EireChrom - Sustainability Report 2015

Sustainability Report

2015

innovative scienti�c solutions

| Statement Of IntentThe EireChrom brand is synonymous with the highest standards of integrity, service and quality. We recognize that

our business is as good as the sum of our people, and do everything to create a great workplace, where staff is

suitably rewarded for their work. Our customers expect us to operate to the highest technical standards, but also in a

fair and transparent manner.

Our priorities for 2016 include implementing ISO 9001, fully integrating the website with HubSpot/ SalesForce/

MailChimp/Magento, fundraising for the Irish Guide Dogs event, ‘To Hell and Back’, and opening the Applications and

Research and development Laboratory.

Our priorities for the next three years include implementing an Environmental Management System (ISO14001

or similar), assessing new products for manufacture using Life Cycle Analysis techniques, using a Total Cost of

Ownership (TCO) analysis when purchasing new equipment and fleet cars, continually striving for excellence and

targeting key awards to validate our business excellence, applying for the Excellence Through People award, and

providing further employment by increasing the workforce to 20 people by 2019.

| Message From The Managing Director

EireChrom has grown rapidly to become Ireland’s recognised

market leader in the highly specialised area of mass

spectrometry - an advanced separations science technique

that has both quantitative and qualitative uses within the

chemical analysis and life science sectors.

We are trusted partners to some of Ireland’s largest public

and private sector organisations. Our anti-bribery and

corruption policies are recognised as best-in-class. We care

about our communities and have particular causes that are

close to our heart.

We strive for excellence and we are proud to have many

accolades under our belt, the latest of which is Outstanding

Small Business in Ireland Award 2016, awarded by the Small

Firms Association.

PJ MoloneyManaging Director

Sustainability Report 2015Introduction Community Environment Workplace Marketplace

Introduction

| What We DoEireChrom provides end-to-end mass spectrometry solutions and is the market leader in Ireland. It is an

advanced separations science technique that has uses within the chemical analysis and life sciences sectors.

We provide bespoke client solutions, delivered by highly qualified industry experts.

Our services include chromatography, column and chemistries, mass spectrometry, method development,

sample preparation, training and consultancy, and research and development. The markets we serve include

bio-pharmaceuticals, the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, clinical diagnostics, drug discovery and

development, environmental testing, food and beverage testing, and forensic toxicology.

We are proud of our achievements, which include winning the following: 2016 SFA award for Outstanding Small

Business in Ireland, SCIEX – Highest Growth Country in EMEAI 2015, IE Domain Optimise Fund in 2015, Little

Island Business Association 2015 in the area of innovation/R&D, finalist in Irish Laboratory Awards 2016, finalist

in Cork Chamber Company of the Year Award 2016, finalist in the 2015 Pharma Industry Awards, and proud

client company of Enterprise Ireland.

| Contact Details:Questum Innovation Centre,

Ballingarrane,

Clonmel,

Co. Tipperary

Unit 1201,

Building 1000,

City Gate,

Mahon, Co. Cork

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.eirechrom.ie

Tel No: +353 (0) 21 240 9033

| How We Do ItOur Vision

Our vision is to be a market leader in mass spectrometry solutions in Ireland by focusing on

growing our business into Western Europe.

Our Mission

We will achieve this by:

• Partnering with leading technology

companies

• Providing bespoke client solutions

to both public and private sector

organisations

• Nurturing an excellent workplace

• Investing in research with academia

• Being the only Irish company

offering services provided by our

training academy

Our Values

• Specialist: Highly qualified staff, understanding the end

clients’ needs is paramount in our business model

• Reliable: EireChrom insist on a ‘Right First Time Approach’

