Communications Policy

You are responsible for the security of the computer equipment allocated to or used by you, and you must not allow it to be used by anyone else other than in accordance with these policies.

As many computer files contain some form of confidential or otherwise sensitive business information or personal data, Boxing Futures takes the security of these files very seriously. With this in mind, we have introduced some security precautions that all employees must abide by. These are as follows:
• if you need to leave your computer for more than a couple of minutes, lock the computer screen
• if you need to leave your computer for a long period of time, log off – never leave an unattended computer logged on
• do not move or tamper with desktop computers and cabling for computer equipment without first consulting the IT Support
• use passwords on all computer equipment
• computer passwords are considered our confidential information even if you are using your personal password for social networking to login to our work systems. When creating a computer password, do not use one that is obvious, such as your date of birth or the name of a close family member – passwords should preferably be a mix of upper and lower case letters, special characters and numbers and should not be the same as any other personal passwords you may have (such as Internet banking passwords)
• always keep your password private, do not write it down and do not divulge it to anyone else (including other members of staff), except in contact with Streamline IT Support.
• if you suspect that someone knows your password, change it in the normal way
• change your password at regular intervals in any event
• never use anyone else’s username and password and do not allow anyone else to log on using your username and password, unless authorised by the CEO
• always shut down your computer when you go home at the end of the day
• if you notice any suspicious activity, for example an employee trying to gain unauthorised access to another member of staff’s computer, notify your manager immediately
• if you have been issued with a Company laptop computer, tablet computer, smartphone or other mobile device, keep it secure at all times, particularly when travelling. Passwords and encryption must be used to secure access to data kept on such equipment to ensure that confidential or other sensitive business information or personal data is protected in the event of loss or theft and you must take such other precautions as we may require from time to time against compromising security
• if you are provided with a Company computer for use in your home, family members are not allowed to use it
• always comply with the terms of Boxing Futures’ data protection policy in relation to ensuring the security of personal data held on computer, in particular the sections in that policy on integrity and confidentiality and your obligations in relation to personal data
• do not attempt to gain access to restricted areas of the network, or to any password-protected information, except as authorised in the proper performance of your duties

The computers and the data they contain (including data backed up to cloud-based storage applications) are provided to undertake business-related activities and to enable you to carry out your job duties. As such, you must not delete, amend, destroy, copy or modify existing systems, programs, information or data, unless this is both specifically related to the work you are undertaking and you have the authority to make such deletion, amendment, copy or modification. In particular, you should not delete or amend any documentation or programs which are stored on Boxing Futures’ network or communal drives (including documentation or programs which are backed up to cloud-based storage applications) unless you have the requisite level of authority to do so.

Non-work related data should not be copied onto or stored on Company computers or on Boxing Futures’ network or communal drives (including in cloud-based storage applications). You should also not create, save or store any personal documents on Company computers or on Boxing Futures’ network or communal drives (including in cloud-based storage applications). Any documents created, saved or stored on Company computers or on Boxing Futures’ network or communal drives belong to Boxing Futures, even if they are password protected or stored in a private folder separate from any work-related documents.

Managers will be required to notify the IT Support in advance of any computer users that will be leaving Boxing Futures. This should be done at least two weeks before the employee leaves, so that the individual’s account can be closed down on their departure.

Likewise, managers should notify the IT Support in advance of any new computer users that will be starting work for Boxing Futures. This should be done at least two weeks before the employee starts, so that the individual’s account can be set up ready for their start date.

From time to time, Boxing Futures will review its storage of confidential information and the media upon which it is stored (including the use of cloud-based storage applications). Managers will be expected to co-operate in terms of identifying such files, the employees or other staff with access to them and the file locations.

Some employees may be provided with portable storage devices, such as memory sticks, USB flash drives and portable hard drives, which can be plugged into the USB port of a computer. Whilst they are provided so as to allow for the copying and transferring of files and images between an employee’s desktop or laptop computer, their small size and storage capacity makes them vulnerable to misuse. For this reason, any employee issued with these devices must not transfer any data to a third-party computer (including one at home) without first having obtained approval from their manager. From time to time, user guidelines will be produced on the usage of such devices and employees will be expected to follow them.

Any employee who transfers files to a third party without permission is likely to be subject to disciplinary action. If this involves the deliberate transfer of sensitive commercial information to a competitor or a serious breach of data protection provisions, it will be treated as gross misconduct.

