Human Rights Policy 

Introduction

At Oxford Instruments, we are committed to preventing acts of modern slavery and human trafficking from occurring within our business and supply chain. We have a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of modern slavery, including servitude, forced, bonded and compulsory labour, and human trafficking, and we expect our suppliers to adopt the same approach. Our Human Rights Policy describes our commitment to create an inclusive working environment within which everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Our policy is guided by internationally recognised human rights and standards, including the International Labour Organisation’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Purpose

The purpose of our policy is to clearly set out the basic human rights standards that we expect people working for us or on our behalf to follow.

Our policy also outlines how our values guide our decision-making and shape our culture.

Our Oxford Instruments Company Values are:

Scope 

1.    Applicability
This policy applies to everyone working for us or on our behalf in any capacity, including the Board, employees at all levels, directors, officers, agency workers, seconded workers, volunteers, interns and our business partners, contractors, consultants, suppliers, distributors, agents and any other third-party representatives. Where we do not have direct control over the activities of those with whom we work, we encourage them to adopt the same or similar standards to those contained within our policy and we expect our suppliers to hold their own suppliers to the same or similar standards.

2.    Responsibility
Our policy is fully supported by the Oxford Instruments plc Board.
All members of the Oxford Instruments Management Board take overall responsibility for ensuring compliance with our legal and ethical obligations and will ensure that our policy is implemented throughout the business.
Those in positions of management at all levels are responsible for ensuring those reporting to them understand and comply with our policy. Each individual to whom our policy is applicable is expected to comply with its requirements and to act accordingly.

Global Policy

1.    The Working Environment
We are committed to maintaining a working environment that is free from any form of harassment, abuse, bullying or victimisation. We expect all employees to be treated with respect, dignity and thoughtfulness.

We value diversity and recognise individual skills, experience and talents. With regard to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, training and development, promotion, career management and exit, we do not discriminate on the basis of gender, ethnicity, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, cultural background, country of origin, marital or civil partner status, socio-economic background or thinking style.

We provide competitive remuneration referenced against relevant external data and all those working for Oxford Instruments receive wages and benefits that meet and generally exceed the legally required minimum.

We engage with employees through a range of communication methods. Direct feedback from employees is encouraged through employee surveys, employee impact groups, focus groups and forums, but we also respect the rights of employees to join a trade union in line with local laws and practices if they so wish. We respect and adhere to all relevant local employment laws.

In particular, we:

• recognise that our employees may wish to leave us to pursue their career and personal goals and we respect their right to do so. Any individual engaged by Oxford Instruments is free to terminate their engagement at any time with applicable notice;
• only employ people at or above the legal minimum age and seek to work directly with suppliers that also share this approach;
• do not engage in compulsory overtime;
• do not engage in worker paid recruitment fees; and
• do not hold original copies of workers’ original identification documents.
  

2.    Anti-slavery and Human Trafficking
We have a zero-tolerance approach to slavery, servitude, forced, bonded and compulsory labour and human trafficking, all forms of modern slavery. We make our employees aware of our approach and provide training on our anti-slavery requirements, where relevant.

Through our training, we help our employees to recognise the risks of modern slavery and human trafficking in our business and supply chains, which are based on the International Labour Organisations’ indicators of forced labour. In addition, as part of the training, our employees are guided to use our procedures for reporting a business malpractice to raise any concerns they might have, which includes access to an independent whistleblowing service.

We are committed to acting ethically and with integrity and transparency in all our business dealings and to putting in place effective systems and controls to endeavour to ensure that there is no modern slavery taking place anywhere in our own business or in any of our supply chains. If, despite these measures, we become aware of any suspected or alleged modern slavery has taken place in our own business or in any of our supply chains, we will promptly investigate and, if appropriate, notify and advise the Oxford Instruments plc Board and take any necessary actions without delay. This is consistent with our disclosure obligations under relevant local laws, such as the Modern Slavery Act 2015, UK.

3.    Health and Safety
Our duty of care to our people extends to our commitment to providing working conditions that are safe and secure. We continually strive to improve our health & safety (H&S) performance and environmental practices and welcome suggested improvements. Our H&S objectives are set, and reviewed, by the Oxford Instruments plc Board on a regular basis.

What to do if you have concerns

You are encouraged to raise concerns about any issue or suspicion of any violation of human rights in any parts of our business or supply chains of any supplier tier at the earliest possible stage. We encourage openness and will support you if you raise genuine concerns in good faith under our policy, even if they turn out to be mistaken. If you are unsure, raise your concern.

If you believe or suspect a breach of our policy has occurred or that it may occur, please notify by:

• If you are an employee, director, officer, agency worker, seconded worker, volunteer or intern, you should use our “Reporting a Business Malpractice Procedure”, which includes details of how to access Safecall, our independent and confidential reporting service
• If you are a business partner, contractor, consultant, supplier, agent, distributor or any other third-party representative, you should contact the Oxford Instruments Compliance team at compliance@oxinst.com.

Where appropriate, and with the welfare and safety of local workers as a priority, we will give support and guidance to our suppliers to help them address any of the issues described in our policy in their own business and supply chains.

We welcome your comments on our policy and encourage you to ask questions and suggest ways in which it might be improved. You can contact the Oxford Instruments Compliance team at compliance@oxinst.com.

Note: This policy does not form part of any employee's contract of employment and we may amend it at any time.

Related Global and Local Policies and Procedures

• Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
• Anti-Corruption and Bribery Policy
• Reporting a Business Malpractice Procedure (Whistleblowing)
• Health and Safety Policy
• Environmental Policy
• Code of Conduct for Suppliers
• Quality Assurance Supplier Statement
• Modern Slavery Statement