Fruugo’s mission is to enable any retailer to sell anything to anyone, anywhere.
The businesses that use our technology platform and services are able to access global demand for their products, and the shoppers that buy through our marketplaces are able to access global in-stock products and global prices.
Fruugo supports the UN Sustainable Development Agenda, including the need for net zero carbon emissions prior to 2050. We strive to ensure that our activity sustains the long term growth of our customers, our company and our planet. By providing an efficient and effective service to sellers all over the world, we sustain them and the jobs and wealth they create. We support sustainable working practices that are equitable, fair and inclusive in our own business and throughout our supply chain.
Environmental
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
We recognise the urgent need to combat climate change and to minimise its impact. During 2023 we are working with ‘Watershed’, a business that specialises in GHG measurement, reporting and reduction, to measure the scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions resulting from our business activities, and before the end of that year will create specific and measurable carbon reduction targets. Subsequently we will develop an action plan to reduce scope 3 emissions resulting from the shipping and transportation of the items bought via our platform.
Use of renewal energy
The vast majority of the power consumption our business is responsible for occurs at the data centres that house our technology platform. The data centres used by Fruugo are powered by 100% renewable energy, which will continue to be an important factor in our selection of data centre partners. During 2023 we will measure our “energy intensity”, a measure of the power consumption required per transaction on our platform, and create an action plan to reduce this over time.
Minimisation of waste
We abhor waste and seek to eliminate it from every aspect of our business. We monitor the proportion of orders sent by our sellers that are returned, and take action where necessary to either reduce the returns ratio to an acceptable level, or remove that seller from our platform.
Since early in 2020, over 90% of the work undertaken by Fruugo people is done from home, minimising the time and resources wasted by commuting to offices. Our “remote-first” work culture helps us ensure our people have a sustainable work/life balance while contributing to our goal of minimising the impact our business has on the environment.
Fairness
Fruugo insists that our customers, retailers and Fruugo team are treated fairly and with mutual respect.
We provide sellers with clear guidance on the service levels and policies that they are required to support and comply with. Similarly we require that Customers treat sellers fairly. Our Customer Services Team and our Seller Support team work to ensure that trading on Fruugo’s marketplaces is conducted fairly.
We treat our suppliers fairly and professionally, ensuring that they are always paid on time, and respect the rights of all relevant third parties.
Data Security and Privacy
Fruugo respects individual privacy rights and the need to protect personal information provided to it. Fruugo’s use of personal data, and by the third parties with which it works, are governed by Fruugo’s Privacy Policy which is managed by Fruugo’s Data Protection Officer. Fruugo supports privacy centric marketing and provides users with options that control its use of cookies and similar technologies.
Intellectual Property protection
Fruugo does not tolerate the sale of counterfeit goods or the unauthorised use of third party intellectual property. The sellers that Fruugo is acting as the disclosed agent for attest that the items they offer for sale comply with this policy. Where it is necessary to do so, Fruugo cooperates with and acts swiftly to protect the rights of third parties, as described in its legal policy which provides the mechanisms by which intellectual property owners can address issues with any listings on the Fruugo platform.
Board composition and Committee structure
The board of directors of Fruugo believe that sustainable success requires openness, honesty, integrity and trust and is committed to the effective application of policies that reflect our strong commitment to our shareholders, marketplace participants and employees. We are committed to exercising the highest level of ethical standards in everything we do.
The Fruugo Board currently comprises four executive directors, one of whom is also the Chairman, two independent non-executive directors and two non-independent non-executive directors, one of whom is the Deputy Chairman and Senior Non-Executive Director.
The Board exists to provide high quality and experienced corporate governance that ensures effective decision-making amidst high levels of uncertainty in the external environment. The Board supports and operates to the standards described in the QCA Corporate Governance Code (2018). The Board has a strong long term track record of effective governance that has allowed the Company to continue to make critical business decisions which promote the long-term success of the Company. It maintains a delegated authority matrix to determine what decisions can be made by the executive directors, and what decisions need to be made by the full board.
The Board meets ten times a year to review all aspects of business performance and policies. The work of the Board is supported by two sub-committees: the Remuneration Committee and the Audit, Risk & ESG Committee.
Social
Consumer Safety and Responsible Marketing
All products listed for sale on the Fruugo platform by sellers must be authentic, well described, fit the described purpose and compatible with local regulations in each country in which the seller specifies they wish their products to be sold. Fruugo removes any products it finds that contravene these policies and, where appropriate, removes non-compliant sellers from its platform.
