Corporate Social
Responsibility Policy
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) refers to the way in which businesses regulate themselves to ensure that all their activities positively afect society as a whole.
CSR policies aim to guarantee that companies work ethically, considering human rights as well as the social, economic and environmental impacts of what they do as a business.
Companies should meet, and aim to exceed, any relevant legislation; if legislation does not exist in a particular area, a business should ensure it follows best practice anyway.
At Matter, we are committed to conducting any business undertakings as ethically as possible by adhering to the following policy.
Who we are and what we do
● We care about the world we live in; we work with clients to construct projects in order to enhance buildings’ capacity to positively impact communities.
● We aim to exceed clients’ expectations and deliver our best throughout a project's lifecycle, from design to execution.
● We believe in a culture of care, from our team's physical and mental health to the wellbeing of the extended community of stakeholders affected by a project.
● In this way, we consistently deliver quality projects.
Caring for employees
We look after our employees to the best of our ability. We have implemented various policies, which are also listed in the employee handbook.
● We offer equal opportunities as per the Human Rights Act 2010 and in line with the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
● We have health and safety policies and procedures.
● We provide training and mentoring to support personal development, and carry out regular staff appraisals.
● We pay employees correctly and on time, and we exceed the national minimum wage.
● Our employees receive a 5% company pension, and they are entitled to paid training courses and paid study leave.
● The employee handbook explains protocols for all HR-related issues.
● We hold briefings two times a day to communicate with employees.
● We offer flexible working and remote (home) working to suit employees needs.
Caring for clients
We look after our clients to make sure they have a positive lasting impression of their experience with our company.
● We deliver within agreed timeframes and communicate with clients throughout the process. We also coordinate with all parties involved to ensure the project is delivered on time and within budget.
● We follow the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM), communicating, managing and minimizing risk to ensure the safety of all parties involved.
● Our quality control process monitors the design process and deliverables to ensure a high standard of service.
● We keep clients updated throughout the process by:
explaining what we will deliver via email and telephone
confirming when we will meet them for the site visit
communicating throughout each delivery stage
responding to all site queries within 48 hours.
Working with suppliers
It is essential to use high-quality suppliers and maintain a good working relationship with them.
● Our suppliers adhere to the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the Bribery Act 2010.
● We support local businesses: 90% of our suppliers are London-based.
● We are signatories to the Prompt Payment Code and pay our suppliers correctly and within 5 days of being invoiced.
● We encourage our suppliers to have a CSR policy in place; 50% of our suppliers work with local communities.
● We communicate clearly with suppliers.
Protecting the environment
We are committed to minimizing any environmental impact our business activities may have, from reducing waste to encouraging better choices.
● We source and use only second-hand computers and IT equipment.
● 80% of our waste is plastic free and recyclable.
● We perform 80% of our work digitally to reduce paper waste.
● Our electricity supplier sources 100% renewable energy.
● We monitor water usage to minimise waste.
● Our marketing materials are made from recyclable materials.
● We do not have company cars.
● We encourage sta to move about in a more eco-friendly way by:
o walking or cycling, or using a car share or public transport, to get to work if possible
o using greener fuels in their personal vehicles if possible
o travelling on public transport or using environmentally friendly taxis.
Engaging with the community
We actively look for opportunities to support local communities.
● We sponsor Prevent UK, which educates young people on issues such as substance abuse, crime and internet safety.
● We offer a discounted rate to community projects, nonproofs and other good causes; we aim for these to make up 10% to 20% of our work.
● Our employees spend at least 10% of their time working on the above projects.
● We support the surrounding community by employing local people whenever possible (or within the UK).
Measuring our activities
● We measure our involvement in community projects, nonproofs and other good causes as a percentage of turnover.
● We use timesheets to log and monitor employees’ time spent working on the above projects.
● We review all targets on a quarterly basis to identify where we can improve.
● We communicate activities on social media.