Code of conduct

Alchemy... Consultants shall at all times maintain the highest ethical standards in all matters that relate to a Client's business and shall act solely in a client's best interests.

As a business we will adhere to the following values.
In Summary

• Provide the best possible service to the Client.
• Present and uphold a professional image at all times when invited onto our Clients premises.
• Provide a clear and precise summary of our costs and charges incurred for the services we provide to our Client.
• Will only accept work for which we are qualified to undertake.
• Maintain full confidentiality concerning a Client's business.
• Provide complete impartiality and objectivity in all aspects of our advice and support to a Client.
• Carry out our work in a professional manner that inspires the respect, trust and confidence of our Client and their associates.
• Use our best endeavours to seek, on behalf of Clients, quality-led services that maintain our Clients' cost and quality requirements.
• Use our best endeavours to maintain a fair and even-handed approach in Client-Supplier negotiation matters.
• Relating to professional consultancy work involving the competitive tendering, selection or purchase of products or services from third party suppliers on behalf of clients, or involving a review of or giving an opinion on products or services provided by third party suppliers.

Code of practice

• Alchemy shall provide the client with a written fee proposal, in advance of appointment, outlining the services to be provided and the fee required to complete the assignment. Thus all proposals shall clearly indicate a fee (fixed for the task specified or daily rate) and the terms and conditions of payment.
• The fee paid by the client shall be the Alchemy's sole source of income from the consultancy assignment.
• Payment shall be accepted only in accordance with the work undertaken and shall not be refundable or deductible from equipment, materials supply purchases, contractors' income, the caterers' income (i.e. management fee) or linked to savings achieved in the review of catering services.
• The fee will be payable by the client and monies will not be receivable from any tenderer, potential tenderer, other third party supplier or their agents.
• Payment shall be related only to the work undertaken on the terms described in the proposal and any such amendments or additions to the proposal as agreed by the client in writing. Alchemy shall not accept bonuses in cash or kind or other reward relating to the services other than the fee agreed.
• Payment for this type of work shall not be linked to savings achieved by third party suppliers as a result of the services provided by the consultant(s).
• The client shall be advised when the consultant(s) submits proposals for the work of any financial, personal, professional or other interest that they may have in any supplier, service provider, manufacturer or caterer where that service provider or product may potentially be specified as a result of the work done by the consultant(s).
• The consultant(s) involved in providing the services shall not be simultaneously involved in other assignments where remuneration is received from any potential tenderer or supplier. Where other consultants or parts of the consultant's organisation are so involved, adequate and auditable procedures shall be in place to avoid any communications between parties, which may lead to a conflict of interest. The client must be advised, within the proposal, of any such involvement or other work undertaken by the consultant or their consultancy company.
• The consultant(s) will act in the best interest of the client at all times and endeavour to promote good relations between contractors/suppliers and the client. Contact between clients and contractors at an early stage in the assignment is encouraged to promote partnership relationships.
• Professional contact between consultant(s) and contractors/suppliers is encouraged as a means of ensuring that the consultant is aware of the products, services and capabilities of suppliers whose services and products may be evaluated, reviewed or specified during or as a result of the consultant's work.