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Our business standardsAn employee’s guide

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ContentsIntroduction 02

What are our business standards? 03Our values 04Our expectations 06Your personal commitment 08Making the right decision 09

Part 1 Business behaviour 10

Health and safety 12Service to our customers 13Commercial behaviour and following regulations 14Handling inside information 16Security, privacy and trust 18Dealing fairly with suppliers, clients and customers 20Extraction of personal mail by Royal Mail employees 21Political donations and impartiality 22Conflicts of interest 23Anti-bribery 24Gifts and hospitality 25Christmas and religious festival gifts 26Tax evasion 27Serving the community 29Our employee grant scheme 30Caring for the environment 32

Part 2 Personal behaviour 34

Our expectations 36 Promoting diversity and inclusion 37Religious and political beliefs 39Examples of appropriate and inappropriate behaviour 40Managers’ duty of care 41Working with colleagues 42Personal behaviour and appearance 43Use of company funds and property 45Using computers, phone and email and protecting our valuable information 46Restrictions on photography and filming 48Preventing and reporting crime 49Speak Up (Whistleblowing) 50Getting help 51

It’s important we all understand the behaviour that is expected of us, keep to the law and follow our company policies when at work. This will help us do the best job we can for our customers and keep our reputation and role within the communities we serve.

Our business standards set out our expectations of you, wherever you work and in whatever job you do. Our business standards make sure we’re meeting our legal obligations, keep us safe and protect our reputation among our customers, suppliers and shareholders.

If you ever have concerns about how to act or respond in a situation or you witness someone doing something that you think is not in line with our business standards, you must let us know straight away. You can talk to your manager, or contact one of our confidential helplines covering security, bullying and harassment, or whistleblowing.

By working together, we can all be proud to be a part of Royal Mail Group and make sure it continues to be a trusted, positive and successful place to work.

What are our business standards?Our business standards are the standards of behaviour we expect to see in all of our people at Royal Mail Group. It’s about doing the right thing, following the law, acting honourably and treating others with respect.

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Our valuesOur values reflect the principles, beliefs and aspirations that guide our behaviour and shape our culture.

We love to give it a go, aiming to make life better and brighter for our customers and each other. We trust each other to do the right thing and always say thank you for a job well done.

Be Positive

Introduction

GREATJOB!

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We know our stuff, so we always deliver great service. That’s because we do the little things well, and we’re pretty good at the big things too! We work hard to find a better way – we never stop trying to improve.

Be Brilliant

OPEN

It’s all about our team. We listen to each other and support each other, because after all, where would we be without each other? We appreciate diversity because getting thoughts and ideas from everyone makes us a stronger team.

Be Part of It

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Our expectationsWe’re all responsible for making Royal Mail Group the best it can be.

That means doing business fairly and honestly, giving our customers the best service we possibly can and taking responsibility for the environment and local communities in which we operate.

To make sure we meet these responsibilities, we commit to looking after our people. In return, we expect our people to commit to always being the best they can be.

We commit to:• provide a safe, secure, healthy and

productive work environment;• treat people fairly and with respect;

• protect people from inappropriate or bullying behaviour;

• support people to raise concerns; and

• operate within the law.

Introduction

As employees, we will:• act honestly at all times;

• be productive during working hours;

• follow our business standards and Royal Mail Group policies;

• use sound judgement and be personally accountable for our actions at work;

• show respect for each other; and


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We expect our people to follow our business standards.We have a responsibility to ourselves and to each other to uphold the standards defined in this booklet.

Managers should make sure their teams understand and keep to these standards. We should all hold each other to account. If you witness someone behaving in a way that’s not consistent with our business standards, it’s your responsibility to let us know.

Please be aware that breaking any of our business standards may be dealt with under the conduct policy and any finding of misconduct could result in action, up to and including dismissal. Breaking specific business standards may result in criminal prosecution.

If you discover our standards and company reputation are being put at risk by unethical or criminal behaviour, you should report the facts to a manager. If you don’t feel comfortable speaking to your own manager you should speak to another manager in your area. You can also call our confidential security helpline or whistleblowing helpline if you feel you can’t talk to anyone in your workplace.

Ignoring inappropriate or illegal behaviour is wrong and will damage the reputation of our company and everyone who works for us.

We realise it’s not always easy to report unethical or criminal behaviour but it’s important to let us know if something’s wrong. If you’ve got any concerns, please see the ‘Getting help’ section at the back of this booklet.

Your personal commitmentIntroduction

Our business standards are at the heart of everything we do while we’re at work.You’ll already do a lot of what’s covered in this booklet without even thinking about it, but that doesn’t mean you won’t sometimes face difficult situations or dilemmas in your day-to-day activities.

Some decisions are clear cut whereas others may be more open to interpretation. Use this booklet to help you understand how to behave when faced with these difficult situations, or as a guide for where to find more information and help.

We haven’t covered every situation you might face but we hope the examples and information will give you the tools you need to make the right choices. We trust you to use your good judgement to act in line with our business standards and to ask for help when you need it.

Making the right decisionQuestions to consider If you are faced with a dilemma or you’re not sure what to do, ask yourself these questions:

• Does it feel right?• Is it legal?• Is it in line with our business standards, values

and company policies?• Will it reflect negatively on me or Royal Mail Group?

• Would I be happy to defend my decision in public?

• Who else could be affected by this (for example, colleagues or customers)?

• Would I be concerned if others knew I’d taken this course of action?

• Is there a better action I could take?

