PUBLIC SECTOR - Arco

Arco CorporateSocial ResponsibilityArco ServiceArco in the CommunityAt Arco we are dedicated to our Corporate SocialResponsibility programme and continually demonstratethis by supporting local communities and charities,donating in excess of 1% of pre-tax profits annually.We formed the Arco Group Charity Committee in 2003to lend a formal structure to our socially responsibleinitiatives. We support employees who are involved withtheir local charities or community groups, matchingindividual funds raised.We take an immense amount of pride in how active ourpeople are socially and the positive impact they havefor causes within their communities. As a business wesupport their endeavours – giving every member of stafftwo days paid time off for volunteering each year.Supply Chain ManagementWe have put many initiatives and processes in place toensure that we trade in a way that upholds our core values.We were the first distributor to become members of ETI andhave progressed to chair the General Merchandise CaucusGroup which helps to shape ETI policies and priorities. Wefully subscribe to the ETI Base Code and have incorporatedthis internationally recognised code of labour practice into ourown Ethical Policy.• Employment is freely chosen• Freedom of association and the right to collectivebargaining are respected• Working conditions are safe and hygienic• Child labour shall not be used• Living wages are paid• Working hours are not excessive• No discrimination is practised• Regular employment is provided• No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowedIn 2010 we became a member of Sedex, the SupplierEthical Data Exchange, a not for profit membershiporganisation dedicated to driving improvements inresponsible and ethical business practices in global supplychains. Being an ‘AB Member’ allows us to share ethicalcompany information in one place. We can also view oursupplier’s data so that we can ensure they meet the highstandards we work to.Fairtrade works to ensure a better deal for Third WorldProducers. The FAIRTRADE mark ensures small-scalecotton farmers in the developing world receive a betterdeal. Arco is proud to support this initiative and offersa range of cotton T-shirts and polo shirts within ourworkwear offer.Environmental ResponsibilityEnvironmental sustainability is also really important tous and we have a number of ongoing projects to helpus achieve our goals. These include initiatives to makeproduct packaging improvements as well as waste andenergy management schemes. For example 99% ofpackaging waste at the NDC is sent for recycling.The Arco National DistributionCentre (NDC)Our National Distribution Centre is a landmark in Hull; it is ahuge 200,000 square foot facility. The building won awardsfor its innovative design as it is externally supportedthrough the structure in order to eliminate internal columnsand thereby maximise space. The NDC opened in 2000and was further extended to double its size in 2005 as akey part of the Supply Chain Project that centralised Arco’sbulk stockholding. The building has 14,600 bulk storagepallet locations which is the equivalent to 561 lorry trailers.We hold approximately 18,000 SKUs in stock and theNDC receives up to 100 vehicles a day at goods receipt,including three 40 foot containers.The NDC operates 24 hours a day, five days a week.Two different teams work within the NDC; the day shiftpick, pack and send out orders and the night shift workthrough the night to replenish the stocks to ensure thereare products on the shelves. The NDC manages deliveriesto customers and Arco Trade Counters; over 16,000 orderlines per day are processed and on average 7,000 parcelsand 250 pallets are dispatched on a daily basis.The Arco Clothing Centre (ACC)In order to provide a fully integrated service to our customerswe have created our own state-ot-the-art Arco ClothingCentre (ACC) in Preston, the largest of its kind in the UK.This innovative approach ensures consistency of service anda fast track (next day) option. You can use our embroideryand badging service to brand workwear worn by youremployees, suppliers and customers. We decorate a widerange of clothing and accessories and can embroider poloshirts, T-shirts, fleeces, coveralls and caps. We can also heatseal hi-vis garments. Quality Assurance checks and highquality products are thorough and there is a returns rate ofonly 0.05%.e-Procurement and Systems IntegrationArco work with a number of e-procurement platforms andsystems including Oracle iProcurement, ProcServe, IDeA,ScienceWarehouse, Ariba and Sciquest. As standard,Arco offers hosted catalogues or Punch-out (cXML or OCI)alongside order and invoice integration using cXML. Otherformats and methods of connectivity such as EDI (Tradacoms,EDIFACT etc) are available by separate negotiation.Staying safe has never been easier. Order online, bytelephone, email, fax or post, whichever is convenient foryou. We offer a range of delivery services including sameday, next day or day one for day three; even a bespokeon site delivery service can be arranged. We also have aClick & Collect service which allows you to order a productonline and collect from a trade counter closest to you,sometimes up to an hour after ordering!3www.arco.co.uk4