavour to promote dignity and respect within our workplace, ensuring that individual differences and the contributions of employees are both recognised and valued.
Our workings are underpinned by our Company Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Policy, which is upheld by all personnel who work at Glasdon. Potential recruits are assessed according to their skills, experience and ability to do the job, and we continually provide training to employees who are responsible for recruiting, selecting and training personnel.
We also have a commitment to ensuring the talent and skills of all employees are maximised wherever possible. Equal consideration is given to existing employees for training and development purposes, whilst promotional prospects are governed solely by ability, achievement and development potential.
Human Rights
We respect the fundamental human rights of all our employees. We have a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery and continually audit and review our practices to ensure employees are paid at least the minimum wage and have the right to work.
We specifically prohibit the use of forced, compulsory or trafficked labour and anyone being held in slavery or servitude, whether adults or children. A commitment to ensuring transparency in our own Business is consistent with our disclosure obligations under the Modern Slavery Act 2015. We aim to uphold the same values when dealing with our distributors and suppliers, and we fully expect our suppliers to hold their own suppliers to the same standard.
We encourage openness and will support anyone who raises genuine concerns about any issue or suspicion of modern slavery or human rights violations in any parts of our Business or supply chains.
See information on our Supply Chain to find out more.
In addition to this, we strive to maintain high health and safety standards within all working environments within the Company, with employee safeguarding and welfare being a top priority.
Bribery & Corruption
Glasdon are committed to applying high standard of honesty and integrity consistently across our operations and in all of our Business dealings. We recognise that bribery and corruption can have an adverse effect on communities wherever they occur and can threaten laws, democratic processes, and basic human freedoms, as well as distort trade and competition.
We require all Glasdon personnel to comply with our Company Bribery & Corruption Policy, including all employees, agency workers and contractors, irrespective of their location, function, grade or standing.
Our policy strictly prohibits the offering or making of bribes or unauthorised / unorthodox payments, the acceptance of bribes or unauthorised / unorthodox payments, as well as the facilitation of payments and kickbacks used to expedite the performance of a routine or necessary legal entitlement. Glasdon personnel are required to refuse any bribes or unauthorised / unorthodox payments and to report any breaches of the policy, related principles or standards.
We are committed to the prevention of all illegal practices, with transparency and honesty being essential to our Business. We work closely with our customers, suppliers and employees to ensure that money laundering and other unlawful activities do not take place anywhere within our Company or business dealings. Glasdon employees are required to report any suspected breaches of this stipulation to our personnel team.
All employees, customers, suppliers and contractors who work with Glasdon are encouraged to report any suspected wrong doing or breach of Company policies to our management team, or if necessary to the relevant authorities, without fear of reprisal.
Employee Training & Benefits
The welfare of our employees is of the upmost importance to our Company. We have strict safeguarding and ethical policies in place and follow stringent health and safety guidelines in order to ensure our employees are protected wherever possible. Frequent training is provided to employees in order to ensure compliance with regulations and criteria, as well as acceptance of our work-based policies.
We also offer an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a confidential employee benefit designed to help staff deal with any difficulties or worries they may be facing, be it professional or personal. Our EAP service is available 24/7, offering compassionate guidance, expert advice and a complete support network for employees.
At Glasdon, we value each individual and aim to continually help our employees to develop in terms of their job roles and product / Company knowledge, as well as personal development and growth. We use a variety of resources including online training videos, meetings, demonstrations, and presentations to ensure that our employees receive the best guidance available through a variety of mediums.
We also offer a variety of additional staff benefits to our employees, including private health care, gym memberships, a cycle2work scheme and discounted rates on products and services from selected companies.
Supply Chain
Choosing Our Suppliers – Ethical Considerations
We emphasise the importance of working with suppliers that value their employees and avoid exploitation of individuals, communities and organisations. Workplace policies regarding diversity, inclusion, fair opportunity and prevention of sexual harassment are key considerations when partnering with a supplier.
Effective systems and controls help us to ensure that discrimination, human rights violations and modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in any of our supply chains. These include:
- Stringent vetting and investigation of all of our suppliers and their policies
- Full supplier audits including checking employees are paid at least the minimum wage and have the right to work
- A high level of communication with suppliers to ensure their understanding of and compliance with our expectations
Choosing Our Suppliers – Environmental Considerations
Environmental sustainability is not only a priority when looking at the internal workings within our Company but is also a focus when liaising and partnering with our customers, distributors and suppliers too.
We look for suppliers who are committed to minimising their carbon footprint and conserving natural resources where possible. We consider everything from the materials used and their renewable, recycled or recyclable properties, to the manufacturing processes undertaken along with any waste (hazardous or non-hazardous) produced as a result. In addition to this, we aim to source assets from local suppliers wherever possible as part of our commitment to achieving Net Zero.
Find out more about how environmental considerations affect our product manufacture and supply chain.
We also aim to engage with our business partners on their commitment to social responsibility and seek to learn from each other on how to better our own approaches.
Supplier Relations
We are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all of our business dealings and relationships. We select our business partners on the basis of fair and comprehensive consideration and maintain free and fair business practices with them.
