Introduction I acknowledge the harmful impact that human activity has had on both the local and global environment and I am committed to minimising the negative impact I have in delivering my work. I have pledged with Culture Delcares Emergency and I am directly involved with local climate activism. Care for the planet is central to my work, and has been since 2018, and as a practitioner that is fiercely against greenwashing practices, I commit to using my influence to promote environmental messaging. This policy outlines some practical ways in which I commit to caring for our planet in the places where decisions are regularly made or influence exerted. Some of this policy has been taken from a ‘Green Practice Guide for Artists’ that I am currently developing. Influence

• I believe that environmental issues and the role of culture in the context of crisis is key to my work
• Therefore, wherever possible, my activities should engage with environmental, conservationist or climate themes.
• I aim to challenge unsustainable practices when I come across them.
• I am committed to sharing intellectual resources and knowledge in exchange for learning from others’ generous expertise. This also means that energy is not wasted generating the same knowledge.
• I will offer guidance, support and signposting to those I work alongside who are looking to lead more sustainable lives and practices
• I will promote local, national, and International environmental campaigns – such as Hull Friends of the Earth, the Hull Food Partnership and Culture Declares Emergency – where appropriate.

The Waste Hierarchy The waste hierarchy identifies ways to be more environmentally friendly, in priority order. I aim to use this hierarchy to inform decision making when it comes to resource management.

1. Eliminate – Avoid producing waste in the first place
2. Reduce – Minimise the amount of waste you do produce
3. Re-Use – Use items as many times as possible (this includes borrowing)
4. Recycle – Recycle what you can only after you have re-used it.
5. Dispose – Dispose of what’s left in a responsible way

Activity Materials and Resources The following practices define how I endeavour to work:

• I typically only use materials which are natural, found, biodegradable, repurposed, or otherwise manufactured from recycled waste.
• Materials purchased for activities are the greenest type possible
• If work requires new materials, I typically set a limit of no more than 25% new materials, and prioritise new materials to be the most used/essential to the least used/essential.
• I use non-toxic materials, asking suppliers for material data safety sheets if needed
• I aim to use unbleached or chlorine-free (ECF/TCF) papers and canvases where possible
• I typically use refillable or reusable stationary equipment instead of single-use ones, where available and appropriate
• I choose vegan, plastic-free brushes and other tools where possible
• I use eco-friendly and/or natural colours and solvents
• I avoid glitter!
• When ordering stationery or materials, I try to do so in bulk. I aim to ask others if they wish to add to the order, as it costs less and reduces transport costs.
• I minimise the number of photocopies required for delivering activities, by encouraging participants to share information sheets rather than having one each
• Instead of purchasing new materials, I typically use what is already available.
• Instead of purchasing new equipment, I aim to borrow from their network where possible.
• When producing, I prefer to shift funding from new materials to labour and transport (for sustainable sourcing/reclaiming)

Printed Publications

• Digital communications are prioritised ahead of printed leaflets, posters and flyers.
• Printed publications are made with unbleached and recycled stock, ideally FSA approved, where possible and available
• No plastic or vinyl sheens/laminate publications are ever ordered as this prevents printed materials from being recycled or biodegrading naturally.
• I choose printers who use non-toxic, environmentally-friendly inks
• All printed publications are made available digitally on my website (or a third party, such as Issuu)

Managing Waste

• Activity planning involves the minimisation of waste, or re-using waste
• Efforts are always be made to recycle waste, such as cardboard, glass, paper and plastics, and compost food waste.
• Any hazardous items used (oils, chemicals, electronics, batteries) are disposed of properly and not just dumped in the bin or poured down the sink.

Energy Use

• I am always conscious of energy usage when working on partner premises
• Other freelancers, volunteers, participants, partners and others should be encouraged to turn off lights, televisions, monitors and other equipment when not in use during the delivery of activities
• Where practical, heating is turned down or off when delivering in venues.
• I ensure doors and windows are not left open during activity delivery in cooler months

Water Use

• I am conscious of water usage when working on partner premises
• I use water frugally and turn off taps fully, which may be used to refill water, or wash art materials/equipment.
• I typically use and promote refillable water bottles, especially during activities in warmer months.

Digital

• Emails are not printed out to help minimise paper use
• All paperwork is kept digitally where possible
• My website is optimised (e.g. unused images being deleted) to mimimise server pressure (and in turn, minimise energy usage)

Emissions and Transport

• I promote the use of public transport to get to in-person activities to facilitators and participants
• I minimise emissions by holding meetings online, where practical
• I coordinate meeting timings and locations to minimise additional travel.
• I seldom use private transport and favour walking, buses and trains. But where private transport must be used (i.e. transporting heavy goods or for accessibility), sharing transport with others heading to the same venue is explored
• I source goods and services locally, or at least in the UK, where possible
• Where postage is used, I use minimal, plastic-free packaging (using recycled or FSA approved options where possible)

Procurement and Services

• I use ethical banks that do not invest in industries harmful to the planet
• I commit to sustainable procurement; outsourcing, contracting and purchasing resources, specialist services and products
• Procurement preference is given to other (ideally local) businesses, contractors and freelancers with similar ethical aims
• Where equipment is required (e.g. gazebos, sound systems), I aim to borrow over purchase.
• When purchasing refreshments for workshops and/or meetings,  fair-trade tea and coffee (and other products), vegetarian/vegan, options, milk alternatives and locally-produced/UK fruit are provided over alternatives. I also aim to purchase yellow label/reduced items to help minimise food waste.
• If plates/cutlery/mugs are needed for an event, I aim to borrow these, bring from home or encourage attendees to bring their own, instead of purchasing disposables. If disposables are inevitable, I avoid plastic products and opt for cardboard or wooden instead.

Introduction to the Policy I am committed to protecting the personal data that you provide to me and recognise the importance of being clear about how I intend to use it. All personal data provided by you will be held by me, Lauren Saunders. When freelancers, sub-contractors, volunteers or others undertake work alongside me or on my behalf, they agree to take responsibility for data protection and GDPR requirements in the delivery of work as outlined below. This privacy policy relates specifically to personal data that you provide to me through my website and via electronic and paper formats. I will never monitise or sell on any data you share with me. There are hyperlinks contained within my website which link to other websites owned and operated by third parties. These third parties have their own privacy policies and I recommend that you consider those when using their websites. I do not accept any liability or responsibility in terms of the privacy and security practices of these third party organisations and their websites.   Information I may collect from you When you engage in an activity delivered by in or in partnership with me, or access my website or submit feedback, I may ask you for personal data and other information to allow me to deliver the service or activity you require. This could include the following:

• Full Name
• Date of Birth
• Disabilities
• Socio-economic status
• Health and Wellbeing
• Gender
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Details of your enquiry
• Name of your organisation
• Curriculum vitae details/ examples of previous work / portfolio

The internet is not completely secure. I cannot guarantee the security of your personal data transmitted through my website or by email. Any transmission is at your own risk. Some of the information you provide may be considered sensitive personal data as defined under the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). This includes information about your ethnic or racial origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, trade union membership, physical or mental health, sexual life or criminal record. I would advise users of this website to send such information by a more secure system such as encrypted email, paper format, via the telephone or in person.  Sensitive personal data will only be processed following your explicit consent.   How do I intend to use your personal data? When engaging with an activity or service I deliver: I may contact you for reasons relating to the service you have made a request for. The information I collect and keep is in order to refer you to the correct people or deliverables within my projects, volunteer brokerage, consultation exercises, monitoring, evaluation and reporting to relevant funders and to provide statistical data to help me to continue drawing down relevant funding. I would use your contact details to manage this and may retain them for marketing purposes. When applying for opportunities with me: If you are interested in working with me I will only use your personal data to process your application, monitor recruitment and provide statistics. Personal data about unsuccessful candidates will be retained for six months after the recruitment process is completed, at which point it will be disposed of securely.   Will my personal data be shared with other organisations? Your personal data provided by you to me will only be used by me, Lauren Saunders. Everyone who I may work alongside to deliver activity have to also keep the information about you confidential.  However, there are instances when I may need to share some information with partners when delivering activities – for example, partner venues may need to know some information relating to a disability so we can support access needs better, or funders be shared (anonymised) information for statistical purposes. Only those involved in your data processing (i.e. Lauren) will have access to the information, I won’t share it with anyone else unless;

• You ask me to share it.
• I ask you and you say I can share it.
• The law says I have to report some things, such as people being perceived to be at risk or harm, including children or vulnerable adults who may be at risk. This may also include my legal obligations to report to HMRC.

I may also use a third party service for the distribution of email newsletters. If you sign up to receive this, I will store your email address with this service. In exceptional circumstances such as dealing with fraud, credit risk, dealing with abusive online behaviour, to enforce rights, to protect property, to protect human safety or if the law requires it. I will not otherwise disclose your personal data to anyone outside project delivery to use for their own purpose without obtaining your consent.   How long will The Critical Fish retain my personal data? I will retain your personal data for as long as is necessary for the required activity or service to be provided to you and will dispose of your personal data 12 months after work has been completed. All personal data is subject to the controls of my data protection policy.   Where will my personal data be kept? Once I have received your personal data I will use recognised industry standard procedures and security features to try to prevent unauthorised access. Your personal data will be under the control of Lauren Saunders. It will be held on my password protected computer systems. Parts of my computer system, including my website and email, are provided by third parties with their own security systems. I also encourage all those I work alongside to take responsibility and ensure any data they are using for the delivery of activity or service is kept behind passwords and secure systems, and destroyed or deleted at the earliest opportunity. When I print your personal data this will be in the possession and control of Lauren and will be securely disposed of when it is considered to be of no further use, should this be the case prior to the 12 month cut off point.   IP addresses An IP address is a number that uniquely identifies a specific computer or other network device on the internet. I might use your IP address to locate you for the purpose of your safety and security in relation to child protection issues.   Your rights The General Data Protection Regulation provides the following rights for individuals:

• The right to be informed
• The right of access
• The right to rectification
• The right to erasure
• The right to restrict processing
• The right to data portability
• The right to object
• Rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling.

Cookies Like most websites, this one uses ‘cookies’, small packets of data that are stored in your web browser. Cookies help me to identify information such as how many people are using my site and what devices they’re using. This allows me  to tailor my service to best meet the needs of the people using it. You can manage how your browser handles cookies, or refuse them altogether, by changing your settings on your browser. www.aboutcookies.org has useful information on how to manage cookies in your browser. By using my website, you are giving consent to my use of cookies. For more information please go to the Information Commissioners Officer, www.ico.org.uk In particular please complete the self-assessment tool here, https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/resources-and-support/data-protection-self-assessment/

Introduction to Policy I provide equal opportunities and a I am committed to the principle of equality regardless of race, colour, ethnic or national origin, religious belief, political opinion or affiliation, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, age or disability. I will not condone any discriminatory act or attitude in the conduct of our business with members of the public or from those working with me, or on my behalf. Acts of harassment or discrimination on the grounds of race, colour ethnic or national origin, religious belief, political opinion or affiliation, sex, marital status sexual orientation, gender reassignment, age or disability are not acceptable and will be challenged. When freelancers, sub-contractors, volunteers or others undertake work for me, Lauren Saunders, they agree to take responsibility for ensuring equal opportunities in the delivery of work as outlined below.   Statement of Terms and Conditions I am committed to equal opportunity in all aspects of its activities. I encourage all people to become involved in my work, irrespective of age, gender, race, disability, sexuality, religious/political beliefs and health. I encourage working practices that ensure those I work with are not discriminated against on any grounds, and ensure that any offer of freelance work and/or selection is designed to identify the right person for the job and/or on the grounds of merit alone, ensuring fair treatment for all applicants. I am committed to creating inclusive opportunities and being an open and accessible practitioner, respecting and reflecting the needs of all individuals it works with in respect to age, gender, race, disability, sexuality, religious/political beliefs and health. I take steps to influence the key decision makers at both national and local level, in statutory, voluntary and commercial organisations by opposing all forms of unfair discrimination within their policies, services and facilities.   Code of Practice 1) I am committed to supporting the needs of all individuals I work with or alongside as far as possible, irrespective of age, gender, race, disability, sexuality, religious/political beliefs and health. 2) I am committed to countering discrimination against people with regard to age, gender, race, disability, sexuality, religious/political beliefs and health. This will be achieved by:

• Ensuring that my aims and objectives respect the needs and differences of individuals regardless of age, gender, race, disability, sexuality, religious/political beliefs and health
• Ensuring that any recruitment or partnering opportunities focus only on the specific skills and attributes for a particular role or opportunity
• Ensuring that legal obligations under various relevant Acts, Directives and Regulations are met
• Ensuring that as far as is practical, that places of activity are accessible for people with mobility problems, and I will work with partnering venues to ensure this is a priority. I commit to offering adaptations and reasonable adjustments to support people to engage as far as I am able, regardless of disability or neurodiversity.
• Ensuring that opportunities, freelancer recruitment procedures, policy and practices welcome applications from, and give equal status to individuals irrespective of age, gender, race, disability, sexuality, religious/political beliefs and health
• Ensuring that health and safety policy and practices are such that individuals need not disclose any disease or infection, unless under legislation to prevent the spread of notifiable diseases.

  For more information please go to the Equal Opportunities Commission: https://www.eoc.org.uk/

Overview

Our refund and returns policy lasts 30 days. If 30 days have passed since your purchase, we can’t offer you a full refund or exchange.

To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.

To complete your return, we require a receipt or proof of purchase.

There are certain situations where only partial refunds are granted:

• Any item that shows signs of use
• Any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error.
• Any item that is returned more than 30 days after delivery

Refunds

Once your return is received and inspected, we will send you an email to notify you that we have received your returned item. We will also notify you of the approval or rejection of your refund.

If you are approved, then your refund will be processed, and a credit will automatically be applied to your credit card or original method of payment, within a certain amount of days.

Late or missing refunds

If you haven’t received a refund yet, first check your bank account again.

Then contact your credit card company, it may take some time before your refund is officially posted.

Next contact your bank. There is often some processing time before a refund is posted.

If you’ve done all of this and you still have not received your refund yet, please contact us at lauren@laurensaundersart.co.uk.

Sale items

Only regular priced items may be refunded. Sale items cannot be refunded.

Exchanges

We only replace items if they are defective or damaged. If you need to exchange it for the same item, send us an email at lauren@laurensaundersart.co.uk.

Gifts

If the item was marked as a gift when purchased and shipped directly to you, you’ll receive a gift credit for the value of your return. Once the returned item is received, a gift certificate will be mailed to you.

If the item wasn’t marked as a gift when purchased, or the gift giver had the order shipped to themselves to give to you later, we will send a refund to the gift giver and they will find out about your return.

Shipping returns

To return your product, you should mail your product to the address given in your email correspondence with the seller.

You will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.

Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you may vary.

If you are returning more expensive items, you may consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.

Need help?

Contact us at lauren@laurensaundersart.co.uk for questions related to refunds and returns.