Corporate Social Responsibility
Innovative Testing Solutions. Quality. Innovation. Trust.
Raising The Standards – Not Just Meeting Them!
What is corporate social responsibility?
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a broad business concept. It usually describes a company’s commitment to carry out their business in an ethical way. This means managing their business processes while taking account of their social, economic and environmental impact, and considering human rights.
Examples of corporate social responsibility
Corporate responsibility can cut across almost everything a business does. It can involve a range of CSR activities, such as:
- environmental management, eg waste reduction and sustainability
- responsible sourcing, eg using only fair trade ingredients
- improvement of working standards and conditions
- contributing to educational and social programmes
- employee volunteering
- socially responsible investment
- development of employee and community relations
CSR and our stakeholders
ITS understands both the importance and value of CSR to our stakeholders – those individuals or groups that have an interest in our business and are influenced by our actions. Our CSR strategies help us make a positive impact on different groups of stakeholders, including:
- Our Customers – e.g. through fair and open business practices and good customer relations
- Our Partners / Suppliers – e.g. by choosing our partners / suppliers carefully, looking at their labour, health, safety, and environmental practices
- Our Communities – e.g. through sponsoring or donating to charities, taking part in charity initiatives, volunteering, etc
- Our Employees – e.g. promoting responsible business practices and encouraging a “CSR mindset” and the benefits it brings
- Our local and global environment – e.g. through different CSR initiatives, such as waste and resource management both as a business and as employees.
Get in touch
Why is CSR important to ITS
CSR helps us to improve our business performance, increase competitive advantage and build trust with our partners/suppliers, customers and employees. It also helps us to achieve operational cost savings, by avoiding costs of wasted energy or unnecessary fees.
Perhaps most importantly, CSR is quite simply “the right thing to do” and gives our company and our brand a positive image of a reputable and ethical business. Something that ITS are very proud to be.
Our commitment
Innovative Testing Solutions will always conduct our business with integrity and respect to human rights. We will continue to grow and maintain an inclusive culture that encourages, supports, and celebrates diversity.
Through our commitment to ethical procurement, we endeavour to ensure safe and fair working conditions for those throughout our supply chain. We will comply with relevant current legislation and industry benchmarks to ensure that quality standards, labour standards and human rights in the workplace are met.
We have long term relationships with supply partners worldwide who share our values and ethics.
Our accreditations
As an ISO 9001: 2015 accredited company ITS both understand and demonstrate our commitment to Quality, our Partners, our Suppliers and our Customers.
As an ISO 14001: 2015 accredited company ITS are also demonstrating and committing to managing our company’s and employees’ overall responsibility to reducing our impact on the environment.
ITS is RISQS accredited, enabling us to provide drug and alcohol testing products to the rail industry within the UK (including our specific Network Rail Drug Panel Urine POCT Cup).
ITS has been awarded verification from Alcumus SafeSupplier for demonstrating their ethical, environmental and financial credentials to help clients assess compliance within their supply chain.
ITS has gained CPD Provider status, demonstrating to our customers that we’re fully equipped to deliver high quality learning that you can trust. ITS also have CPD Accredited Trainers, giving our customers confidence that the person delivering the training has the correct and relevant qualifications/knowledge within the Drug and Alcohol testing industry.
ITS provide additional products and services from a number of preferred accredited partners. Partner accreditations include (amongst others) ISO 17025, ISO 15189 and ISO 13485. By working in partnership with our ISO accredited partners ITS are demonstrating, as far and as reasonably practicable, that we value quality via a supply chain that is committed to maintaining international quality standards and procedures – including those around CSR.
Re-using & re-cycling packaging
Packaging is a necessary part of everyday life and economy, from the packaging of online orders to the boxes that we use before moving home. Packaging protects products. It preserves them and prevents damage during transit. However, packing still often ends up as waste in places it shouldn’t.
Protecting the environment is of the utmost importance and one of the easiest ways that people and businesses alike can play their part is in the mindful disposal of waste and unwanted packaging. Recycling and reusing materials like plastic, cardboard, and bubble wrap are easy ways that we can all play our part.
