Business principles

Our business principles clarify the standards of conduct we expect within Group companies. They help to create and sustain an environment that will support the achievement of our business mission. They apply to everyone working in Home Retail Group and underpin everything we do.

We aim to maintain a working environment where our employees know they will be treated equally and with respect, feel free to speak out about any issue or concern without fear of the consequences and are not subject to unacceptable levels of stress.

These principles also apply to our dealings with and attitude towards our customers, shareholders, suppliers, communities and the environment. Their application will raise our profile as a trusted and valued company and provide safeguards preventing breaches of the law.

Our expectations of each other

Our employees and the people with whom we work should seek to:

  • Act with honesty, integrity, openness and within the law at all times
  • Keep our records and information complete, accurate, reliable and secure
  • Not offer or accept any inducement to give or gain preferential treatment
  • Avoid or declare any situation in which we have, or may be perceived to have, a personal financial interest or conflict
  • Report any action that undermines our principles or values
  • Take care of and protect our brand and assets.

Our obligations to our customers

We focus upon the needs of our customers and seek to:

  • Respond to customers’ needs as if they are our only customer
  • Demonstrate by our actions that we are totally customer focused
  • Be truthful and accurate in our communication with customers and helpful and honest in all our dealings with them
  • Compete vigorously but fairly in the market place
  • Handle complaints speedily, professionally and courteously.

Our commitment to shareholders

We will pursue our growth and earnings objectives whilst keeping our business principles to the forefront of our activities and demonstrating excellence in all we undertake.

Our promise to employees

We are an equal opportunities employer and seek to:

  • Treat our employees fairly and encourage respect and support for each other
  • Implement and maintain open and effective communication channels, encourage and excel through teamwork and consistently achieve our objectives
  • Provide development and training within a challenging, exciting and fun environment
  • Provide safe and healthy working conditions
  • Prohibit all forms of bullying, harassment and discrimination and provide procedures for dealing with such cases promptly and fairly.

Our partnership with suppliers

We will build relationships that are mutually supportive and emphasise fair competition. We seek to:

  • Use our purchasing power fairly
  • Administer tendering and contracting procedures in good faith
  • Ensure consultants and others employed by us uphold our principles.

Our attitude to communities and the local environment

Wherever we do business, we seek to:

  • Respect and support the local community in which we operate
  • Encourage our employees to contribute to the community and support their efforts
  • Have regard and respect for the environment
  • Not knowingly tolerate practices that are illegal or damaging to our reputation.

Addressing concerns at work

  • Issues that might be detrimental to our reputation are covered by our whistleblowing policy. We encourage employees to raise any suspicions they may have at an early stage
  • Our equal opportunities policy aims to provide opportunities to all employees regardless of personal status and prohibit all forms of discrimination
  • Personal concerns involving bullying, harassment, or victimisation can be raised through our bullying and harassment policy
  • We have a stress policy to ensure that the way work is organised, managed and implemented does not place employees at risk of excessive and sustained levels of stress.

All of these policies are designed to encourage employees to raise any concerns informally. Concerns that are not resolved successfully can be raised formally through the grievance procedure.

Where a concern is raised, all discussions will be treated in the strictest confidence and will not be disclosed to anyone other than the individuals conducting the investigation. Where it is necessary to share information with those who are part of the investigation, this will be clearly explained to the complainant.

Implementation and responsibilities

Our business principles are about acting decently, honestly, loyally and treating each other with respect. They are about protecting Home Retail Group and enhancing its name and reputation.

All employees are responsible for supporting and maintaining these principles.

All managers/supervisors have a responsibility to be alert to unacceptable behaviour within their areas of work and to deal with complaints or allegations which come to their attention promptly and in accordance with company procedure.

We also provide an employee guide to personal online activity to help employees understand how personal online activity outside work can affect the company.