Next Step Education Limited Code of Practice

Definitions
‘We’ means Next Step Education Limited. Bonas MacFarlane Consulting Limited and Bonas MacFarlane Tuition Limited are trading subsidiaries of Next Step Education Limited. Next Step Education Limited is the sole and outright owner of Bonas MacFarlane Consulting Limited and Bonas MacFarlane Tuition Limited.

Our Staff

Next Step Education Limited is committed to hiring professional individuals who maintain excellent working standards with whom we share the codes and ethics detailed herein. We aim to provide them with a safe and encouraging working environment where they can flourish and develop their professional skills. Our staff aim to achieve the best for the clients we work with specific to their individual needs and always with their best interests in mind.

Confidentiality
We are committed to maintaining the highest degree of integrity in all our dealings with potential, current and past clients, schools and universities both in terms of normal commercial confidentiality, and the protection of all personal information received in the course of providing the business services concerned. We extend the same standards to all our customers, suppliers and associates.

Ethics
We always conduct our own services honestly and honourably, and expect our clients and suppliers to do the same. Our advice, strategic assistance and the methods imparted through our training, take proper account of ethical considerations, together with the protection and enhancement of the moral position of our clients and suppliers.

Duty of care
Our actions and advice will always conform to relevant law, and we believe that all businesses and organisations, including this company, should avoid causing any adverse effect on the human rights of people in the organisations we deal with, the local and wider environments, and the well-being of society at large.

Fees

Our fees are always competitive for what we provide, which is high quality, tailored, specialised service. As such we do not generally offer arbitrary discounts; generally a reduction in price is only enabled by reducing the level or extent of services to be delivered. That said, we always try to propose solutions which accommodate our clients' available budgets and timescales. Wherever possible we agree our fees and basis of charges clearly in advance, so that we and our clients can plan reliably for what lies ahead, and how it is to be achieved and financially justified.

Payment
We aim to be as flexible as possible in the way that our services our charged. Some clients prefer fixed project fees; others are happier with retainers, and we try to fit in with what will be best for the client. We make no attempt to charge interest on late payments, so we expect payments to be made when agreed. We do sometimes take money on account for clients to cover future registration fees, travel expenses and other relevant costs that may be incurred over the duration of the contract.

Intellectual property and moral rights
We retain the moral rights in, and ownership of, all intellectual property that we create unless agreed otherwise in advance with our clients. In return we respect the moral and intellectual copyright vested in our clients' intellectual property.

Quality assurance
We maintain the quality of what we do through constant ongoing review with our clients, of all aims, activities, outcomes and the cost-effectiveness of every activity. We encourage regular review meetings and provide regular progress reports. This company has been accredited under a number of quality assurance schemes. Further details are available on request.

Professional conduct
We conduct all of our activities professionally and with integrity. We take great care to be completely objective in our judgement and any recommendations that we give, so that issues are never influenced by anything other than the best and proper interests of our clients.

Equality and discrimination
We always strive to be fair and objective in our advice and actions, and we are never influenced in our decisions, actions or recommendations by issues of gender, race, sexuality, creed, colour, age or personal disability.

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