Boxing Futures licences the use of computer software from a variety of outside companies. Boxing Futures does not own this software and, unless authorised by the software developer, neither Boxing Futures nor any of its employees have the right to reproduce it. To do so constitutes an infringement of copyright. Contravention is a disciplinary matter and will be dealt with in accordance with Boxing Futures’ disciplinary procedure.

Software that you need to use to carry out your job duties will be provided and installed on your computer for you. Installation of any non-approved software from external sources is prohibited. This includes instant messaging programs, photos, video clips, music files, Apps, screen savers and wallpapers. Only the IT Support has the authority to load new software onto the network system. Even then, software may be loaded only after having been checked for viruses.

Printers and photocopiers are provided for the exclusive use by employees in connection with Boxing Futures’ business and they are therefore to be used for business purposes only. However, Boxing Futures understands that employees may on occasion need to print or photocopy a personal document, e-mail or web page and therefore limited essential personal use is permitted with the prior permission of your manager. Boxing Futures considers limited personal use of printers and photocopiers to include activities such as printing a flight boarding pass or booking confirmation or taking a photocopy of a passport page. It does not include excessive printing or photocopying of personal documents or printing or photocopying Boxing Futures’ documents for personal purposes. Excessive printing or photocopying constitutes an unauthorised use of Boxing Futures’ time and resources.

If Boxing Futures discovers that printers or photocopiers have been used excessively for personal purposes or have otherwise been used in breach of confidentiality, this will be dealt with under Boxing Futures’ disciplinary procedure. The employee may also be required to pay Boxing Futures the cost of the paper and ink or toner used.

Boxing Futures’ computer network makes it vulnerable to viruses. All Company computers have virus protection software installed. Re-configuring or disabling this software is prohibited.

If your computer starts to behave strangely or you suspect it may have become infected with a virus, turn it off immediately and contact your manager and Streamline IT Support.

Employees may only access any computer games that are on the network outside their normal working hours. You must not install your own games (or Apps to access games) onto your computer.

Some employees may spend at least part of their working week on Company business away from the premises. This includes those who may work from home. These employees and any others who may work remotely on an informal basis should be aware that all aspects of this policy apply equally to them. Remote working employees will also be expected to comply with any additional guidelines that may be introduced in order to reduce the likelihood of Boxing Futures’ computer networks or cloud-based storage applications being compromised as a result of remote access.

Employees must not allow any family members or other third parties to either use Boxing Futures’ computer equipment (including software) or to access or view its internal IT systems or networks.

The occasional use of computers, printers and photocopiers for personal use will be permitted under the following conditions:
• Such use is occasional, and not regular.
• Use of computers in no way contravenes the rules on computer use set out in Boxing Futures’ Code of Conduct for Employees.
• The time spent in using the equipment should be accounted for in the staff member’s own time (i.e., included in the time recorded for lunch breaks, or deducted from recorded hours if made before the beginning or after the end of the working day).

Some employees have access to e-mail and the Internet for exclusive use in connection with Boxing Futures’ business and as part of the normal execution of their job duties. The purpose of these rules is to protect Boxing Futures’ legal interests. Unregulated access increases the risk of employees inadvertently forming contracts through e-mail and increases the opportunity for wrongful disclosure of confidential information and trade secrets. In addition, carelessly worded e-mail can expose Boxing Futures to other risks such as an action for libel.

As such, all e-mails sent internally and externally, e.g. to clients and customers, must follow Boxing Futures’ designated house style, which will be supplied to authorised users. Furthermore, employees must not, under any circumstances, include unacceptable, offensive, derogatory or profane language within the text of any internal or external e-mail. Failure to follow house style and the rules on use of language is a disciplinary matter and will be dealt with under Boxing Futures’ disciplinary procedure. E-mail should not be used for unsolicited correspondence or marketing campaigns and employees may not commit Boxing Futures financially by e-mail unless they have been granted a specific level of delegated authority to do so.

Employees who are authorised users are not permitted to surf the Internet or to spend excessive time “chatting” by e-mail or any other “carrier (e.g. Facebook, X, etc.) for personal and private purposes during their normal working hours. Employees are also prohibited from using e-mail to circulate any non-business material. Not only does excessive time spent online lead to loss of productivity and constitute an unauthorised use of Boxing Futures’ time, sexist, racist or other offensive remarks, pictures or jokes sent by e-mail are capable of amounting to unlawful harassment. As “cyber bullying” is an emerging risk, employees are also prohibited from using Boxing Futures’ electronic communications as a means of intimidating or bullying employees or third parties.

