Communication on Progress

Communication on Progress

Participant
Published
  • 01-May-2014
Time period
  • May 2013  –  May 2014
Format
  • Stand alone document – Basic COP Template
Differentiation Level
  • This COP qualifies for the Global Compact Active level
Self-assessment
  • Includes a CEO statement of continued support for the UN Global Compact and its ten principles
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Human Rights
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Labour
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Environment
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Anti-Corruption
  • Includes a measurement of outcomes
 
  • Statement of continued support by the Chief Executive Officer

  • Statement of the company's chief executive (CEO or equivalent) expressing continued support for the Global Compact and renewing the company's ongoing commitment to the initiative and its principles.

  • May 1, 2014

    Argus Research is proud to be a continued supporter and signer of the United Nations Global Compact. Founded in 1934, we are a small independent economic and stock research company. Though our reach is not large, we support the Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact in the areas of Human Rights, Labor, Environment and Anti-Corruption in our daily business practices.

    Sincerely yours,

    John M. Eade
    CEO
    Argus Research Group

Human Rights
  • Assessment, policy and goals

  • Description of the relevance of human rights for the company (i.e. human rights risk-assessment). Description of policies, public commitments and company goals on Human Rights.

  • Argus adheres to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

  • Implementation

  • Description of concrete actions to implement Human Rights policies, address Human Rights risks and respond to Human Rights violations.

  • Argus operates in the United States and the United Kingdom. Both offices follow the Ten Principles of the Global Compact.

  • Measurement of outcomes

  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates performance.

  • We have had no violations.

Labour
  • Assessment, policy and goals

  • Description of the relevance of labour rights for the company (i.e. labour rights-related risks and opportunities). Description of written policies, public commitments and company goals on labour rights.

  • Argus provides, and always has provided, equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national or ethnic origin, age, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or the presence of handicaps or disabilities. Each of us – Officers, Managers, Supervisors and Employees – are responsible for creating an atmosphere free of discrimination and harassment on any basis including race, color, religion, creed, gender, national or ethnic origin, age, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or the presence of handicaps or disabilities. Each of us is responsible for respecting the rights of co-workers.

  • Implementation

  • Description of concrete actions taken by the company to implement labour policies, address labour risks and respond to labour violations.

  • Our policies are documented in our personnel manual and distributed to all employees.

  • Measurement of outcomes

  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates performance.

  • The employee breakdown is as follows:

    Total number of employees: 65

    Race Breakdown:
    Caucasion: 77%, Other: 23%

    Gender Breakdown:
    Male: 57%, Female: 43%

    Age Breakdown:
    20-40: 21%, 41-60: 62%, 61-90: 17%

Environment
  • Assessment, policy and goals

  • Description of the relevance of environmental protection for the company (i.e. environmental risks and opportunities). Description of policies, public commitments and company goals on environmental protection.

  • As a financial services firm our environmental impact is small. However we strive to reduce use of paper and printing.

  • Implementation

  • Description of concrete actions to implement environmental policies, address environmental risks and respond to environmental incidents.

  • Most of our research is now distributed electronically rather than in hard copy; last year one of our divisions entirely eliminated the production of paper reports. This same division is now virtual and composed solely of telecommuters. Further, we have moved multiple office based server farms to a single co-location facility, thereby reducing our energy consumption significantly.

  • Measurement of outcomes

  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates environmental performance.

  • We successfully met our goals.

Anti-Corruption
  • Assessment, policy and goals

  • Description of the relevance of anti-corruption for the company (i.e. anti-corruption risk-assessment). Description of policies, public commitments and company goals on anti-corruption.

  • Argus believes in and supports the Global Compact Anti-Corruption principle.

  • Implementation

  • Description of concrete actions to implement anti-corruption policies, address anti-corruption risks and respond to incidents.

  • As a purveyor of independent stock research Argus employees must adhere to a strict set of rules detailed in our compliance manual.

  • Measurement of outcomes

  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates anti-corruption performance.

  • We had no incidences of bribery or other ethical breaches.