If you’re still not sure about the right thing to do, talk to your manager or report the matter using the speak-up process, call 0800 097 1131 or visit www.intouchfeedback.com/royalmail

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Business behaviourPart 1

Health and safety 12Service to our customers 13Commercial behaviour and following regulations 14Handling inside information 16Security, privacy and trust 18Dealing fairly with suppliers, clients and customers 20Extraction of personal mail by Royal Mail employees 21Political donations and impartiality 22Conflicts of interest 23Anti-bribery 24Gifts and hospitality 25Christmas and religious festival gifts 26 Tax evasion 27Serving the community 29Our employee grant scheme 30Caring for the environment 32

The behaviour that makes a difference to our customers and how our business is run

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Example

A manager notices that their team members aren’t pushing Yorks in the correct way. They believe this could be a risk to them and to the people around them, so they discuss the safe systems of work for Yorks and everyone agrees to follow these methods.

Health and safetyNever carry out tasks without the proper training

Part 1 – Business behaviour

‘Everyone has a responsibility for their own safety, that of their colleagues and others’.You must:• act in accordance with the responsibilities set out in the ‘Your SHE (safety,

health and environment) roles and responsibilities’ booklet appropriate to yourrole in the organisation;

• support a safe culture and behave responsibly, always taking accountof your own safety and that of others;

• report hazards and unsafe acts and conditions so we can deal with them;• intervene in a positive and polite manner where necessary to keep your

workplace safe, and respond to others who step in to help you in the same way;• make sure you have the proper training and necessary authority to carry out tasks;• take part in health and safety briefings, work time listening and learning

sessions (WTLL) and meetings, where required• always follow the appropriate safety rules, standards and procedures,

and ask for an explanation if you’re not sure;• use and maintain all controls, procedures and protection provided

for your safety and the safety of others;• report all incidents, near-misses and personal injuries to you

manager straight away;• make sure your working hours are in line with the working time policy.

Service to our customersOur customers are important. We serve their needs by giving them:

• consistent delivery of what we promise;• value-for-money services and products;

• timely, reliable and secure services nationwide;

• accurate and accessible information about ourservices and products;

• a helpful and polite service at all times; and

• a prompt and appropriate solution if things go wrong.

Everyone in the company has an important part to play in living up to these commitments. If we fail our customers, they’re likely to take their business elsewhere. That damages our business and our job security and it won’t go unnoticed.

Our external regulator, Ofcom, can impose penalties if we fail to meet our obligations. There is also a consumer watchdog which takes an interest in the service we give to customers.

Mistakes and service failures damage our reputation, and lose customers

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Commercial behaviour and following regulations

Competition lawIn a similar way to all other businesses, we are also governed by competition law.

Both Ofcom and the ‘Competition and Markets Authority’ have competition-law powers and will take action against companies who act in a way that damages competition. For example, it’s illegal for competitors to agree prices collectively with each other. The golden rule is that we should decide our commercial policy independently from competitors and other businesses operating in the market. Discussing our business arrangements with competitors (and even suppliers) runs the risk of breaking competition law.

The only right way to compete with other businesses is by making sure that our business methods are always honourable, professional and legal.

Regulatory frameworkWe operate under a ‘General Authorisation Regime’ to provide postal services, overseen by our regulator Ofcom. This sets out the requirements and responsibilities that we have to meet as the ‘Universal Service Provider’. For example, we must not share, with other parts of our business, information which we have gained as a result of providing wholesale services. And, we must not discriminate against wholesale customers and their mail.

Everyone in Royal Mail Group needs to play a part to make sure we meet our regulatory requirements. We should all do the following.

• Be aware of and follow our Access Regulation and Competition Law policies, processes and procedures.

• Complete all mandatory training courses to the timescales given.

• Understand and act on any supplementary guidance issued by the business.

• Know who to go to for help.


You must do the following• Never discuss confidential

information when in public. If you are going to events on behalf of Royal Mail, remember that you represent the business.

• If you are going to a trade-association forum or event, make sure that you have Group Compliance & Ethics approval and follow the appropriate steps which you can find on the Group Compliance intranet site.

• Never reveal confidential information on social media. This could be pricing, strategy or anything else which the public do not already have access to.

• Keep to our ring-fencing

obligations (in not discriminating who we allow access) when it comes to Downstream Access information.

• Act fairly and in a non- discriminatory way in all dealings with our customers and suppliers.

• Never share any commercially sensitive or confidential information outside of Royal Mail Group, or accept this kind of information.

• Never enter into discussions or make any form of arrangements with competitors without first getting legal advice.

For more information see our competition law policy and guide.

For more information see our Access Regulation Policy and guidance.

ExampleAn employee has been told some information about Royal Mail’s strategy. This information is very positive and exciting for Royal Mail and the employee wants to declare this on social media.

This information must not be shared as the public are not already aware of it. It could be used to the benefit of customers and could be seen by ring-fenced teams within Royal Mail, which would be breaking our regulatory conditions with Ofcom.

Did you know?Under Competition law, if we are found to have significant market power, we will have extra responsibilities not to abuse that position of power by exploiting customers or unfairly excluding competitors.

Failure to follow either the regulatory framework or competition law could have serious consequences (such as fines and damage to our reputation) and consequences for individuals (for example, action taken under the conduct policy or criminal charges for some offences).

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Handling inside information

You must:• keep our information confidential and reveal

it only to employees who need to know it;

• pass details of potential inside information(for example, major business developments, expectedearnings or losses) to your manager orto the Company Secretary ([email protected])as soon as possible;

• not communicate with the media, shareholders oranalysts unless you have been authorised to do so;

• not deal or encourage anyone else to deal in RoyalMail plc. shares if you have inside information; and

• keep to the continuous disclosure andcommunications policy, inside informationand control of inside information policy andshare dealing policy and code, as appropriate.

