Resource Management Policy

All resources, human, physical and intellectual, are invested in the company and are to be respected and valued by all associated individuals.

Human Resources

With respect to personnel, MAEL is committed to effective management of its employees in order to achieve its business goals and ensure balance and alignment with personal needs.  It recognises good communication and personal integrity at all levels in the business as the key to this relationship.

 MAEL’s Board and Senior Officers will:

• comply with relevant employment legislation, regulation and government guidance and, where possible, relevant industry codes of practice;
• ensure that all individuals whether applicants to, or employees of, MAEL are afforded equality of opportunity (in accordance with the policy statement on equality of opportunity;
• provide effective communication and consultation arrangements at all levels within the business with individuals and/or their representatives (see communication procedures document);
• seek to ensure that competent people are recruited into our business at all levels in a timely fashion in line with the ‘right people, right place and right time’ principle (see safe recruitment procedure in the Equal Opportunities policy);
• provide a range of benefits to enhance the employment contract, to be dependent on MAEL’s current financial situation and staff performance;
• carry out annual individual reviews to improve job performance and identify and develop potential – to be carried out by the appropriate line manager;
• provide appropriate instruction and training to all employees to ensure effective work relationships are in place;
• regularly review the effectiveness of this policy and make it readily available to interested parties.

It is part of the human resources management responsibilities of the company that all employees are suitable for their position and that any potential or actual conflict of interest is declared, logged and ameliorated or obviated according to the circumstances, in accordance with the policy on conflict of interest.  All staff shall sign a declaration of non-conflict annually.  All senior officers shall sign the declaration of qualification (appendixed to their contract) before appointment.

Effective communication is essential to the effective operation of any organisation.  MAEL consists of 3 bodies together with the management team and communication within and between these groups shall, in all cases, be subject to the limitations and requirements of the company’s published policies.

Lines of communication should follow lines of responsibility.  It will be the overall responsibility of the MD to ensure that such lines are kept open.  Within the management team, a system of line management shall apply, as illustrated below.  Should any member of the team feel unable to discuss a matter with their immediate superior then they should go to that person’s superior.  In all cases, matters should be discussed verbally first, and if an answer or resolution is not forthcoming, put into writing.  Only after that should the complaints procedure be invoked.

Within the board of directors, all communications (apart from non-substantive matters) should be made within the context of the board meeting.  Any issue which might be perceived as confidential must be raised directly with the MD.  The structure is illustrated below.  The responsible person(s) for reporting to the regulator(s) will be a member of the board.

The Assessment Board is run in co-operation with the external verifier, and all communications with him/her are routed through the CE.

The teachers’ panel consists of a representative of each teaching centre together with the CEO ex officio.  The CE may attend, by invitation, in order to receive feedback and share appropriate information, e.g. if parts of the examination rubric have been misunderstood.  It is the CE’s responsibility to ensure that no confidential information is disclosed.  If any information about an assessment (which is not open access) is disclosed, then that assessment will be withdrawn and an equivalent alternative produced.

Physical Resources

With respect to physical resources, MAEL is committed to meeting all statutory health and safety regulations and to good housekeeping.   It recognises that the working environment is a vital component of good staff relationships and effective working.

MAEL’s Board and Managers will:

• meet statutory regulations with respect to employment and insurance law; ensure building and accessibility regulations are complied with;
• ensure that any pest control issues are dealt with promptly by qualified persons;
• keep complete documentation of all matters relating to hygiene, pollution, compliance and licences;
• oversee compliance with legal requirements for health and safety measures e.g. risk assessment procedures, preventative measures;
• oversee environmental management; being aware of regulations for storage of supplies e.g. Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH);
• ensure appropriate liaison with local and regulatory authorities e.g. Health and Safety Executive Inspectorate, environmental health officer, fire officer.

These duties to be undertaken by the Company Secretary, who will report to the MD not less than one week before each director’s board meeting.

Changes in ownership

 Ownership of the company is held by the shareholders and any change in ownership must involve:

• Ensuring that all involved personnel and organisations do not have any adverse effect (as defined in the relevant policy) – to be achieved by notifying the new ownership of potential adverse effects and requiring an action plan of them to obviate those risks.
• Protecting the interests of adult learners via a detailed plan of action governing the change-over – to be prepared by the MD in conjunction with the new owners.
• Notifying all relevant regulatory organisations of the impending change, and its plan for implementation – to be undertaken by the MD a soon as the change becomes likely and when completed.

A change shall be deemed to occur if individuals who were not previously in control of the majority of the shares acquire such control, or the company merges with another organisation.  The Corporation Tax Act 2010 (section 450 (sub-sections 2, 3 & 4) shall apply for the purpose of determining if any person or corporation had or has control of the company

All regulatory bodies (including Ofqual) must be notified immediately in writing by the MD if it is apparent that one of the following is likely:

• Any change of ownership or of control (including a merger with another body)
• Any insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings
• A material change in the company’s legal status
• A material change in the company’s governance

Together with the notification, due consideration to the possibility of adverse effects and how to mitigate them will be included.  Such notification is not to be delayed if the available information is only partial.  The regulator must be advised and then updated.

 The MD will regularly review the current state of the available resources, and a report will be a standard item on the agenda of each director’s board meeting.

date of last review: 04.06.2016