• Innovative: Driving change in industry by correct Processes

& a QbD approach

• Professional: Listening to our end clients’ needs, and

always striving to be best in class

• Integrity: We follow only best business practices

in how we conduct our business

practices

| Irish Guide DogsWe have chosen the Irish Guide Dogs as our main charity partner, and are

looking at building a long term relationship with them. We are delighted to

have entered into a five year relationship under the Sponsor a Puppy Campaign,

where we sponsor ‘Olympia’ This relationship was sparked from the realisation

of how a visual disability can cause huge life changes after a friend of the MD’s

became blind due to the eye disorder, glaucoma. In the past we have fundraised

through Golf Classics.

| Science WeekScience Week promotes the relevance of science, technology, engineering and maths in our everyday lives and

demonstrates their importance to the future development of Irish society and to the economy. Science week aligns

with our business and we are very active around this event.

We have previously hosted the European MASStastic Voyage mobile lab, which is relevant for anyone involved in

food safety testing, drug discovery and development, clinical research, environmental analysis and biomedical

research. Various seminars provided information about new technologies, new techniques, useful tips and improved

methodologies to enhance analytical workflows.

The MASStastic Voyage was the most talked about activity happening in the mass spectrometry industry in Europe in

early 2013, and feedback was extremely positive.

Introduction Community Environment Workplace Marketplace

Community

In 2016 we are participating in the ‘Hell and Back’ event and have set a fundraising target of €15,000. This is Ireland’s

toughest mental and physical endurance challenge - an obstacle course run, over a 15km trail route crossing rivers

and lakes, climbing hills and mountains and crawling through bogs and swamps. We are supporting and advocating

for the cause through our various communication channels, in particular on social media.

| Providing regional employment opportunitiesWe provide attractive employment opportunities for technical experts and office administrators at our sites in

Tipperary and Cork. We aim to grow in the next few years to a team of 20 people. These employment opportunities

will help support social issues, particularly youth unemployment and rural unemployment.

| InternshipsWe offer internships for students who are not native English speakers to improve

their business/technical language skills. This provides the participants with valuable work

experience to build their CVs. Students are keen to return for a second term and are potential

candidates for future positions within the company.

| Community EngagementWe recognise that small businesses can play a vital role in our community. As the company grows, we are keen to

develop good relationships with our community. In Cork, our main engagement is through the Irish Guide Dogs. We

are open to any dialogue with the community around issues that may concern or interest them.

| Academic LinksOne of the key pillars of our continual improvement under ISO9001 is to engage with academia in research

and development. We deal with many stakeholders like Local Enterprise Offices, Enterprise Ireland and Science

Foundation of Ireland to grow the career path of academics while looking at product development.

EireChrom has a very strong affiliation with academic institutes and universities within the Republic and Northern

Ireland. We encourage career development at EireChrom by engaging with academia to foster internships and work

placement in our fast-growing business.

Through the Irish Research Council; Marie Curie and Science Foundation of Ireland Fellowships, EireChrom will

strengthen its Irish and European presence with the best graduates in the market.

Sustainability Report 2015

| Reducing Fuel ConsumptionWe choose our fleet cars based on their efficiency. In the future, we plan to assess the Life Cycle Cost of all vehicles

to ensure we make decisions that are both financially and environmentally advantageous. In the long term, we are

keeping a close eye on the electric car market for suitable fleet cars.

EireChrom has adopted the SYNX Tracker in current company vehicles which tracks, collects and uses data to ensure

the vehicles are running at maximum efficiency and safety. This system gives us visibility on what fuel is used and

maintenance records allowing us to reduce costs as well as improving the environmental performance.

Driver behaviour is one very important way to improve fuel efficiency using the SYNX Tracker. Driving style is

measured by logging events such as speeding, harsh braking and rapid acceleration and idling - all these events

affect fuel efficiency. It also has a side benefit of reducing the paperwork needed to track this information offline!

More savings on paper and time.

| Improving Energy EfficiencyAs our business is relatively new, the facilities in which we operate have been built with energy efficiency in mind. We

have sensor lighting where appropriate and have LED lighting for low energy consumption. Printing requirements are

minimised, but where it is necessary we always print double sided.