Our obligations as a listed companyAs a company listed on the London Stock Exchange, we have to keep to the obligations in the Financial Conduct Authority’s Listing, Prospectus and Disclosure and Transparency Rules (listing rules), as well as the Market Abuse Regulation. The listing rules say listed companies must meet certain standards of governance and investor protection.

The listing rules say we must treat all our shareholders equally, which means we must do the following:

• Announce to the markets, as soon as possible,any information about matters and developmentsrelating to our companies that could affect theprice of our shares. This information is known asinside information until it has been announced to themarkets.

• Make sure all inside information is properlyprotected and employees with access to it don’tabuse, and are not seen to abuse, their position.

Inside information is any information that you know because you are an employee, which could affect the price of Royal Mail shares.


Handling inside informationIf you have access to inside information (or information which could become inside information), you must keep it strictly confidential and treat it in line with our continuous disclosure and communications policy.

If you become aware of inside information (or information which could become inside information), you should tell your manager or the Company Secretary ([email protected]) as soon as possible. Our Disclosure Committee will review the information immediately to decide whether it is inside information which should be announced.

To avoid a situation where the markets become aware of inside information that we have not yet formally announced, you should only discuss confidential information on a need-to-know basis. Only authorised Royal Mail employees may communicate with the media, shareholders and analysts.

If you’re considered to have, or you’re likely to have, regular access to inside information (or information which could become inside information), you’ll be told by the Company Secretary and receive appropriate information and training. You will also have to keep to our share dealing policy and code and get clearance before you can buy or sell Royal Mail plc. shares.

Using inside information incorrectlyIf you’re aware of inside information and try to take improper advantage of it, you’re likely to be committing a criminal or civil offence. You could also face action under the conduct policy. Taking improper advantage includes revealing the information to someone who has no business knowing it. It could also involve buying or selling Royal Mail plc. shares on the basis of the information or encouraging someone else to do so.

For more information, see our continuous disclosure and communications policy; inside information and control of inside information policy and share dealing policy and code.

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Security, privacy and trust

Maintaining our standards means: • handling with honesty all items, mail, data,

cash and valuables entrusted to us;

• protecting company and customer propertyand assets, making sure they are not stolen,abused, damaged, or taken for personal use;

• making sure company funds and property,including Royal Mail Group prepaid envelopes,are never used for personal use;

• reporting anyone who misuses companyproperty or goods entrusted to us;

• using correct accounting in all financialtransactions and claims and keeping tobusiness-control procedures;

Millions of items are entrusted to us by our customers every day.

• accurately reporting business performancemeasures, for example making sure there isno interference or undue influence on qualitymeasurements;

• making sure company premises andfacilities are not abused for unauthorisedcommercial transactions;

• protecting confidential information you handlefrom compromise or unauthorised disclosureand keeping to laws which require us to protectpersonal information; and

• displaying Royal Mail Group photo ID at all timeswhen on our premises and being prepared topolitely challenge anyone on our premises whois not wearing their identification.

We must gain and keep the absolute trust of our customers and others we come into contact with as a result of our business activities. The strength of the company rests on the honesty and integrity of each one of us.


We must minimise the risk of loss, theft, damage or interference with the mail by:• making sure all employees are aware of, and have access to,

the security standards and procedures needed to make suremail is secure;

• individually and collectively keeping to those standards; and

• reporting and recording any incidents of loss, theft, damageor interference.

Our obligation as a regulated companyAs a regulated postal operator we have an obligation to protect the mail and make sure it is secure.

Protecting the mailAny loss or break in security undermines customer confidence in our ability to protect the mail and may attract negative media attention.

Operational security standards• Customers’ parcels and letters must not be left unattended

or unsecure at any time.

• Everyone working for us must have an appropriate levelof security awareness and training.

• Unauthorised access to all our sites must be prevented.• Special Delivery, tracked and high-risk parcels and letters

must be given appropriate protection.• Managerial checks to protect all customers’ parcels and letters

must be effectively used.• All vehicles and equipment used to carry customers’ parcels

and letters must be given the appropriate level of securityat all times.

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Dealing fairly with suppliers, clients and customersWe aim to build trust and create positive relationships with our suppliers, clients, agents and business customers through fair and consistent dealing.We do this by doing what we’ve said we’ll do, meeting agreed timescales and delivering our services in full. We expect employees involved in negotiating contracts to get the best value for the business and set an example of competence and honesty.

When doing business for the company, you must:• have the proper authority before you negotiate or

sign contracts;• not negotiate with vendors or commit to third-party

spending without procurement approval;• keep to the relevant legal requirements, policies

and standards, acting professionally during all customer interactions as the ‘face’ of Royal Mail;

• avoid any business practice which might be reasonably judged improper, including ‘cutting corners’ by neglecting proper consultations or procedures which would result in us or a supplier having a negative impact on human rights;

• set prices and conditions in line with competition law, our regulatory requirements and approval processes;

• get timely advice from Group Legal if any non-standard form of contract is proposed and not making any decision without their advice; and

• pay suppliers for goods and services within the agreed timescales and specification.


For more information on dealing fairly with suppliers see our Procurement Code on the intranet.

Extraction of personal mail by Royal Mail Employees Employees working in the operational pipeline may come into contact with personal mail addressed to themselves.

This is particularly true for our colleagues who work in a delivery office that serves their home address, so there may be circumstances where colleagues want to extract their own personal mail whilst at work.

