Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the voluntary action that businesses and individuals can take to improve the quality of life for employees and their families, as well as for the local community and society at large.  

Here are some of the things that Imex does under its CSR policy:

Environmental

The following are recycled or disposed of appropriately:

• Cardboard is recycled
• Printer consumables are donated to charities to refill
• Mobile phones are donated to charities
• Non confidential paper waste is shredded and used for internal packaging
• Confidential paper waste is shredded offsite and reused
• Obsolete computers are recycled
• Some obsolete stock is sold on ebay
• Old core and obsolete metallic stock is recycled

We purchase the following environmentally friendly products:

• Letterheads, plain paper and envelopes are printed on 80/100% recycled paper
• Percentage recycled paper is considered when purchasing other stationery
• Warehouse packaging is 99% recycled
• We use more energy efficient machines, eg LCD computer screens and multi functional devices

Charitable

Time out is encouraged for volunteering:

• Barretstown - in 2009, 15 staff and partners have volunteered to go to the camp donating 84 days of their time workign as 'caras' (paid leave). Taking the totals to 270 days and 22 volunteers since we started supporting the charity in 2007
• Talking Newspapers - 1 member of staff records newspapers for the blind, in company time
• Business Mentoring - 4 staff each spend 1 hour per month mentoring pupils at local schools, in company time, under the governments' Aim Higher scheme 
• Giving Blood - we advertise sessions at Castleford and allow time off

Donations

• The company makes regular donations to BBC's Children in Need
• Barretstown - Imex has so far donated £20,000 to the children's charity
• The company donated over 100 Imex hats to a local school, so the children could be easily identified on a recent trip to see a pantomime  

Local Support

• Work Experience - work experience places are offered to pupils of nearby schools
• Vouchers for schools - Staff are encouraged to collect supermarket vouchers to support a local school

Sustainable

• Posters are displayed encouraging energy efficiency
• Most internal documents are printed in black & white and double-sided
• Information is displayed on the company Intranet site instead of printing
• Invoices, orders and reports are emailed instead of printing, where possible
• Consideration is given to fuel consumption when purchasing company vehicles
• A structured van delivery service is in place for customers, to reduce fuel and Co2 emissions
• Directors now run diesel cars to reduce fuel and Co2 emissions
• More energy efficient IT equipment is specified, eg LCD computer screens and multi functional devices
• Light sensors have been installed to the mezzanine floor at Castleford
• Fair Trade tea/coffee is purchased to help support disadvantaged producers in the developing world

If you would like to find out more about the Imex CSR policy, please contact: Natalie Chappell, Imexpart Limited, Links 31, Willowbridge Way, Whitwood, Castleford WF10 5NP or e-mail on: fundraising@imexpart.com