Modern Slavery and Human Rights statement
The advertising Fruugo conducts for the products on its platform use the descriptions provided to it by sellers, which are required to be original content that does not infringe any third party intellectual property. Where this is found not to be the case, items, and where appropriate sellers, are removed from the Fruugo platform. The algorithms Fruugo uses to determine which items are advertised in which geographies use the following elements in combination: product description and relevance to consumer search queries; product pricing; shipping pricing, delivery timing and historic performance; the fee paid by sellers to Fruugo, and historic seller sales performance,
Fruugo supports privacy centric marketing and provides appropriate consumer data protection and consent mechanisms in all relevant jurisdictions. Among other things, our Privacy Policy covers the user information that Fruugo collects or receives, the choices and control that a user has in relation to this data including based on type and sensitivity by region and worldwide, the purpose for which Fruugo uses such information (including first and third party advertising purposes), our policies relating to our usage and sharing within Fruugo, its affiliates and third party partners, disclosures about third party partner privacy policy and options, and user controls for sharing and controlling such information with third parties.
Employee Welfare
Fruugo’s has various health and safety policies to ensure that the company’s staff work in a safe environment, fully complying with both the letter and intent of all applicable health & safety legislation. The company provides and maintains safe and healthy conditions, equipment and systems of work for all employees and follows a policy of continual improvement of the health, safety and welfare of its employees through consultation, monitoring and review.
Fruugo conducts anonymised, employee satisfaction and feedback surveys using independent third parties at least once per year, with results reviewed by the Senior Management Team and Board. Fruugo also has clear policy and guidelines in place for its employees to raise any concerns of suspected wrongdoing or dangers at work, including access to third-party independent specialists.
Diversity & Inclusion policy
Fruugo believes that its long term success relies on providing a working environment and culture that is diverse, equitable and inclusive.
Equality is about treating people fairly, impartially and without bias and so Fruugo creates conditions in the workplace that encourage and value diversity and promote dignity and inclusion. Fruugo is committed to ensuring that policies, strategies, processes and behaviours that promote equality and contribute to an inclusive organisational culture are in place. We recognise the value that diversity brings and are working to ensure our workforce is representative of all sections of society and for each employee to work in a culture where they feel respected, able to be themselves and to give their best.
Fruugo opposes, avoids and eliminates all forms of unlawful discrimination, such as on the grounds of ethnicity, religious belief, sexual orientation, gender, age, or any form of disability. Fruugo has appointed “diversity champions” to monitor and provide advice to the business on the practical application of our diversity and inclusion policies.
Support of local community and small business entrepreneurship
Fruugo has built a substantial, global marketplace while based in Cumbria in the north west of England, demonstrating that innovation and entrepreneurship can thrive outside of traditional ‘technology’ and ‘new business hot spots’ in major cities. As our business grows we have retained a strong commitment to providing high quality employment in regions of the United Kingdom where such opportunities are often in short supply.
Much of the growth of the business has occurred during and since the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to Spring 2020 Fruugo was already an ‘agile’ business, using a mixture of office based and fully digital working practices. When lockdowns began, migrating to a fully remote workforce came easily. Continued use of remote working practices, supported with digital collaboration technology, have reduced the need for Fruugo to be geographically constrained when hiring. Consequently we now have a national workforce, most of whom work entirely remotely, many of which are based in “far flung” parts of the British isles. We have embraced this ‘modern’ way of working, enjoying the flexibility it provides our business. As well as having a positive impact on our carbon emissions through minimal commuting, our regular staff surveys tell us that our people love this way of working, that it is a good fit with our culture and that, by providing an attractive work/life balance, they are more productive. We are confident that this model is sustainable, practical and efficient and provides the business with competitive advantage.
Fruugo allows businesses of any size to reach a global audience for their products. By making cross-border eCommerce practical and accessible to businesses that otherwise would be unable to use internationalisation as a viable channel to market, Fruugo allows small businesses to reach a vast audience, protecting jobs and creating wealth. We are committed to supporting the businesses that use our services to thrive and to realise the enormous potential for sales growth that global product marketing represents.
Society is still failing too many children from disadvantaged backgrounds. When the foundations are right for disadvantaged pupils, every young person can have the opportunities they deserve in life. Consequently, Fruugo works with and financially sponsors, the Teach First charity in the UK in order to get great teachers and leaders into the schools that need them most.
In addition to financial sponsorship Fruugo staff deliver lessons to disadvantaged pupils focusing on career paths and giving insights into our particular industry, including: