News and Updates

Arco has signed up to the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) and has secured a bronze award - the first step in the fifth-generation family business' ambition of becoming a gold award employer.

The bronze award, which also covers Arco Professional Safety Services, was bestowed on Arco after the safety product and services business formally pledged its support for the armed forces by becoming a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant and agreeing to support existing or prospective employees who are members of the community.

Joining the ERS, demonstrates Arco's commitment to being armed forces-friendly and being open to employing reservists, armed forces veterans (including the wounded, injured and sick), cadet instructors and military spouses/partners.

Arco recognise the skills, expertise and dedication gained from working within the defence sector are highly transferable to key roles across the business, such as working at height and confined space instructors, fall protection engineer, and respiratory specialists, as well as roles across Arco's support functions.

Jonathan Simmons, Talent Acquisition Manager at Arco, said:

"As a family-business, with a core purpose of keeping people safe at work, Arco is delighted to strengthen its relationship with the armed forces community and promote the business as a great place to work to those who have served or are serving our country.

"This award is just the start of our relationship with the ERS and forms part of a wider strategy to promote the variety of career opportunities available at Arco to as wide a pool of talent as possible."

The ERS encompasses bronze, silver and gold awards for employer organisations that pledge, demonstrate or advocate support to defence and the armed forces community, and align their values with the Armed Forces Covenant.

The ERS is designed primarily to recognise private sector support although public sector organisations, such as the emergency services, local authorities, NHS trusts and executive agencies are also eligible to be recognised.

In 2020, Arco provided testimony to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Respiratory Health and its investigation into the dangers of exposure to silica. The initial report - Silica - The Next Asbestos - published that year, cited Arco's evidence in the report findings.

A follow up report, published, 10th January 2023, goes further in looking at risk reduction strategies that can play a key role in decreasing exposure and ill health, reducing the burden on healthcare services and helping to save lives.

Once again, the APPG engaged with leading organisations and industry experts, who provided evidence on better prevention, revisiting key issues identified in the initial inquiry. Arco submitted evidence for the new report and has been cited in key areas of the findings.

Arco recommended that the most effective ways of reducing exposure can be achieved by following the hierarchy of control, eliminating, substituting, isolating or introducing engineering controls to extract crystalline silica from the manufacturing and construction process. Arco also stated that dust monitoring is vital, referencing advances in technology that provide real-time exposure level monitoring. Arco believes that without real-time monitoring, it is impossible to prove that exposure levels are within the Worker Exposure Levels (WEL).

Arco fully supports the inquiry's recommendations, particularly increasing education and awareness of the risk of exposure to silica dust through compulsory modules in construction industry apprenticeship training and further education courses and making use of the latest technology for real-time monitoring.

Kevin Williams, Respiratory Manager at Arco, said:

"We all know that respiratory illness can cause serious health problems, disability and even death to those exposed unnecessarily to risks, such as silica dust. We also know that these risks are often preventable and we are pleased to have contributed to the work of the APPG on Respiratory Health in this follow up report. We urge the Government to act on the findings so that we can work together with our industry partners and regulators to help reduce the risks for those working in some of our most critical industries."

Read a copy of the report here.

Further information on how to protect workers against silicosis can be found here.

Colleagues from across Arco have been volunteering their time in support of several environmental projects and initiatives. As a responsible choice of safety partner, Arco gives each colleague an extra two days of paid leave every year to give back to the things that matter to them - including protecting and enhancing the natural world.

Recently, two groups of colleagues adorned their gardening gloves and work boots to help the planet.

Alice Marren, Learning and Development Partner, was joined by colleagues Andy Hirst, Katie Train, Tracey Jackson, Emma Willison and Liz Farr for a day of tree planting at the PATT Foundation (Plant-A-Tree-Today) Centre in Hull.

Alice said:

"The PATT Foundation is an incredible environmental conservation organisation that is on a mission to save the planet, one tree at a time. They are relatively new to the Hull area, meaning the site they currently occupy is needing quite a bit of work to try and get it running more efficiently. We were delighted to be able to help and get to know one another better in the process."

The PATT Foundation not only plants trees, but also educates communities on sustainable forestry and the environment.

Steven Summerscales, Regional Sales Manager, and the Yorkshire and East Midlands Sales Team, also decided to help the organisation by planting some saplings.

Steven said:

"We chose to volunteer with them as it was a wonderful opportunity to support their 'One Hull of a Forest' scheme. We were able to plant over 1,000 saplings throughout the day which will now be safe inside greenhouses until their final planting next year."

Arco has been awarded a gold medal by EcoVadis, the world's largest and most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings.

The gold award sees Arco improve on the silver rating it has held in previous years, with the fifth-generation family business improving its scores in areas like the environment, by improving energy performance reporting and setting of carbon reduction targets, as well as labor and human rights and sustainable procurement.

The gold rating puts Arco in the top 5% of the 100,000 plus rated companies assessed by EcoVadis. In addition, Arco was also recognised as an industry leader, overall, by making the top 2% of companies rated by EcoVadis in its industry sector, as well as in the areas of sustainable procurement (top 1%) and environment (top 2%).

Jim Harbidge, Head of Sustainability at Arco, said:

"As a responsible choice of safety partner, Arco is very proud to have secured a gold medal from EcoVadis and that our efforts to continuously improve in sustainability and ethical performance have been recognised.

"As a business, we are always striving to be the best at what we do, to lead in our industry and in the family business sector.

"We will continue to take steps to achieve our ambition of being a platinum-rated business in the future, including increasing our alignment to external standards and accreditations, such setting science-based targets, and further improving our reporting to stakeholders."

The EcoVadis methodology framework assesses companies' policies and actions as well as their published reporting related to the environment, labor and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement.

Its team of international sustainability experts analyse and cross check companies' data (supporting documents, 360° Watch Findings, etc.) in order to create reliable ratings, taking into account each company's industry, size and geographic location.

Arco is donating IT equipment and sharing the expertise of its colleagues as part of a new employer-led project to mentor students at Ron Dearing UTC and offer them 'hands on' learning in cyber security.

Following an upgrade of systems across its network of safety stores, Arco will be donating several of its firewall units and a number of network switches to allow the students to learn using real-world technology.

In addition to the equipment, two Arco colleagues, Josh Thorpe, Cyber Security Analyst, and James Swinburne, Apprentice Cyber Security Analyst, both former pupils of Ron Dearing UTC, will be delivering presentations as well as mentoring students as part of the project.

Richard Martin, Arco Non-Executive Director and Chair of Governors at Ron Dearing UTC, said:

"As one of the college's employer partners, Arco is proud to be working with Ron Dearing on this exciting project, which will be the first of many of its type, to inspire the next generation of cyber security experts.

"At Arco, we specialise in health and safety and many lessons carry over well to cyber security, such as the need for appropriate protection, training and compliance.

"By providing a hands-on learning experience, we aim to nurture the students understanding of cyber security and develop the skills required to help promote cyber security as a potential career."

Mike Hudson, Cyber Security Manager at Arco, said:

"Arco has an excellent relationship with the students and staff at Ron Dearing UTC and this project will strengthen that partnership even further.

"It is exciting that we can involve Josh and James, as former students of Ron Dearing, in this project and help demonstrate clearly how their education at Ron Dearing has supported them in starting and developing their careers at Arco."

Glenn Jensen, Senior Assistant Principal – Employer Engagement at Ron Dearing UTC, said:

"This is an amazing project led by our very own alumni at Arco.

"The project will enable our computer science students to apply their skills to a real-world cyber security scenario with the guidance of industry professionals. This is another excellent example of world class employer-led learning."