Venture Life

Employee satisfaction and recognising high performance

• Venture Life’s employees are key to our success and we value each and every person that works for us. We currently employ 117 employees and are committed to investing in and supporting their careers.
• The UK, Italy and the Netherlands offices work very closely together and as a company, Venture Life looks to nurture new talent by supporting people at the early stages of their careers. We promote and transfer people into new roles within the Company.
• Individual high performances are recognised and we nurture personal development and continuous improvement, rewarding and recognising the contribution of our people.

Gender Diversity

• We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment. We employ 22% more women than men.
• As of June 2020, from our 117 employees, 61% are female and 39% male.

Health and Safety

We recognise the necessity of safeguarding the health and safety of our own employees whilst at work. We operate to provide a safe and comfortable working environment for employees and visitors. Our policy is to manage our activities to avoid causing any unnecessary or unacceptable risks to health and safety.

• Our policies and associated management systems are reviewed regularly and updated as and when there are changes in the business, legislation or industry standards.
• We endeavour to set the highest practical Health and Safety standards and all employees are trained to recognise that the health and safety of themselves and others is their first priority.
• We have a rigorous COVID-19 safety policy in place to protect our employees. Staff at our Commercial and Administrative offices are currently operating to Government social distancing guidelines, with sanitising measures implemented. Our manufacturing facility has strict procedures in place that include:
  • 1 x temperature sensor to measure temperature for external visitors
  • 4 devices for measuring temperature for internal staff
  • Daily deep-clean after every manufacturing shift
  • Strict social distancing measures in place
  • Full protective PPE for factory production employees

The key points of our Health and Safety strategy are to:

• Provide adequate control of the health and safety risks arising from our operations
• Provide and maintain a safe factory and safe equipment
• Consult regularly with our employees on matters affecting health and safety
• Ensure safe handling and use of substances
• Provide information, instruction and supervision for employees
• Ensure all employees are competent to do their job and to provide adequate training
• Maintain safe and healthy working conditions
• Prevent accidents and keep any work related ill-health to a minimum

Venture Life Group is conscious of its responsibilities in respect of the environment and is actively pursuing environmental sustainability, both within its own operations and within its supply chain. Our eco-designed Head Office has been designed and built to provide light-filled, comfortable working conditions throughout the year without the need for air conditioning. We currently recycle all our paper and we are continually looking at ways in which we can reduce our carbon footprint by reviewing the necessity of travel, water usage and office stationary.

Sustainability

In relation to significant environmental aspects, Venture Life has developed specific actions, in particular with regards to energy and water management. Our manufacturing facility has a photovoltaic, solar-powered electric generating system installed, which covers about 60% of the manufacturing facilities needs.  An energy audit was also carried out and an intervention plan implemented in order to increase energy savings (for example, replacing lighting fixtures with more efficient lamps).

In regards to water resources, our osmotic plant is closed-cycle which results in significant water savings, a water recovery system for cooling is present and a water consumption monitoring system has been implemented.

The Group has implemented some good practices in waste prevention, with a preference of reusable tanks with a single-use inner bag. It also disposes of any deemed ‘hazardous waste’ through regulated channels using a reputable agent.

Within the Research & Development department product sustainability has been further consolidated with its green-credentials with in-depth information available to customers on the scientific and information sources and on the environmental impacts of the different ingredients or packaging sourcing.

Packaging and recycling

Packaging is a crucial aspect for reducing a product impact.  The contract customer generally indicates the specifications of the pack. In general, the requests concern the certification (mainly FSC) of paper to verify that it has been supplied from a well-managed source. As well as recycling paper, plastic and metal internally, the Group procures plastic, glass and paper from suppliers that also use recycled materials or mixed materials.  The main packaging materials used for the Group’s manufactured products can be recycled by the end customer and these include:

Plastics (PE, PET, PETG, PP), Glass, Aluminium Tubes, Carton boxes, secondary and tertiary packaging (EPAL pallets).

Venture Life’s Business Ethics Statement

The reputation of Venture Life Group plc (VLG), its subsidiaries and employees is critical to our business. Our reputation for integrity depends on the ethics of our employees and our dedication to fundamental principles of transparency, honesty, and prudence. VLG has developed this policy in an effort to ensure that we all share the same high standards of business integrity that govern our work. Venture Life’s activities involves the UK, Italy and Netherlands, and, through our distributors, many places elsewhere. So, it is critical that everyone understands the international regulations that govern our work, no matter where we are based individually.

This policy:

• applies to all VLG group companies and their employees, distributors, agents, contractors and other service providers wherever they are in the world;
• provides guidance and promotes high standards of business integrity; and
• is fully supported by the Board of Directors.

Compliance with this policy is mandatory. Good decisions by people are key to building and safeguarding Venture Life’s reputation around the world. No policy can address every issue you will face while doing business on behalf of VLG. This policy, however, sets out VLG’s general standards on important issues related to anti-corruption. It provides an overview of the types of scenarios to be alert for and when to seek additional guidance. Whenever a situation is unclear, seek additional clarification.

Venture Life’s charitable support includes:

Alzheimer’s Society Charity

Venture Life has supported the Alzheimer’s Society since Venture Life was founded in 2010. Support has included donating product for fundraising events to giving charitable monetary donations.

Smart Works charity

• Our COO is a volunteer at a UK charity called Smart Works. Smart Works helps women get back into employment once they have been offered an interview. 60% of these women get offered the job after they have been to Smart Works. Venture Life supports this charity in various ways – from volunteering support in the interview training to providing free products to help their confidence during the interviewing process.

During the COVID-19 pandemic

• During the peak of the virus in the North Lombardy area of Italy, we supported local hospitals and pharmacies by donating free supplies of sanitiser gel produced at our manufacturing facility, to support the fight against the virus.