Statement

This statement has been approved by the Directors and Senior Leadership Team of First Choice Group. It sets out the steps taken to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking taking place within its business or supply chain. First Choice Group are committed to acting ethically and with integrity in all business dealings and will continue to monitor and take the necessary steps to safeguard against any form of modern slavery taking place within the business or its supply chain.

Our Organisation

First Choice Group was established in 1999 and is a one stop shop solution for commercial catering equipment spares. It is committed to the highest standards of safety and performance by supplying genuine OEM catering spare parts for all major manufactures and leading brands. With more than £8M of stocked parts, it is the leading catering industry spares distribution company in the UK. It employs a team of over 165 with more than 60 knowledgeable and professional staff in its Customer Service Centre to help identify and source parts and more than 40 team members in its state-of-the-art warehouse facilities for quality assurance throughout the operation. Core Values: Passion / Integrity / Innovation / Safety / Courage – embedded in the culture of the business.

Our Workplace Policies

We have introduced several internal policies to support our culture of integrity and ethical trading which also demonstrates our commitment to all stakeholders of our business. These include:
  • Equal Opportunities Policy
  • Right to Work Policy
  • Recruitment Policy
  • Code of Conduct
  • Grievance Policy
  • Whistleblowing Policy
  • Anti-bribery Policy
  • Safeguarding Policy
The above policies are in addition to recognising and supporting all statutory requirements. In support of our teams, we invest in:
  • Training & Development – for all team members
  • Wellbeing in the workplace – a dedicated team and noticeboard
  • Reward & Recognition – VIP Awards
  • Recreational areas within our business
  • Subsidised canteen
  • Social Activities

ISO 9001:2015

First Choice Group gained certification to the ISO 9001:2015 international quality standard in 2017. It has introduced a documented Quality Management System based on the strategic direction of the company and its commitment to achieving the highest standard of service and quality control. Part of this framework is to continually examine the risks and opportunities for improvement and operational controls which includes all statutory and regulatory requirements.

Members of Recognised Industry Bodies

First Choice Group are proud to be members of the following industry bodies which support high standards and encourage training & development in the industry.

FEA

Catering Equipment industry’s largest trade organisation giving access to a wide business network to benefit from information, involvement and influence at the highest level. First Choice Group MD – John Whitehouse was recently appointed Chairman of FEA vowing to continue to promote the work of FEA in education training and education and industry involvement.

CEDA

First Choice Group are proud to be members of CEDA who promote enterprise, innovation and fair competition where Members operate ethically, encourage excellence and strive for improved standards in both their businesses and the wider Industry.

FCSI

Foodservice Consultants Society International (FCSI) is the respected and truly professional organisation of men and women offering design and management consulting services, specialised in the foodservice and hospitality industry, across the world.

Our Approach to Procurements and Our Supply Chain

First Choice Group work in partnership with the leading Original Equipment Manufacturers in the industry which reduces the risk of compromise in our supply chain. Where suppliers do not support a Modern Slavery statement, our purchasing department will conduct a risk assessment to determine which parts of our supply chain are most at risk from modern slavery, so effort can be focused in this area. Additional steps taken:
  • Review our policy and risk to compliance on an annual basis
  • Engage with our supply chain to convey our policy and to understand the measure they have introduced to ensure modern slavery is not occurring in their supply chain
  • Conduct a Supplier Evaluation for all new suppliers
  • If issues are identified, work with suppliers to prepare a corrective action plan to resolve any violation
  • Annual ethical training and certification to CIPS

CIPS Qualification

First Choice Group have certification to the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) in achieving corporate, ethical procurement & supply.

Responsibility For The Policy

The Directors and Senior Leadership Team have overall responsibility for ensuring this policy complies with our legal and ethical obligations and that all our team members comply with it. Our policy must be communicated to all partners and suppliers at the outset of our business relationship and reinforced as appropriate.

Breaches of This Policy

First Choice Group reserve the right to terminate our relationship with any individual or organisation in our supply chain if they breach this policy. FCD0158 – ISSUE 1 JULY 19