Ethical policy

The Phone Co-op will regularly review its business practices and respond to the views of members, customers and employees. It has an Ethical Policy Committee, whose role is to appraise these views and other relevant issues, and, if necessary, to amend this policy and keep it up to date.

What follows here is a brief summary of some of the areas it covers.

Download a full version of our Ethical Policy.

Aims

We aim to conduct all business dealings in a fair and just way, promoting the wellbeing of people and communities and minimising negative impacts on the environment.

Principles

Co-operative Values

Our values are based on the co-operative values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity.

Democracy

The Phone Co-op is entirely owned and controlled by its members, who are customers. Members are encouraged to vote in the election of the Board of Directors and to contribute actively to General Meetings. They can become directly involved in the running of The Phone Co-op by standing for election to the Board.

Transparency

We aim to adopt a policy of clear pricing and to avoid hidden charges. We are a member of the Office of the Telecommunications Ombudsman (www.otelo.org.uk), a free and independent service set up to fairly investigate customer complaints.

Responsibility

Responsible practice

We do not sign up customers without their clear consent and we strive to offer the best possible service to customers in an open and accountable way. We also seek to treat staff fairly and we encourage employee participation and trade union membership.

Fundraising

We work with a variety of organisations, such as charities and ethical campaigning bodies, to help them to raise funds.

Co-operative & Social Economy Development Fund

We contribute some of our profits to our Co-operative & Social Economy Development Fund, which supports the development of other social economy organisations with similar values.

Environment

We are committed to following environmental best practice in all our activities. These are some of the measures we take:

• offsetting all the carbon dioxide that we and our telecoms suppliers generate
• purchasing electricity from renewable sources
• using recycled paper and stationery
• reducing paper usage
• promoting the use of public transport by staff and visitors, and offering bicycles for employees
• recycling waste products such as paper, toner cartridges, cardboard, etc.
• improving energy efficiency in our offices.

Purchasing

We prioritise suppliers whose material, ethical and environmental practices are in harmony with our own ethical and co-operative values. For example, we actively seek to buy from co-operatives and social enterprises, local sources, and suppliers with well established ethical and environmental practices. We also purchase Fair Trade and recycled products, wherever possible and practical.

Internet

We believe in free speech, that is to say, in the right of individuals and organisations to express their views and to publish information as they wish, providing that the publication of such views or information is not unlawful, and providing that it does not infringe upon the legitimate rights of others. We reserve the right to refuse services that abuse freedom of speech or promote intolerance.