In such cases, the process below must be followed:

1. A request to extract personal mail item(s) must be made to a manager.

2. The manager must check the item(s) is addressed solely to the employee at their home address.

3. If the manager agrees that the item can be extracted the manager must sign and date the item(s) to show the extraction has been authorised.

4. All relevant tracking systems must be updated as appropriate.

Please note:• Only employees within Royal Mail can ask to extract

items of mail; for avoidance of doubt employees in Parcelforce are not able to extract items and all requests will be refused.

• Only mail items addressed to the individual employee may be extracted.

• Mail cannot be extracted for spouses, children, relatives, or neighbours, etc. (e.g. Mr Smith cannot extract mail addressed to Mr and Mrs Smith); this must be delivered as addressed.

• The above does not prevent an employee on delivery delivering to their own address, providing they reside on their delivery route and they do not divert from route sequence to make their own delivery.

• Failure to follow this process may lead to action under the Conduct Policy.

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Political donations and impartiality

You must:• not offer company contributions, for example the

free use of company premises, for any political party or organisation which is linked with a political party;

• not sponsor or book events through any political party or organisation which is linked with a political party;

• make sure electoral material – which by law we have to deliver – is treated correctly, with the same respect as other mail; and

• remember company funds and resources must not be used to try to advance our interests by making payments to foreign governments or officials.

Follow these simple rules:• If you take part in the political process it must

be in your own time using your own resources.

• Political activity is not allowed at work. This includes active support of parties, pressure groups or other causes.

• You must not display badges, slogans or notices advertising political parties or causes while on duty or in uniform, or on our premises, notice boards or vehicles.

• You must not distribute or deliver unauthorised material while you are at work or in uniform, or allow anyone else to use business services free of charge for this purpose.

As a company, we must not make political donations of any kind. The interests of our company and our customers must not be compromised by any interest or activity in a political party.

You are entitled to vote and take part in the political process, including representing a political party. This must be in your own time.


Example An employee’s son is about to transfer to the unit where the employee works as a late-shift manager. Even though the employee would not manage their son, they know they should tell their own line manager that their son is coming to work at their unit.

Conflicts of interest

The essential principles• You must not do anything which conflicts with

your duty as an employee or agent of the company, or use your official position for any advantage.

• You must not work for, receive payment from or advertise any organisation which is in competition with us, or which is involved in activities which may damage our reputation, including any personal sponsorship.

• You must declare any outside employment (which includes directorships or significant shareholdings). These must not be contrary to our commercial interests or damage our reputation.

• Your actions as an employee or agent must not be improperly influenced by any relationship (for example, by blood, marriage, partnership or being a member of any social, religious or political association) or by any personal or financial consideration.

• To avoid conflicts of interest or issues with favouritism, if you are related (by blood, marriage or partnership) or have a personal relationship with someone, you cannot work in roles where supervision may be affected. Report any possible situations like these to your manager or another manager.

• If you receive a fee from an outside source for carrying out a service which forms part of your role, or takes place in business time (for example, giving an interview or lecture), you must report it to your manager.

Carrying out your work with honesty and openness means you can avoid difficult situations.

For more information see the conflicts of interest policy and guide.

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Anti-bribery

What is bribery?Bribery is promising, offering, giving, asking for or accepting any advantage to encourage or reward behaviour that is improper (in other words, it is illegal, dishonest or involves breaking a duty). This can be either directly or through someone else. Even if you turn down a bribe or it doesn’t have the intended effect, it’s still a bribe.

Advantages may be financial or non-financial and could be anything which is, or might be, valuable to the person being offered the bribe or someone connected to them (like a relative or friend). An advantage may be money, loans, donations (including charitable donations), an award of business, job offers, preferential treatment, a holiday or gifts and hospitality.

You must: • never promise, offer or give a bribe;• never ask for or accept a bribe;• report any bribe or suspected bribe as soon as

possible to Group Compliance & Ethics or the confidential Speak Up line on 0800 097 1131 without risk of reprisal; and

• remember that you won’t suffer any negative consequences for refusing to pay or receive bribes.

Corrupt acts expose our business and employees to the risk of prosecution, fines, exclusion from tendering for business and other penalties. We have a ‘zero tolerance’ policy on bribery.

For more information see our anti-bribery and corruption (including gifts and hospitality) policy and guide

ExampleAn employee has been offered money to make sure a customer’s mail is delivered first in the morning. They know accepting this offer means breaking our policy and potentially breaking the law. The employee does the right thing – they refuse the offer and report it to their manager.

Gifts and hospitality

Our gifts and hospitality guidelines set out what we normally consider reasonable and appropriate.

You must:• not ask for a gift from any individual or organisation we deal with;

• not offer or accept any gift, hospitality, charitable donation or sponsorship to influence a decision or to conceal a bribe;

• not offer or accept any gift of cash, or cash equivalents such as shares, gift cards or vouchers (this does not include Christmas tips from customers to front-line employees);

• not accept or offer any gift, hospitality (other than simple refreshments provided at a meeting) or sponsorship if you’re involved in tendering or negotiations of a contract or bid for work, during the period of the tender, bid or negotiation;

• record and get approval for giving or receiving gifts and hospitality, charitable donations and sponsorship as set out in the gifts and hospitality guide; and

• tell Group Compliance & Ethics immediately if you (or your partner or relative) are offered a gift, tip or hospitality and the person giving it suggests they expect something in return.

Offering or accepting gifts, hospitality, entertainment, charitable donations or sponsorship to encourage or reward improper behaviour may be considered a bribe.