We are currently consulting with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland to identify the best options for our new

research and development and manufacturing labs.

We use Radisson Blu Hotels for conferences/ meetings outside our two office locations, as they take many actions to

reduce energy and water consumption and to minimise waste generation. All Radisson Blu Hotels in Ireland have a

green hospitality award. There are also Radisson Blu Special Blu eco-initiatives for events. These include measuring

our carbon footprint, carbon offsetting options and facilities to support paperless meetings.

| Product DesignWe are currently at the planning stage for our new products and associated manufacturing processes. During the

design phase, we will consider the processes, materials and consumables.

We plan to investigate Design for the Environment (DfE) strategies and techniques to ensure that we have considered

our materials appropriately, how they are used, production techniques and our distribution system.

We will also consider the impact of our products during it use and end of life. This will allow us to assess the products

and processes using a life cycle approach and to ensure environmental impact is considered throughout.


Environment



Workplace

| A Great WorkplaceWe aim to treat everyone fairly and create a great place

to work. We have a zero tolerance on issues such as

bullying, and have a strong policy around this. We are

members of the Small Firms Association (SFA) and work

with them to develop our employee handbook and HR

policies.

In the future, we aim to look for external validation

of this through the Excellence Through People

programme. This is a standard for human resource

management accredited by NSAI. It is also a business

improvement model that will allow us to enhance

performance and realise strategies through the

management and development of our people.

| Employee Benefits PackageA competitive salary is paid to appropriately qualified

employees. A company car is provided to those who

need it for their work. We believe in protecting our

employees and their immediate families from any

unforeseen accidents/incidents inside or outside of the

EireChrom working environment.

We work with ARACHAS to provide healthcare cover

for employees and an appropriate package for pension

contributions and life assurance. We ensure our

employees meet with ARACHAS in advance of any

contracts or promotions, ensuring best practice in an

SME.

| Employee Training and DevelopmentCareer development is important to us and all

employees. As a start-up company on a rapid growth

path, there is potential for a wide range of opportunities

for new and existing employees.

Our employees always come first. We ensure that

they have the correct skillset for the job function and

regular training and refresher courses are encouraged

to ensure best practice. We are advocates of highly

skilled/qualified personnel and will contribute to Back

to Education or evening study where requested.

We have a quarterly review cycle to assess areas of

opportunity for employee development. Resources

are available to provide training where appropriate

to business needs. We use HR Locker for tracking

continuous professional development and compliance

training.

| Innovative RecruitmentWe found that traditional CVs were not fulfilling our

needs for recruitment purposes. We now work with

LeanUnlimited, who are experts on organisational

behaviours, to assess potential candidates and identify

the right employees to align with our business vision

and values. This helps us to identify the competencies

and skillsets we want from our staff.

Managing Director PJ Moloney offers full transparency

and visibility around his own six month behaviour review

by sharing it on staff whiteboards.

| Health and SafetyHealth and safety is a very important factor in

our industry. We ensure our industry experts are

appropriately trained in our laboratory methods which

complement our Good Manufacturing Practices and

(GMP) and Good Laboratory Practices (GLP). First aid

training is provided for employees keen to get involved.

We have the first EXPLORIS® lab in Ireland, which

provides enhanced quality, design, flexibility,

ergonomics, safety and innovation.

| Work-Life BalanceWe are conscious that employees have busy lives and

may have family commitments. We realise that getting

the balance between work and home life can

be difficult, and that needs may change at different life

stages.

We offer flexible working hours for those with family

commitments. We support remote working where this is

a feasible option for the particular role.

