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Corporate Social Responsibility

Overview


The Board of ITE believes that corporate and social responsibility is an important part of the Group’s culture and that the adoption of good practice will have a positive impact on profits and increase the long-term value for shareholders. Due consideration is given to risks arising from social, environmental and ethical issues as part of an ongoing risk review process.

Social interaction

The Board of the Company is aware of both the benefits to its business of engaging with its various constituencies in a sociallyresponsible manner and the risks of failing to do so. As an operator of internationallyfocused businesses in emerging markets, the Company ensures that it is culturally sensitive in its dealings with the local community and that its employment and development policies are non-discriminatory and encourage the employment of local nationals at all levels in the Company. The Company actively supports its employees in their support of local community projects. In the past year the Group has made charitable donations to ‘SOS children’s villages Kazakhstan’, ‘Astana children’s home’, ‘Aknied (a Kazakhstan local charity), Football Club ‘Pakhtakor’, Youth Sport Development Foundation (Uzbekistan) and the Uzbekistan Society for Handicapped People. In 2009 the Group has made charitable donations of over £18,000, and is looking to increase the number of its offices which take part in charitable activities.

Employees

Employees are selected and promoted on the basis of merit and ability, regardless of age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or disability. The Group has a policy of encouraging employees, especially those from the locations in emerging markets, to move around the offices of the Group, thus providing development opportunities for all staff. In addition, employees are assisted in their career development through an annual appraisal scheme and sponsored training is provided where there is a benefit to both the individual and the Company. All staff are eligible for issues of share options or Governance Corporate social responsibility awards under the Employee’s Performance Share Plan as the Board feels that it is important for them to take an active part in the success of the Company and to share in the long-term value they help to create. The Board recognises the need to provide a safe working environment for employees and exhibitors and visitors at the Group’s events. Each office is responsible for ensuring that their business operates in compliance with Group policies and the relevant local health and safety legislation. During the year, all employees in the London office have had a ‘refresher’ health and safety training session. Staff from all regions with lead responsibility for the operation of the Group’s exhibitions on-site also attended an updated training course.

Ethics

Integrity is core to the Group’s values which it actively promotes in its dealings with employees, shareholders, customers and suppliers and with the authorities of the countries in which it operates, and recognises that reputation is a valuable and fragile asset gained over a substantial period. The leadership position of the Group’s exhibitions and the long-term growth of its core shows is a testament to the success of its practices. The Group promotes high ethical standards in carrying out its business activities (click here for ITE's Ethical Business Practices Policy) and has clear guidelines for dealing with gifts, hospitality, corruption, fraud and the use of inside information (click here for ITE's Anti-Corruption Policy). All ITE staff are required to comply with the laws and regulations of the country in which they operate. The Group is a member of UFI (the worldwide exhibition organisers association) and through this, the attendance figures at our key exhibitions are audited by independent services. This helps to provide assurance to our exhibitors and visitors as to the standard of our exhibitions. The Group aims to provide a highquality of service at all its events in all locations. The Group operates to a strict minimum quality level to ensure events are provided to exhibitors and visitors at international standards, irrespective of where they are held.

The Group ensures that all advertising and public communications avoid untruths or overstatements. ITE builds a relationship with suppliers based on mutual trust and undertakes to pay suppliers on time and in accordance with agreed terms of business. All information regarding the relationship between the Group anda supplier must remain confidential.

Environment

As a media services company, the Group acknowledges that its business has an impact on the environment, albeit relatively minor, and ITE recognises the importance of following good environmental practice. The Company is aware that this is an area of increasing concern to employees, shareholders and customers alike. The Company does not manufacture or sell any tangible products and has identified the principal areas of environmental impact as energy use, waste recycling, paper & printing and travel. The Group has set the following Key Performance Indicator’s for managing its environmental impact: 1) Reduce its carbon footprint by office environments by 2011; and 2) Introduce a carbon offset programme on business travel during 2010. The Company has engaged the services of ‘Carbon Smart’ to assist them in measuring their carbon footprint and how it can be reduced. The Group will be aiming to achieve Carbon Smart’s Blue standard in 2010. By identifying environmental improvements, we expect to see increased efficiencies and with that, reduced costs and the management of environmental issues is part of our business strategy to create longterm value for shareholders. The Group already undertakes a number of initiatives aimed at reducing its carbon footprint:

  • The Group encourages the recycling of waste paper and office waste and plans to increase the recycling rates and materials recycled throughout the Group. The Group has recently introduced a ‘paid-for’ waste recycling initiative in our London office.
  • The Group has installed videoconferencing facilities at its London, Huddersfield, Moscow, St Petersburg, Kyiv, Istanbul and Hamburg offices to reduce staff travel requirements.
  • Computers and IT equipment are recycled where possible and redundant equipment is either sold to staff or given to charitable organisations.
  • The Group has been reducing its printed materials over the last few years, with a greater reliance on electronic media for its marketing materials. However, catalogues and delegate packs are still printed and the Group is implementing a set of operating standards to be followed by suppliers aimed at controlling paper sourcing and use of materials.
  • The Group encourages staff to use public transport through offering season ticket loans for London staff.
  • The Group is taking advantage of recent e-communications legislation for communicating with shareholders and so will be able to reduce the volume of printed materials produced with the publication of our Annual Report and Interim Statement.

The Group’s activities in staging exhibitions and conferences do impact on the environment, through waste and natural resources usage from materials used in assembling exhibition stands and travel to exhibitions and conferences for exhibitors, delegates and ITE staff. Presently, practice in controlling waste at different exhibition centres varies widely through the different regions in which the Group operates. The Group follows current best practice in each of its markets by observing industry and country legislation.