We are doing our bit and making it easier for you to do yours by providing our products in boxes and other packaging that has been recycled. We hope that you may also re-use that box or those packaging materials again, or the very least ensure its “end of life” is via appropriate recycling services.
It’s a common misconception that you need to use a brand-new cardboard box or parcels when shipping items. If the package is in a decent, durable condition, it’s completely fine to reuse all sorts of packaging. It’s also acceptable even if the box has existing logos and brandings, as long as you cover any barcodes or previous address information that can confuse the delivery team!
So don’t be surprised when your quality test kits arrive in recycled packaging!
A more sustainable approach
The nature of sample collection and diagnostics using rapid drug testing kits can make the sustainable disposal of these kits difficult. Their main composition as plastic means there is considerable progress to be made in increasing the sustainability of all types of point of care testing kits.
We’re working with manufacturers to develop a more sustainable approach to workplace drug and alcohol testing, looking at the use of recycled and other more environmentally friendly materials. It is a long process, but we continue to work towards and look forward to the day we will be able to share a more sustainable approach to testing with our customers.
Charities we support & work with
As a company (and as individuals), we aspire to make positive contributions to the communities we are in and to others. We regularly donate to a number of organisations to help them continue to provide vital care and support to communities and those in need.
CADAS (Cumbria Addictions Advice & Solutions)
Working with individuals, family members, employers, and carers to promote the possibility of recover and change, CADAS are actively working to reduce the stigma around battling addiction, raising awareness, and providing support and coaching to those who need it.
Addiction doesn’t discriminate and can impact anyone regardless of background or walk of life. CADAS offers two strands of support, with policy and procedural guidance for businesses and training and coaching opportunities for staff to help with the identification and management of substance misuse and support moving forward from substance misuse.
If you or someone you know is struggling with dependency, CADAS provide support for individuals as well as a comprehensive range of resources to refer to. They pride themselves on their independence, their commitment to people and communities, their inclusive approach, and their accessibility.
Want to also help us support people to help themselves? Donate here : https://cadas.co.uk/support-cadas/
Alice Charity
Based in Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Alice Charity provides a range of support to vulnerable and disadvantaged families, offering a range of services to distribute pre-loved goods to families in need as well as childcare support groups and more.
As austerity hit the most vulnerable of families, Alice has strived to empower local people and give people the support needed to keep going even when the going gets tough. In 2021, Alice Charity was able to help and support upwards of 3,500 people across Newcastle and Stoke.
You can find out more about this fantastic charity on their webite https://alicecharity.org/.
Want to help Alice continue to provide their life changing support? Donate here: https://alicecharity.org/donatenow/
tide (Together in Dementia Everyday)
tide – together in dementia everyday – is a UK-wide network of dementia professionals carers and ex-carers providing support and spreading awareness of the impacts of dementia on those living with it and their loved ones. Using their collective knowledge and experience, the individuals behind tide are working to improve health and social care, research, and policy development across the UK.
tide are connecting carers and giving them a platform to have their voice heard and contribute to real change building a better future for everyone affected by dementia.
You can find out more about this fantastic charity on their website https://www.tide.uk.net/.
Will you help tide continue vital work for carers of people with dementia? Donate here: https://tide.enthuse.com/profile
The Staffordshire Owl Experience and Rescue Centre
The Owl Experience and Bird of Prey Rescue Centre work to rescue and rehabilitate sick and injured birds, facilitating their healthy return to the wild. Providing sanctuary for unwanted pets and birds that have been subjected to neglect or cruelty, the Staffordshire Owl Experience and Rescue Centre provides a caring and efficient sanctuary service that works towards the timely and sensitive care and release of owls and other birds of prey.
The rescue centre relies totally on donations, admission fees and monies raised from events with funds raised here going directly to vet’s bills, feed, maintenance, and general running costs.
In 2021 the Staffordshire Owl Experience and Rescue Centre managed to release 21 Barn Owls, 16 tawny Owls, and 7 Kestrels back into the wild. These birds face increasing pressure from the destruction of natural habitats, and the use of pesticides and chemicals.
Want to also help? Donate here https://theowlexperience.net/donate/