Our values
During its long history, Macmillan has been concerned to build a reputation for decency and integrity and to preserve a strong ethical code.  Currently, we are working towards achieving the additional environmental standards set out in the UN Global Compact 2006 and are committed to continue aligning our operations and strategies with the 10 universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption.

Current Objectives

1.    To build a truly diverse and culturally sensitive work force by encouraging short and long-term job mobility inter-country and internationally between our companies based on talent and merit.
2.    To encourage staff retention from diverse backgrounds at both entry level and in management positions.
3.    To continue becoming a carbon neutral group of Companies.
4.    To encourage and work with our staff and suppliers to uphold the 10 universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption as set out in the UN Global Compact 2006.   
5.    To work with Governments and Educational Institutions around the world to promote education for all.  

Human rights and labour relations

Principle 1: Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights;
Practical application
Ethical behaviour towards our employees and those of our suppliers, including the payment of decent wages and the provision of safe and hygienic working conditions, are the essential building blocks for our current and future business.
• We recognise the rights of our employees around the world and treat our staff with dignity, respect and fairness within a safe working environment.
• We recruit top management locally, encourage high degrees of local autonomy and share ownership where appropriate.

Principle 2:  and make sure they are not complicit in human rights abuses.
Practical application
• We encourage the development and growth of our staff through regular appraisals and personal development plans.
• We do not permit harassment or abuse of our employees.
• We regularly monitor the working practices and the employment policies of our suppliers and promote improvement.

Principle 3: Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining;

Practical application
• We uphold the principle of freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining and work with many unions and trade associations around the world.

Principle 4: the elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour;
Practical application
• We do not use any supplier who uses forced or compulsory labour and regularly monitor our supplier’s employment policies.

Principle 5: the effective abolition of child labour;
Practical application

• We do not use any supplier who uses child labour and regularly monitor our supplier’s employment policies.

Principle 6: and the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.
Practical application
• We are demonstrably fair in our dealings with our staff and do not discriminate on any grounds.

• We aim to ensure that nobody who works for us receives less favourable treatment than their colleagues on the grounds of ethnic or national origin, religion, disability, family commitments, age, gender, sexual orientation, or marital status

• We recognise that we have obligations towards all our employees and the community at large to ensure that people with disabilities are afforded equal opportunities to enter employment and to progress within our companies.

The Environment
Principle 7: Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges;
As primarily a knowledge and ideas business, Macmillan is not directly involved in manufacturing but has many large commercial sites and is learning how to adopt initiatives which support sustainable development and reduce the adverse impact that business has on the environment. 

Principle 8: undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility;
Practical application
• As a major purchaser of paper, we have moved much of our magazine and book printing onto papers which conform to one of the major recommended independent environmental standards, the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) or PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) and we regularly audit our suppliers to validate the provenance of their materials.

• We work with all suppliers to ensure that the paper we purchase comes from certified, well managed forests.  We encourage and expect improvement and we promote independent certification.

• We are firmly opposed to the illegal logging of old growth forests.  In cases of dispute, we would consult all parties on an appropriate response and as a minimum would expect our suppliers to engage with the regulatory bodies in their countries of operation.

• We require our suppliers to comply with environmental laws and regulations applicable in their countries of operation.

• We review the policies and performance of our suppliers on a regular basis
 
• We encourage our paper suppliers to understand and support the development of new grades of book paper that include recycled fibres.

• We have campaigned for many years for the reduction of aggressive ‘sale or return’ marketing, which can result in high levels of waste of unsold stock.

• We have experimented with re-usable plastic totes and have designed our conveyor systems to handle these when they become acceptable to the book trade.

• We are working with the Carbon Trust in the UK to help us reduce our carbon footprint and will use this as a bench mark for Macmillan facilities around the world.

• We employ specialist companies to help us recycle paper and other consumables

• We dispose of electrical appliances, including computer equipment, through companies which conform to the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) directive.

• We are reviewing our company car and travel policies.

• We have installed multiple video-conferencing suites to reduce the amount of long-distance travel.

• We have converted the bulk of orders and invoices from paper-based to electronic media.

• We are beginning to install energy-saving lighting.

• We have avoided the use of air-conditioning other than in extreme conditions or environments.

• Our packing and distribution materials contain large quantities of re-cycled material which can also be re-cycled.

• We avoid the use of environmentally damaging packaging fill and many of our boxes are re-usable.

• We re-use internal stationery, eg envelopes, where practicable.

Principle 9: and encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies
Practical application
• We are one of the leaders in the use of print on demand, which avoids waste of unsold stock by only manufacturing products for which we have firm orders.

• We have been a leader in arranging ‘cyclical’ deliveries of books to major customers by consolidating dispatches and avoiding multiple consignments.

• We have major electronic publishing initiatives, which are already replacing ‘hard copy’ products in some cases.

• We have commissioned an expert survey of our office printer usage to try to reduce numbers of machines and copies printed.

• The specifications for new building developments for our warehousing and distribution have designed to rigorous environmental standards.

• We are developing policies for shutting down machines, heating and lighting when not needed and when compatible with health and safety.

• We are installing movement sensors to conserve lighting use, where safe.

• We are undertaking re-plumbing within some of our buildings to install facilities which will use less water.

Principle 10: Businesses should work against all forms of corruption including bribery and extortion.
Practical application
• We have well established processes for tackling all forms of corruption.