Access to financial advisors is offered by EireChrom to

its staff, as we want to foster an environment where our

staff feel protected and secure in their roles. Optional

gym membership is a company perk, along with

quarterly team outings.

| Diversity and InclusionWe strive for a diverse workforce through our internship

programme and we engage with students from

different countries. We are a proud workplace and do

not tolerate discrimination in any form, and ensure

our policies and practices (e.g. recruitment) foster an

inclusive workplace. EireChrom supports the JobBridge

and JobPlus employment schemes, where we ensure

that our recruitment is applicable to all candidates,

regardless of their qualifications.

| Employee CommunicationWe pride ourselves on being very open and transparent

with our employees in all of our business planning and

performance information. This is done on an ongoing

basis through day-today interactions, but also on

whiteboards within our facility for everyone to see.

As we grow our workforce, we are conscious that our

employees’ needs may change and we will endeavour to

maintain are good communications practices.

Staff meetings are held regularly on Mondays and

Fridays as part of our Quality Management System,

either face-to-face or through WebEx.



Marketplace

| Awards and AccoladesWe are proud of our many achievements:

• Winner of the 2016 SFA award for Outstanding

Small Business in Ireland

• Winner of SCIEX – Highest Growth Country in

EMEAI 2015

• Winner of IE Domain Optimise Fund in 2015

• Winner of Little Island Business Association 2015 in

the area of innovation/R&D

• Finalist in Irish Laboratory Awards 2016 (Young

Leader of the Year, Education Laboratory of the

Year, Laboratory Supplier of the Year)

• Finalist in Cork Chamber Company of the Year

Award 2016

• Finalist in the 2015 Pharma Industry Awards

(Pharma Start-Up Company of the year, Pharma

Contract Services Company of the year)

| Customer EngagementWe operate a customer help desk to support clients

when they need it and monitor social media for any

relevant conversations. We encourage positive and

negative feedback to ensure we offer the best customer

experience.

| Industry PartnershipsWe are the sole Irish partner to SCIEX Global Services.

This is an organisation dedicated to delivering local

service excellence and is a world leader in mass

spectrometry as per the Frost & Sullivan report.

SCIEX excels by listening to and understanding the

ever-evolving needs of its customers to develop

reliable, sensitive and intuitive solutions that continue

to redefine what is achievable in routine and complex

analysis.

We also partner with some of the leading industry

brands including Tecan, PEAK Scientific, Ionicon,

Phytronix and IonBench.

| Management SystemsWe are currently in the process of implementing ISO

9001, which is an internationally recognised quality

management standard focused on meeting customer

expectations and delivering customer satisfaction.

We use six sigma techniques and tools for process

improvement. These ensure our processes are world

class by using a well-proven data driven methodology to

identify and eliminate defects in products and services.

We hold kaizen events, which works alongside six sigma.

These events are an efficient way to quickly improve a

process that may have been identified as having a low

sigma score. It allows our team the time away from the

daily routine to engage in a focused activity to support

our continuous improvement approach.

We apply lean practices, which are a way to eliminate

waste within the value chain. We have implemented

5S within our offices and laboratories. This is another

methodology to organise work spaces to improve

efficiency and effectiveness. The 5S’s include sort, set

in order, shine, standardise and sustain.

| Research and DevelopmentWe strive to enhance our value offering and further

develop our business through partnering on research

projects.

Our current research and development partnership

plans and aspirations include:

• Irish Research Council (IRC) postdoctoral fellowship

in the area of food and environment

• Marie S-Curie Individual Fellowship for 2017-2019

• Science Foundation Ireland Industry Fellowship

| Non-Biased Laboratory TrainingWe are unique in providing non-biased training for our

customers. This means that we do not push one product

over another to our clients. We work with our clients to

provide bespoke solutions based on their needs.