We respect our business partners and endeavour to build win-win relationships based on mutual confidence. We regularly review our own practices and transactions with suppliers to ensure that we are upholding our own policies and observing fair treatment.
As part of our commitment to this, in January 2022 we signed up to the Prompt Payment Code (PPC), administered by the Office of the Small Business Commissioner on behalf of the Government Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. This voluntary code of practice sets the standard for best payment practices within the UK and signifies our commitment and continuing adherence to fair payment terms for all of our suppliers and service providers.
The principles of the PPC include a commitment to:
- Pay suppliers on time and within the agreed terms
- Provide clear guidance to suppliers on terms, dispute resolution and prompt notification of late payment
- Support good practice throughout our supply chain by encouraging adoption of the Code
Find out more about the Prompt Payment Code and its requirements here.
Safety & Quality
Health & Safety
We strongly recognise the important of health and safety in the workplace and value the welfare of our employees, contractors, visitors and the general public as being of the upmost importance. We follow an extensive Health and Safety Policy which helps to ensure all members of the Company understand the role they each have to play in achieving the highest practicable standard of health and safety at work.
As part of our commitment to maintaining these high standards, we provide frequent training and instruction to enable employees to work efficiently and safely within their working environments. Our Health and Safety Committee aims to ensure communication and consultation of health and safety matters is frequent and in depth between management and employees, with an understanding of known hazards and reasons for preventative and protective measures.
We also produced extra site safety guidance at the start and all throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure our employees were informed of the most up to date information and procedures. This information includes various documentation such as posters and policies as well as site inductions, to help us maintain a COVID-19 Secure Workplace.
Glasdon Employee Opinion Survey 2021:
‘The Company has a high regard for my health & safety at work’, less than 2% disagreed.
In addition to this, Glasdon is accredited under a number of Health and Safety regulations including ISO 45001:2018, the Occupational Health & Safety Standard aimed at improving employee safety, reducing workplace risks and creating safer working conditions for all. View our full list of credentials.
Safety Products
In addition to practicing safe working internally within the Company, we also encourage health and safety practices for our customers, suppliers and the general public.
We produce a wide range of safety equipment for use by private businesses, local authorities, education facilities, healthcare settings and any organisations looking to enhance safety on-site. Our range primarily focuses on external safety, including; road safety equipment such as verge markers, road delineators, chevron boards and anti-ram bollards; winter safety equipment and de-icing tools such as salt spreaders, snow shovels and fast-acting rock salt alternatives; and water safety equipment including lifebuoys and throwing rescue buoys.
This industry leading range of safety products aims to improve safety whilst offering the highest quality and value for money.
Focus on Quality
Since 1959, our mission has been to design, manufacture and supply innovative market leading products that enable our customers to contribute towards a cleaner, safer and more sustainable environment. We aim to offer exceptional quality products that offer long term value. We will never sacrifice quality for price.
Our in-house design team has gained vast knowledge in all aspects of product design and material selection. The department utilises the very latest computer aided design technology, with 3-D modelling.
All of our products are robustly constructed to perform to optimal standards and feature properties such as vandal resistance, weather resistance, durability, strength and low maintenance. A variety of materials allow us to achieve this alongside rigorous testing and quality control. This product testing also helps to ensure that Glasdon products meet our customers’ exacting standards in terms of aesthetics, function and service life. Find out more about our products and materials.
Customer Care
Not only do we place value on the quality of our products, but on the quality of our customer service and business management as well.
We pride ourselves on being a customer-focused business, with an emphasis on excellent service and social responsibility both internally within the Company and externally in the wider community. Maintaining a high level of professionalism is paramount to all at Glasdon and we continually strive to ensure all of our customers, distributors, suppliers and manufacturers receive the high-quality standards they have come to know and expect from Glasdon. Find out more about our company values.
We are dedicated to achieving excellent customer service. Our fully trained teams of sales representatives and technical staff are available to our customers for product demonstrations, enquiries and after sales service. We also offer an online chat feature enabling customers to communicate with our customer service team quickly and efficiently to answer any queries or comments they may have. For all of our standard products, as far as possible, we aim to offer ex-stock delivery and the quickest possible lead time for bespoke orders.
Our commitment to ensuring high-quality in all aspects of our Company has allowed us to achieve the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Standard, a benchmark concentrating on leadership and improvement, customer focus, relationship management and engagement of people.
Despite our best efforts, events may occur that will have an impact on our business operations. A focus on quality and business continuity requires us to consider the risk of such events and to implement plans to minimise disruption to Glasdon International Limited, our customers, and our business partners.
Privacy & GDPR
We are committed to protecting the privacy of our customers, distributors, suppliers, business partners, and all personnel associated with Glasdon. We are fully compliant with all data control regulations in the UK including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act of 2018.
Website users can be assured that their privacy is being respected and that we take the security of customer data very seriously. We have a number of policies on our website that depict how we treat and store data within the current regulations. View our:
We provide frequent training to all Glasdon personnel in order to ensure compliance is upheld company wide. This ensures that all employees understand the basics of data protection law and instils in them the nature and importance of personal data and how to adhere to this within their roles in the Company.