For more information see our anti-bribery and corruption (including gifts and hospitality) policy and guide.

ExampleAn employee is in a tendering process to set up a new supplier for employee uniforms. During the tender process the supplier offers the Royal Mail employee hospitality tickets to a concert.

The employee refuses the tickets and reports the offer using the gifts and hospitality register, protecting both himself and our business.

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ExampleAn employee working in purchasing turns a blind eye to a supplier issuing a wrong invoice, so they don’t have to pay any VAT to HMRC. Royal mail could be held liable if we cannot evidence that we have procedures in place to prevent this from happening.


Christmas and religious festival gifts

For more information see our anti-bribery and corruption (including gifts and hospitality) policy and guide and hospitality guide.

We do an important job, especially at Christmas. Colleagues deserve the recognition they get from the public.

We see the giving of Christmas tips and gifts for other religious festivals as a matter between customers and individual employees.

Remember You must not accept a tip if there is any suggestion it is meant to encourage you to do something inappropriate.

You shouldn’t accept a tip if it’s meant to encourage you to reveal official information or information about another customer; to break any company rule or provide preferential treatment. Accepting or asking for a tip in these circumstances would be considered breaking the law.

Tax evasion

We all have a part to play in minimising the risks of tax evasion.

What is tax evasion?Tax evasion is fraudulently evading or cheating a tax authority out of tax and is a criminal offence. If you help someone (e.g. a customer) evade tax (anywhere in the world), Royal Mail can be held criminally liable, unless we can show we have reasonable procedures in place to prevent our employees and agents from doing this.

Even if you don’t act deliberately or dishonestly, turning a blind eye could still count as helping someone commit tax evasion.

Tax evasion is a criminal offence. If you help someone evade tax, you could be prosecuted and Royal Mail also held liable, causing significant reputational and financial damage to our business.

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Our policy is to:• consider the effects the conduct of our business

may have on people and communities, consulting stakeholders (customers, shareholders, suppliers and members of the public) wherever appropriate;

• make sure we are seen as one of the most community-responsive companies in the UK; and

• support and help our people in the work they do in the community by providing volunteering opportunities, promoting payroll giving and offering matched funding on their fundraising activities.

We have one of the largest payroll-giving schemes in the UK. The scheme is tax-efficient which means the donation includes the tax that would have been taken from pay.

Our charity of the year is chosen by our people and we support hundreds of other charities and registered good causes.

Serving the communityWe make a difference to the lives of millions of people. We keep communities connected and link businesses with their customers. We use our unique position to maximise the benefit we bring to the communities we serve.


What is VAT fraud?VAT fraud is a type of tax evasion. It can occur anywhere along a supply chain; not just by the person or business RMG is immediately doing business with. It could involve our suppliers or our customers. Royal Mail must have procedures in place to detect fraudulent supply chains. For example, checking a VAT number and bank account details provided by a supplier are genuine and requiring our contractors to have appropriate checks in place with their own suppliers.

What are the consequences? • You could be prosecuted and so could Royal Mail; • In certain circumstances, a Royal Mail director or

manager could also get a penalty if they should have known that RMG was connected with a VAT fraud;

• For employees, action could be taken under the conduct policy.

You must:• Follow Royal Mail policies and procedures

at all times;

• Never turn a blind eye to what you might think might be tax evasion;

• Never assist a customer or anyone else to evade tax;

• Consider if a deal appears “too good to be true”, taking into account things like pricing, communication, experience and history;

• Report any knowledge or suspicion to Group Compliance & Ethics on 0207 4498 302 or the confidential Speak Up helpline on 0800 097 113 without risk of reprisal.

ExampleRMG purchase a large consignment of stock and makes a payment plus VAT to the supplier. The supplier fails to pay this VAT to HMRC and goes missing. RMG tries to recover from HMRC the VAT it has paid to the supplier. The supplier has stolen VAT and HMRC will be out of pocket.

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Charity of the year matched giving scheme - Every employee can apply for penny-for-penny matched giving, up to £2,500 per person every year.

Community support matched giving scheme - Every employee can apply once a year for up to £200 in matched giving for money raised for any registered UK charity or good cause.

Fundraising grant - Every employee can apply once a year for a grant of up to £200 to help cover the costs of organising a fundraising activity.

Volunteering grant - Every employee can apply once a year for a grant of up to £400 to help cover the costs of organising a volunteering activity.

Find out more at myroyalmail.com/community

Our employee grant schemes Did you know?• Our 2017-2020 charity of the year partnership with Action

for Children aims to raise £2 million to deliver the Blue’s programme; a school based programme providing group work to support young people aged 13-19 years old who are suffering from, or who are at risk of depression and other mental health problems.

• We work closely with the charity, Missing People, using our presence in local communities to support the search for vulnerable, high-risk missing people. We send location-specific alerts through our network of handheld PDAs, office TV screens and MyRoyalMail.com. We have issued over 200 alerts since our partnership began.

• We operate a free PO Box at our Mount Pleasant Delivery Office to support those wishing to make postal donations to appeals from the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC).


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Caring for the environmentWe believe the responsible management of natural resources is commercially and environmentally essential. We focus our environmental-management approach on four main areas – energy, waste, water, and our involvement with customers and suppliers.

We are committed to:• protecting the environment;• identifying and managing environmental risks;• preventing or minimising any possible effect our business

might have on the natural or built environments and thecommunities living in those environments;

• finding operational efficiencies that can reduce ouruse of natural resources; and

• looking for environmentally friendly initiativesthat support new business opportunities.

Together these commitments help us manage the effects of climate change and support business performance.

