Corporate, Social & Governance Statement

Environmental

WRS Systems is conscious of the impact that we all have on the planet. We are constantly reviewing our sustainability practices and how we can continue to become greener as a company.

At WRS, we prioritise reducing our environmental impact through various initiatives. Among these are schemes designed for our employees, such as the cycle to work program and an EV salary sacrifice scheme. Currently, 30% of our employees are driving fully electric vehicles.

Given the significant adoption of these schemes, we’ve made strategic investments to enhance the green capacity of our business. This includes the installation of 126 solar panels at our head office, powering electric charging points that utilise energy harnessed from the panels.

Our long-term objective involves installing batteries at the office to store solar energy, a project due for completion by 2025. Additionally, we’re exploring transitioning our fleet of vans to fully electric models. However, due to current limitations in electric van range, this transition remains a longer-term goal.

As part of our commitment to sustainability, we provide a low-cost EV scheme for all employees, passing on any cost savings we achieve as a business to encourage further participation.

In line with our environmental goals, we’re partnering with Ecologi, aiming to finalise membership by 2025. We are also committed to setting targets through the Science Based Targets Initiative by 2026. We believe these memberships will aid us in establishing and achieving measurable sustainability objectives.

As of December 2023, we achieved accreditation to ISO14001 as part of our continuous journey of improvement.

ISO 9001 accreditation was also achieved at the same time which helps monitor and continually improve the quality of our products and services.

We are also working with local activities within our community, we have been involved in beach cleaning and litter picking and are always looking to do more of these kinds of activities.

Our aim is to be net zero by 2030, this is a ongoing project and we have already made strides toward this goal, we are now looking further into our supply chain to work with them to also achieve this goal.

Social Value

Inclusion & Diversity

Here at WRS, we recognise the importance of an inclusive workplace where every individual feels valued and supported. While acknowledging the demographic limitations of our physical location, we remain steadfast in our commitment to upholding equal opportunities for all.

Despite the challenges posed by our geographical demographics, we have implemented a comprehensive Equal Opportunities Policy that underlines our dedication to fairness and non-discrimination in all aspects of employment.

While we may not actively target individuals with disabilities, our recruitment practices are designed to be inclusive and accommodating. Our job descriptions prioritise essential skills and positive attitude over physical abilities, and we employ language that encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply. Additionally, our job adverts are designed with easy-to-read fonts and language to ensure accessibility for all potential applicants.

We understand the importance of accommodating the unique needs of our employees. Therefore, we proactively inquire about any special requirements during the application process and upon employment. We are committed to accommodating these needs to the best of our ability, ensuring that every employee has the necessary tools and resources to thrive in their role.

We are happy to provide assistive technologies such as spell-checking programs and text-to-speech software to making physical modifications in the workplace, we are dedicated to supporting accessibility for employees with disabilities. This may include flexible working hours, specialised equipment or vehicles, and adjustments to the work environment to ensure maximum comfort and productivity.

Our inclusive company culture is a testament to the values instilled by our management team and owners. We take a great amount of pride in creating an environment that celebrates diversity and welcomes individuals from all walks of life. This commitment to inclusivity has not only contributed to a low staff turnover but has also enriched our workplace community.

Supporting the local community

WRS Systems is passionate about our local community on the Isle of Wight, and those further afield. We are regularly involved in charity initiatives and fundraising events.

We are proud to take a proactive role in supporting our local community and further afield with charity activities, fundraising and awareness incentives. Some of the activities we have been involved with include to date are, team walking, bake sales, beach cleaning, running events, cycling, litter picking and more. We also sponsor local teams.

We also donate old laptops to WightAid which is a local charity where they are able to distribute to schools & students that are in need.

Opportunities for Youth

We are proud to have been able to offer short term work placements within the business for our local education system provider.

We work with our local College and stay in constant contact with them for when we can help them with short term placements. This is not always feasible, but where we can will always strive to help.

Being an Island based business we know it can be hard for young people to find the opportunities, so we feel these short-term placements give the students a taste of what is to come within the Tech industry. This should then help the student understand and gain confidence and more importantly know what to expect when they begin their career.

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