Employees who are discovered contravening these rules may face serious disciplinary action under Boxing Futures’ disciplinary procedure. Depending on the seriousness of the offence, it may amount to gross misconduct and could result in the employee’s summary dismissal.

Use of instant messaging systems must be expressly approved in advance by the employee’s manager.

Employees who are authorised users are permitted to surf the Internet for personal purposes outside their normal working hours. Boxing Futures considers acceptable personal use of the Internet to include activities such as personal online shopping, booking holidays and banking. It does not include visiting online gambling sites or participating in online gaming. Employees should note that any purchases or other transactions made online whilst at work are made entirely at their own risk.

Employees must never use their work e-mail address to make orders for personal goods and services or to sell their personal goods and services or to sign up for any services (except those expressly authorised by Boxing Futures). Likewise, if an employee wishes to make a complaint to the third-party supplier or manufacturer about personal goods or services received, a work e-mail address must never be used under any circumstances. These are entirely personal transactions and so the employee must not hold themselves out as acting for or on behalf of Boxing Futures or must not in any way indicate that the transaction is connected to Boxing Futures.

Employees who are authorised users are also only permitted to log on to eBay (and other permitted online auction websites), social networking and video sharing websites such as Facebook, Reddit, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, Tumblr, Flickr and YouTube or use Boxing Futures’ IT systems to keep a personal weblog (“blog”) outside their normal working hours. Boxing Futures nevertheless reserves the right to restrict access to websites of this type at any time.

Logging on to sexually explicit websites or the downloading and/or circulation of pornography or other grossly offensive, illegal or obscene material or using the Internet for gambling or illegal activities constitutes gross misconduct and could render the employee liable to summary dismissal under Boxing Futures’ disciplinary procedure. “Rogue” websites exist that appear harmless but instead direct the user automatically to another website that may contain inappropriate material. If this occurs, please contact the IT Support immediately.

When logging on to and using social networking and video sharing websites, vlogs and blogs/vlogs etc. (“social media”) at any time, including personal use on non-Company computers outside the workplace and outside normal working hours, employees must not:
• use social media in a way that breaches any of Boxing Futures’ other policies – if an Internet post would breach any of these policies in another forum, it will also breach them in an online forum
• other than in relation to Boxing Futures’ own social media activities or other than where expressly permitted by Boxing Futures on business networking websites such as LinkedIn, publicly identify themselves as working for Boxing Futures, make reference to Boxing Futures or provide information from which others can ascertain the name of Boxing Futures (and in any event they should not hold themselves out as associated with Boxing Futures on any social media website after termination of employment)
• other than in relation to Boxing Futures’ own social media activities or other than where expressly permitted by Boxing Futures on business networking websites such as LinkedIn, write about their work for Boxing Futures – and, in postings that could be linked to Boxing Futures, they must also ensure that any personal views and opinions expressed are clearly stated to be theirs alone and do not represent those of Boxing Futures
• create a social media account that could be mistaken for a Company social media account
• create a social media account or profile that impersonates one or more of Boxing Futures’ employees, clients, customers, contractors or suppliers
• use Boxing Futures’ logos, trademarks or other corporate artwork on a personal social media account
• conduct themselves in a way that is potentially detrimental to Boxing Futures or directly or indirectly brings Boxing Futures or its clients, customers, contractors or suppliers into disrepute, for example by posting images or video clips that are inappropriate or links to inappropriate website content or sharing inappropriate content posted by others
• other than in relation to Boxing Futures’ own social media activities or other than where expressly permitted by Boxing Futures on business networking websites such as LinkedIn, use their work e-mail address when registering on such sites or provide any link to Boxing Futures’ website
• allow their interaction on these websites or blogs/vlogs to damage working relationships with or between employees and clients, customers, contractors or suppliers of Boxing Futures, for example by criticising or arguing with such persons or using abusive or threatening language towards them
• include personal information or data about Boxing Futures’ employees, clients, customers, contractors or suppliers without their express consent (an employee may still be liable even if employees, clients, customers, contractors or suppliers are not expressly named in the websites or blogs/vlogs as long as Boxing Futures reasonably believes they are identifiable) – this could constitute a breach of the Data Protection Act 2018 which is a criminal offence
• make any derogatory, offensive, discriminatory, disrespectful, untrue, negative, misleading, critical, disparaging or defamatory comments or statements about Boxing Futures, its employees, clients, customers, contractors or suppliers (an employee may still be liable even if Boxing Futures, its employees, clients, customers, contractors or suppliers are not expressly named in the websites or blogs/vlogs as long as Boxing Futures reasonably believes they are identifiable)
• air grievances about Boxing Futures or any of its activities
• make any comments about Boxing Futures’ employees that could constitute unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation or cyber-bullying contrary to the Equality Act 2010 or post any images or video clips that are discriminatory or which may constitute unlawful harassment or cyber-bullying – employees can be personally liable for their actions under the legislation
• provide references for other individuals on social media websites, as such references could be attributed to Boxing Futures and create legal liability for both the author of the reference and Boxing Futures
• disclose any trade secrets or confidential, proprietary or sensitive information belonging to Boxing Futures, its employees, clients, customers, contractors or suppliers or any information which could be used by one or more of Boxing Futures’ competitors, for example information about Boxing Futures’ work, its products and services, technical developments, current or future trading performance, deals that it is doing or future business plans, staff morale and anything else that is not already in the public domain
• breach copyright or any other proprietary interest belonging to Boxing Futures, for example, using someone else’s images or written content without permission or failing to give acknowledgement where permission has been given to reproduce particular work – if employees wish to post images, photographs, personal details or videos of their work colleagues or clients, customers, contractors or suppliers on their online profile, they should first obtain the other party’s express permission to do so.