Reduce carbon emissions• Turn off lights when not in use.

• Don’t interfere with the building temperature settings.• Turn off electronic devices and equipment after use.

• Use the most energy-efficient mode settings on yourelectronic devices and equipment, for example, usethe hibernation feature on computers and laptops.

• Make sure bay doors and curtains are shut whennot in use.

• Turn off vehicle engines when not in use.

• Don’t over-accelerate or break harshly.

• Drive efficiently, using the correct gears.

• Keep tyres at the correct pressure.• Use public transport as much as possible and

reduce the use of private cars and flights forbusiness travel.

• Share car journeys with colleagues where possiblefor business trips and to work.

• Cut down on business travel: use conference calls,live meetings and work from home where possible.

Reduce waste • Separate waste using the correct waste bins.

• Don’t drop rubber bands while on delivery.Collect and reuse them.

• Collect and reuse york card labels.• Print only when necessary, on both sides of a page.

• Use hand driers instead of paper towels.

• Instead of using disposable cups to buy drinks fromthe canteen, use your own cup or mug.

• Use water bottles instead of disposable cups.

• Avoid using disposable cutlery, plates and bowls.

Save water• Turn off taps after use.

• Report any leaks to your line manager as soonas possible.

We can all take simple steps to manage our effect on the environment both at work and at home.

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Personal behaviourPart 2

Our expectations 36Promoting diversity and inclusion 37Religious and political beliefs 39Examples of appropriate and inappropriate behaviour 40Managers’ duty of care 41Working with colleagues 42Personal behaviour and appearance 43Using company funds and property 45Using computers, phone and email and protecting our valuable information 46Restrictions on photography and filming 48Preventing and reporting crime 49‘Speak Up’ (Whistleblowing) 50Getting help 51

How we work together with our colleagues

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Our expectations

We do this by treating each other politely and with respect, by making sure we don’t take part in inappropriate behaviour, and by keeping to our values at all times.

When it comes to the behaviour of others – customers, colleagues, suppliers or anyone else we might meet at work – we don’t put up with abusive, aggressive or discriminatory behaviour.

This section of our business standards sets out the behaviour we expect you to display while you’re at work.

We should all behave appropriately and remember we are representing Royal Mail Group whenever we’re at work.

You must:• not act in an intimidating, threatening, derogatory

or discriminatory way;• not behave violently or be abusive to others;

• not take part in criminal activity; and

• not do or say anything that might harm our business, our colleagues or others we come into contact with.

In Royal Mail Group we work together to create a positive working environment for everyone.

Part 2 – Personal behaviour

What does this mean for managers?We expect our managers to set a good example at all times and demonstrate how to live by our business standards and company values.

As well as our expectations of employees, all managers must:

• remember they are Royal Mail Group managers and represent the business, both in and out of work;

• lead by example; • support, encourage and take action to challenge

any failure to meet standards; and


Promoting diversity and inclusion

This means:• We should always be open, respectful, polite with

each other and keep to our company’s values at all times.

• We must not discriminate for any reason or characteristics such as: race, colour, ethnic or national origin, nationality, disability, marital or civil partner status, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, age, religion or belief (including political opinion in Northern Ireland), sex or gender reassignment.

• We should encourage a workplace that promotes equal opportunities for everyone, providing opportunities based on a person’s performance, skills and development needs in a fair and open way.

• We should work together to create an inclusive working environment for all.

• Everyone has the right to a family life. We should respect each other and not discriminate against those with family commitments outside work.

You must:• follow the principles of our equality and

fairness policy;• not discriminate or encourage others to

discriminate; and

• not use inappropriate behaviour or intimidate other employees, customers or suppliers for any reason.

Diversity and inclusion is about treating each other with respect and consideration, and valuing the differences and contributions of all. It is about creating a positive culture where each of us feels comfortable bringing our ‘whole self’ to work. Royal Mail Group is committed to creating a work environment that is free from discrimination, victimisation, bullying and harassment, where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect.

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Our policies prevent you from:• taking action against someone who reports

a concern in good faith; or

• deliberately making false or fictitious complaints without action being taken against you.

Both could lead to formal action (up to and including dismissal) under the conduct policy.

What to do if you have a genuine concern?If you feel you have a concern at work, we want you to bring it to our attention. It’s in everyone’s interest for people to raise genuine concerns about their treatment or the treatment of others at work. Ideally, you should first raise your concern with your manager.

If the concern is about bullying and harassment, see the stop bullying and harassment policy or call the bullying and harassment helpline on 0800 5874 777 for support and advice.

Everyone is expected to take personal responsibility for putting these principles into practice and setting an example in the workplace.

We will investigate formal complaints and any employee who is found to have committed an act of discrimination or harassment will face formal action (up to and including dismissal) under the conduct policy.

We have a duty to deliver a consistent standard of service to all our customers, no matter what our own views or beliefs may be.

During your day-today activities at work you might come across people who hold different religious or political views to your own, or you might be asked to handle items that conflict with your personal beliefs. For example, you may be asked to deliver food products, alcohol, or other postal items that conflict with your personal views.

We all have a responsibility to deliver great service to our customers and meet the requirements of our job. We need to be tolerant of the views of others and make sure our personal beliefs and opinions don’t cause offence.

If your personal beliefs or opinions prevent you from being able to fulfil your role you should raise this with your manager.

Religious and political beliefsYour manager will work with you to manage any issues as a result of personal views or beliefs and will consider any changes that can be made where appropriate.

We aim to strike a balance between the needs of our people and the commercial needs of our business. However, due to the nature of our work, it will not always be possible to meet every request.