The ‘Right First Time’ approach is adopted by

EireChrom and our customer satisfaction reports

show excellent results on our training delivery. We

were finalists in the Irish laboratory Awards 2016 for

Education Laboratory of the Year.

| Partnerships

As Enterprise Ireland clients, we will participate in the

High-Potential-Start-Up (HPSU) programme. We make

use of this support to ensure our company is efficient

as possible and delivers effective solutions to our

customers.

| Business ConductIt is vital for our business to be cognisant of how we

operate within our marketplace. We have a policy on

anti-corruption and bribery, which includes guidance

around gifting to and from suppliers - it is not allowed.

| Memberships and Associations

We are engaged with many organisations such as:

• Royal Society of Chemistry

• Science Foundation Ireland

• Enterprise Ireland

• Industry Research and Development Group

• Little Island Business Association

• Irish Mass Spectrometry Society

• Clonmel Chamber of Commerce

• Cork Chamber of Commerce

• Industry Research and Development Group

| Sustainable ProcurementEireChrom held a Kaizen event on best practice

in purchasing, which led to the identification and

implementation of the standard BS 8903. This sets out

a comprehensive framework on procurement.

We look at key drivers in all internal purchasing

decisions and have adopted SourceDogg software. This

allows for an open bid which is not based on ’Bottom

Line Price’. Our purchasing decisions are also weighted

on corporate social responsibility; ISO901; delivery and

company competency.

WINNER


Responsible Business For SMEs

[email protected]

BUSINESSIN THECOMMUNITYIRELAND

About UsResponsible Business for SMEs is a new service from Business in the Community Ireland, Ireland’s only network dedicated to responsible business. In existence since 2000, we are a national non-profit organisation founded by Tina Roche. Our patron is Michael D.Higgins, President of Ireland and our board, chaired by Kieran McGowan, comprises some of Ireland’s leading business figures. We ask companies in Ireland to commit to the journey towards being more sustainable and responsible. We offer our members practical support to help them to integrate responsible business practices across their organisations.

What We DoInitially working with larger corporates in Ireland, we now aim to work with small, medium and micro-enterprises (SMEs) as they represent over 99% of business in this country. In real numbers, they dominate daily life: we shop with them, work in them, use their services, and they include everyone from the local hairdresser to the IT company. They provide high quality and diverse jobs, play an important role in social cohesion and act as incubators of entrepreneurial culture.

Together, the 230,000 SMEs in Ireland have a huge impact on the viability of Ireland’s economy, the community in which it exists, and the environment on which it depends. Through Responsible Business for SMEs, we are inspiring and supporting Irish companies to use that impact to do better business by improving and reporting on their responsible and sustainable practices.

RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS for SMEs

EireChrom Sustainability Report 2015 - 12 pages.indd 12 4/26/2016 3:32:43 PM

CORK OFFICE Unit 1201, Building 1000, City Gate, Mahon, Co. Cork, T12 W7CV Ireland

+353 21 240 9033 [email protected]

TIPPERARY OFFICE QUESTUM Innovation Centre, Ballingarrane, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, Ireland

+353 21 240 9033 [email protected]

www.eirechrom.ie

| About UsResponsible Business for SMEs is a new service

from Business in the Community Ireland, Ireland’s

only network dedicated to responsible business. In

existence since 2000, we are a national non-profit

organisation founded by Tina Roche. Our patron is

Michael D.Higgins, President of Ireland and our board,

chaired by Kieran McGowan, comprises some of

Ireland’s leading business figures. We ask companies in

Ireland to commit to the journey towards being more

sustainable and responsible. We offer our members

practical support to help them to integrate responsible

business practices across their organisations.

| What We DoInitially working with larger corporates in Ireland,

we now aim to work with small, medium and

micro-enterprises (SMEs) as they represent over 99%

of business in this country. In real numbers, they

dominate daily life: we shop with them, work in them,

use their services, and they include everyone from

the local hairdresser to the IT company. They provide

high quality and diverse jobs, play an important role in

social cohesion and act as incubators of entrepreneurial

culture.

Together, the 230,000 SMEs in Ireland have a huge

impact on the viability of Ireland’s economy, the

community in which it exists, and the environment on

which it depends. Through Responsible Business for

SMEs, we are inspiring and supporting Irish companies

to use that impact to do better business by improving

and reporting on their responsible and

sustainable practices.

innovative scientific solutions

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