Our corporate responsibility mission lies at the very heart of everything we do. Every activity we undertake and every relationship we hold is underpinned by our drive to achieve business growth while creating a better future for our people, our communities, our environment and our business.
Acting responsibly is part of who we are – and it’s critical to our long-term success.
Our corporate responsibility policy isn’t just dusted off for special occasions. Every new member of our team is introduced to it through our Ethics Programme as soon as they join us, so that they can live the four key principles of our policy each day at work.
Discover more about how we put sustainability and responsibility at the heart of all we do by viewing our Sustainable Procurement Guide:
We’ve been on an exciting journey to becoming a truly responsible corporate organisation.
Here are some of our milestones:
The United National Global Compact
In 2003, we signed the United National Global Compact: a voluntary initiative that encourages businesses across the world to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies in support of UN goals. In doing so, we made a direct commitment to the UN secretary general to align our operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the area of human rights, environment and anti-corruption.
The Thales Graduate Development Programme (GDP)
We invest in Thales in the UK’s future talent. The Thales Graduate Development Programme (GDP), which builds the next generation of senior engineers and business leaders, helps us recruit the brightest graduates and attract the most ambitious apprentices. Setting up the programme granted us access to the 5% Club: a campaign that aims to build Britain’s long term prosperity by bringing together companies with 5% of their overall UK headcount on a formal apprentice or graduate programme.
Thales and Asthma+Lung UK
Thales in the UK has joined forces with Asthma + Lung UK as its employee selected Charity of The Year with a partnership worth £200,000 over two years. Our network of charity champions will help co-ordinate fundraising across our local sites in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales and will encourage employees to engage in ongoing events such as raffles, sporting activities, and quizzes. Of that raised, 60% of funds will be restricted to Asthma + Lung UK research projects and 40% will be used for other Asthma + Lung UK charity projects. Read more here.
Supporting veterans in the workplace
Veterans can be a great asset to a workforce. Their valuable skills gained from military service allow veterans to bring a unique perspective to organisations. It is increasingly likely, however, that at some point during their military service, they will have operated under extreme stress. It is important, therefore, to ensure that they are supported in a smooth transition into the civilian workplace. They should be equipped with the appropriate advice and tools, in a working environment that supports their mental health.
A poll of 500 of the UK’s top business people carried out in 2015 showed that more than half of those surveyed (54%) were reluctant to hire veterans because of fears they may suffer from mental health issues, yet three-quarters (75%) say they would hire more veterans if they had expert advice on how to understand and support them in the workplace.
In partnership with leading veterans’ charity Combat Stress, we are working to raise awareness of the benefits that veterans can bring to the workplace and the ways in which companies can support their mental health. As part of this, we founded 4 years ago, with Combat Stress, the annual Military Mind Symposium, which is an event designed to specifically explore the ways in which companies can provide better mental health support for veterans. We continue to sponsor this event year on year.
Over the last 100 years, Thales has enjoyed a heritage of working with the Royal Air Force and, as part of this, we have also supported the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. As of 2019, Thales is supporting a campaign by the Royal Air Force to support veterans that may have fallen off the radar. The aim is to provide help such as easing financial distress or support with emotional wellbeing and you can learn more here.
Hear from some of our veterans in the video below.
Thales in the UK places sustainable procurement and corporate responsibility at the heart of its operations. This guide is to assist suppliers in applying sustainability principles and understanding the impacts, risks and opportunities within the supply chain process.
You can download a copy of the guide here.
Armed Forces Corporate Covenant
At Thales in the UK, we are proud to employ and support the Armed Forces and have done so for many years. In September 2014, Thales in the UK was one of the first companies to sign the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant, formalising our commitment to honour the Armed Forces and support the Armed Forces Community.
Thales in the UK is proud to have been awarded Silver status in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.
You can download a copy of the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant here.