Be aware we have a legal obligation to deliver electoral material, so political conflicts are unlikely to be resolved.

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Examples of appropriate and inappropriate behaviour

Unacceptable behaviour• Suggestive remarks or gestures.

• Displaying pictures with sexual or racial undertones.

• Demeaning or ridiculing someone.• Jokes and banter of a derogatory nature.• Unwelcome touching.• Any sexual advances.• Using social media to display any

of the above behaviours.

Acceptable behaviour• Talking to employees about their performance.• Providing constructive feedback.• Asking an employee to carry out a task in the workplace.• Providing a constructive opinion when asked.

• Taking appropriate action in line with the conduct,attendance, performance management or supportingperformance improvement policies.


Manager’s duty of care

Managers must:• show initiative and commitment – leading by example to encourage

others to do the same;

• manage and support employees appropriately, treating othersas you’d like to be treated;

• evaluate the performance of your team fairly;• protect the interests of the company by considering commercial

implications and other risks in your decision-making;

• put the interests of the company as a whole above those of anyspecific part of the business;

• use company funds as though they were your own, avoidingcosts that don’t add value to our core business activities orbenefit our customers;

• behave responsibly and lawfully, avoiding exposing yourselfor the company to legal liability; and

• take all reasonable measures to record and protect essentialinformation and maintain business continuity.

ExampleA manager often offers overtime to one of their team members ahead of everyone else. This is showing favouritism to that person and not treating all employees fairly and equally. By doing this, the manager isn’t living up to the standards of behaviour we expect or demonstrating the company values at work.

If you are a manager, your behaviour should never conflict with our business standards. You should lead by example and demonstrate how to display our business standards and company values at all times.

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Working with colleaguesWe expect our people to behave in line with our business standards and company values at all times. This means treating each other politely and with respect.


Personal behaviour and appearanceWe expect high standards of personal behaviour at work from everyone.

You must:• always be open, honest and polite towards colleagues; • not abuse or offend others by the things you say or write,

including in emails and on social media. Always be mindful that writing or posting on social media can be even more hurtful and offensive than if you say it in person because social media has a much wider audience and stays online for a long time;

• not behave in any way that suggests prejudice or favouritism;• not take part in, encourage or condone bullying, intimidation,

harassment, unlawful discrimination or abuse of any kind to anyone, whether a colleague, customer, supplier or member of the public;

• challenge any instances of this behaviour and show it is not acceptable in our organisation; and

• not exploit colleagues for loans, private work or favours of any kind.

• You must not retaliate against any colleague who reports wrongdoing

Remember:Protecting our reputation and our business is important, which is why we launched our confidential helpline – ‘Speak Up’If you have concerns about issues like misconduct or malpractice you can raise them through ‘Speak Up’ without risk of reprisal. You can access ‘Speak Up’ online or over the phone call the ‘Speak Up’ helpline on 0800 0971131, visit www.intouchfeedback.com/royalmail

We should all demonstrate:• efficiency and reliability; • honesty;• punctuality and good attendance; and

• a smart and clean appearance.

BehaviourBehaviour which damages service to customers, our reputation or efficiency is unacceptable. This includes lateness; poor attendance; dishonesty, drunkenness; using illegal substances; misusing psychoactive substances (legal highs); violent or disorderly behaviour; and abusive language.

Gambling is not allowed at work or on our premises. Employee clubs must keep to company rules.

Possessing, selling and using alcohol and illegal drugs at work are not allowed, nor is the misuse of psychoactive substances.

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Use of company funds and propertyWe expect you to protect our property and assets. Don’t use our assets for your personal benefit or the benefit of anyone other than the company. Make economic use of resources, avoiding waste and extravagance.

You must:• not claim money from the company for hours you did

not work;• not claim money for a journey you did not make;• not claim an expense you did not legitimately have

to pay; or

• not use inside information about a company transactionfor personal profit.

All the above are unacceptable and may be treated as gross misconduct, which could result in your dismissal. If theft or fraud is involved, we may prosecute.

ExampleAn employee claims expenses for their travel when they have to drive to other offices. They often add a few extra miles onto their claim so they can claim more money. This is fraud, for which action will be taken under the conduct policy. The employee may be prosecuted.


AppearanceAny non-permanent marks (temporary tattoos, henna tattoos and so on), badges, ribbons,jewellery, tattoos or ornaments (including items used in body piercing) that are offensive, indecent, a health-and-safety risk, or otherwise incompatible with the standards in this booklet should not be displayed on duty, or on company premises or property.

After reading this booklet, if you’re still not sure about the standards you should be following, speak to your manager or refer to the HR pages of the intranet.

For more information, see our business travel and expenses policy.

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Using computers, phones and email and protecting our valuable information

Information security requires a proactive approach to recognising and reporting lost, stolen and at-risk information. We need to stay vigilant for risks and incidents, and making the right people aware of them immediately. The faster you report, the faster Royal Mail Group can respond – working quickly to protect your work, the work of colleagues, our customer information, and our business.

Our Acceptable Use Policy helps employees understand their individual responsibilities for handling information and using the systems and

devices provided by Royal Mail. To support this, Think Secure – Royal Mail’s Information Security Awareness Programme – provides further support and guidance on creating, sharing, storing and disposing of information, social media, passwords, using the internet safely, cybercrime, reporting information security risks and incidents.

You are responsible for the information and equipment in your possession and you must be sure to protect them and keep to our policies at all times. You must not use our systems to do anything which is unlawful, or which breaks any of our business standards.

