ESG – Environment, Social Values & Governance

CISTC’s ESG commitment is to operate within the highest level of corporate responsibility and governance. Our corporate responsibility includes our commitment to driving out acts of modern slavery and human trafficking within our business and our supply chain, including partners. Please see our Modern Slavery and Trafficking Policy.

Environment

Emissions reduction targets

Our target is to reduce emissions year on year by a turnover of 5%, with the aim to be net zero by 2050.

CISTC’s 6,000sq ft, zero-carbon training building was completed in 2017. Our head office complex in Crondall utilises PV for power and a wood-fired biomass boiler for hot water and heating. In 2018, the Group won a Green Apple Award’ for the ‘Built Environment & Architectural Heritage’ category of Construction Material Recycling.

Since our baseline in April 2022, within the Natta Group, we have moved to a new tracking system Quartix which has enabled us to measure the CO2 output of all our company vehicles. We are reviewing HVO Biodiesel, which if competitive and logistically possible we will move over to. Our employees have been offered the ‘Electric Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme’. To encourage and facilitate electric car use we are also increasing the number of EV chargers at our Head Office. We are intending to increase the amount of PV on our buildings and are also researching battery storage facilities to reduce our electric use. In-house, our old IT equipment is harvested for parts, recycled, and donated with old mobile phones to Weee Charity and we recycle 95% of our paper, 100% of ink cartridges and 80% of our files.

Social and Corporate Governance

Armed Forces Covenant

CISTC has signed the Armed Forces Covenant to pledge and demonstrate our support to the defence and the armed forces community. We recognise the value of serving personnel, both regular and reservists, veterans and military families contribute to our business and our country.

As well as upholding the key principles of the Covenant, we will further demonstrate our commitment by:

• Promoting the fact that we are an armed forces-friendly organisation.
• Developing our internal military network further to create a supportive culture within the business towards the Armed Forces Community and a platform from which we can advocate internally.
• Seeking to support the employment of veterans young and old.
• Working with the Career Transition Partnership in order to establish a tailored employment pathway for Service Leavers, including the Wounded, Injured and Sick.
• Providing discounted construction training courses through our business.
• Actively seeking ex-military personnel to provide placements by advocating the benefits of recruiting military talent and supporting the Armed Forces.
• Supporting participating organisations with free mentoring, advice and training through our Construction Training Group – Surrey Training Group.
• Attending CTP and OA careers events and hosting insight days specifically for Veterans and Service Leavers.
• Supporting the employment of Service spouses and partners by offering a degree of flexibility in granting leave for Service spouses and partners before, during and after a partner’s deployment.
• Endeavouring to find alternative employment within the business in another location if they need to relocate to accompany their partner.
• Seeking to support our employees who choose to be members of the Reserve forces.
• Offering support to our local cadet units, either in our local community or in local schools, where possible.
• Aiming to actively support military charities and actively participate in Armed Forces Day and Armistice Day.

Disability Confident

CISTC is a Disability Confident Member Level 1 which demonstrates our commitment to increasing our disability awareness and removing barriers that may prevent people within the organisation.

We believe in inclusion for all and aim to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to fulfil their roles.

The scheme helps us recruit from the widest pool of talent and employ skilled and loyal staff by providing relevant information. Doing so also helps those seeking employment feel confident when applying for a role within our company.

Mental Health Charter

The Natta Group has signed the Mental Health Charter and is also a ‘Supporter’ of the Lighthouse Club Charity. These initiatives mean that we can provide cohesive awareness and understanding of the importance of poor mental health to our workforce. We will promote positive mental health through resources and facilitated workshops and MHFA courses run within CISTC.

We have a Mental Health Hub for our staff. Here they can access helpful information and resources to help support their needs. We have also rolled out the Construction Industry Helpline App to our staff. So, if they need to talk to someone confidentially or need help quickly, the aid is there at their fingertips.