YOU are our best defence against information loss and cybercrime.

Royal Mail goes to great lengths to protect colleague, company and customer information. Our IT system that holds customer information has vast security mechanisms applied to protect it. However, technology only goes so far - our best defence against loss of information is our employees. It is everybody’s responsibility to safeguard information.

You must:• Protect information and handle confidential and

strictly confidential information in line with our policies, and not send it to anyone or anywhere not authorised to receive or view it

• Protect your IT equipment and not leave it unattended, unlocked, or insecure at any time

• Create strong passwords and do not let other people use your equipment or unique log-ins unless they are authorised to do so

• Log into Royal Mail accounts and systems through secure and private networks

• Only download approved software from RMG Technology and not download or modify our software unless you have authorisation to do so

• Comply with our business standards and not access, store, send or post anything indecent, pornographic, abusive or threatening to others; or

• Be social media wise - only post, publish or upload approved Royal Mail content and do not upload or post anything to the internet or social media on behalf of Royal Mail unless it’s part of your job. Do not share Royal Mail Group internal, confidential or strictly confidential information or information relating to our customers, partners or suppliers (that includes information relating to projects, technologies, devices or software)

• Report incidents immediately - if you spot anything strange or suspicious, report it to the IT Helpdesk, e.g. you lose any equipment, think your password or PIN may have been compromised, notice unusual computer or mobile device behaviour, receive requests for information from suspicious emails, instant messages, texts or phone calls

For advice or guidance on Information Security reach out to the Think Secure team at [email protected]


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Restrictions on photography and filmingFilming or photography on any Royal Mail Group site or Royal Mail Group operations could put the security of information and our business at risk.

You must not: • record, film or take photographs on our

premises, or in our vehicles, without first getting permission from the site manager or person in control; or

• film or distribute materials which could harm our commercial reputation, or cause offence to colleagues. This includes uploading photos or footage to social media sites.

For more information, see our acceptable use policy; information security; information classification; and data protection and privacy policies.

Preventing and reporting crimeWe all have a duty to guard against crime and to take care we don’t expose colleagues or company property to criminal activity.We all have a duty to challenge and report criminal behaviour or wrongdoing against the company or colleagues.

What if I witness a crime?You should report immediately if you:

• See a crime or wrongdoing in preparation or planning;

• See a crime being committed; or

• Are asked or coerced into becoming involved or turn a blind eye

To report a crime or security incident, report the facts to the Security Helpdesk. If you feel you want to remain anonymous, report the facts to our confidential Speak Up helpline without risk of reprisal.

We will always support you in reporting genuine criminal acts and incidents of wrongdoing.

ExampleA fraudster called one of our offices, falsely claiming there had been a gas leak at an address. They asked for the mail for the address to be held at the office. The fraudster then tried to collect the mail but colleagues were one step ahead. The team on duty delayed the fraudster while the police were called.

Confidential Security Helpdesk

Call: 020 7239 6655Email: [email protected]

For more information, see our security and Speak Up (whistleblowing) policies.


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Other useful contact points:

Bullying & Harassment Helpline 0800 587 4777

‘Speak Up’ (Whistleblowing) 0800 097 1131 Web: www.intouchfeedback.com/royalmail

Confidential Security Helpdesk 020 7239 6655 Email: [email protected]

Group Compliance & Ethics 020 7449 8302 Email: [email protected]

Corporate Responsibility Email: [email protected]

Just Say It Email: [email protected]

Rowland Hill Fund Our in-house charity offering financial support to colleagues, pensioners and their families facing challenging situations 0800 6888 77

Think Secure Email: [email protected]

IT Helpdesk 01246 282555

‘Speak Up’ (Whistleblowing)

‘Speak Up’ is for raising concerns which aren’t appropriate to raise through your manager, an independent manager or other helplines, for example, the bullying and harassment helpline, the security helpdesk or compliance helpdesk.

‘Speak Up’ is intended for raising concerns of serious malpractice, misconduct, or dishonest or illegal activity in the workplace. This includes things like, fraud, bribery, misreporting, the law being broken, human rights abuses, or regulations and practices that put people’s health and safety at risk.

The ‘Speak Up’ policy describes how you can raise genuine serious concerns about wrongdoing at the earliest possible stage and in the right way and without fear of retaliation.

We aim to do business with the highest standards of honesty and openness.

Contact the Speak Up helpline to raise concerns or visit the website.

Call: 0800 097 1131

Website: www.intouchfeedback.com/royalmail

Do the right thing‘Speak Up’ is our confidential whistleblowing helpline. It allows you to raise, in confidence and anonymously, reasonably held concerns about serious wrongdoing by contacting an independent service provider.

It’s your responsibilityWe all have a duty to guard against wrongdoing by taking care not to expose colleagues or company property to criminal activities or by failing to keep to the correct procedures. For more information see the Speak up policy.

If you are a manager, you can get HR advice by:

• calling the Royal Mail HR Services Advice Centre on 0345 606 0603.

• If you are a manager working for Parcelforce Worldwide, you should call 0345 604 2787.

Getting helpYour first point of support for this guide should be your manager.


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Royal Mail, the cruciform, Parcelforce Worldwide and the Parcelforce Worldwide logo are trade marks of Royal Mail Group Limited. © Royal Mail Group Limited [2020]. All rights reserved. Royal Mail Group Limited, registered in England and Wales, number 4138203, registered office: 100 Victoria Embankment, London, EC4Y 0HQ. Parcelforce

Worldwide is a trading name of Royal Mail Group Limited. Parcelforce Worldwide is a GLS network partner.

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