Employees should remember that social networking websites are a public forum, even if they have set their account privacy settings at a restricted access or “friends only” level, and therefore they should not assume that their entries on any website will remain private. Employees must also be security conscious when using social networking websites and should take appropriate steps to protect themselves from identity theft, for example by placing their privacy settings at a high level and by restricting the amount of personal information they give out, such as date and place of birth, schools attended, family names and favourite football team. This information may form the basis of security questions and/or passwords on other websites, such as online banking.

If employees are asked to contribute to an official blog or newsfeed connected to Boxing Futures, then special rules apply and the employee will be briefed in detail about what to write.

Employees who are discovered contravening these rules, whether inside or outside the workplace, may face serious disciplinary action under Boxing Futures’ disciplinary procedure. Depending on the seriousness of the offence, it may amount to gross misconduct and could result in the employee’s summary dismissal.

Employees may be tempted to make illegal downloads of material that is subject to copyright. This includes, but is not limited to, music, film and business software. As this and any subsequent file sharing of this material constitutes an infringement of copyright, it is prohibited on any Company computer. This also applies to any download or dissemination of material made outside of normal working hours. Any breach is likely to lead to disciplinary action being taken.

You may need to download documents and information from the Internet in order to undertake your job duties. You should only download documents and information that you are sure about and which is required to fulfil the job duties you are undertaking. With the rapid spread of computer viruses via the Internet, care should be taken when accessing websites that you are not familiar with or when downloading documents or information.

You must not download any programs from the Internet without the prior approval of the IT Support. Some websites require additional add-in software to display the page completely. These add-ins usually provide additional sound or visual effects. Under no circumstances should these be downloaded without the prior approval of the IT Support.

It should be noted, in the interest of fairness and transparency, that Boxing Futures has the means, automated and otherwise, of monitoring individual usage of communications, property and equipment, including:
• Telephones
• Mobile phones
• E-mail
• Internet

In order to protect Boxing Futures’ resources, Boxing Futures reserves the right to use appropriate monitoring systems and information, and such information may form part of the evidence in any disciplinary or other management action that may be taken.

Boxing Futures will have due regard to relevant legislation that may impact on monitoring, the Data Protection Act (2018) and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (2000). To this end, Boxing Futures will not undertake monitoring that is excessive.

Boxing Futures reserves the right to monitor employees’ internal and external e-mails and use of the Internet, both during routine audits or random spot checks of the computer system and in specific cases where a problem relating to excessive or unauthorised use is suspected.

Boxing Futures will only monitor e-mail and Internet use where we have a lawful basis for doing so. The business purposes for such monitoring include, but are not limited to:
• establish the existence of facts, e.g. in response to a client or customer complaint
• ascertain compliance with regulatory or self-regulatory requirements, practices or procedures
• assess standards of employee performance and conduct and promote productivity and efficiency
• investigate or detect any unauthorized use of the systems
• ensure the security of the systems and networks and their effective operation
• ensure the smooth running of the business by checking whether there are any relevant business communications that need to be dealt with
• ensure that Boxing Futures’ rules, policies and procedures are being complied with
• record transactions
• promote client and customer satisfaction
• ensure that the systems are not being used for any unlawful purpose or activities that may damage Boxing Futures’ business or reputation
• make sure there is no unauthorised use of Boxing Futures’ time, e.g. if an employee has been sending and receiving an excessive number of personal e-mails or spending an excessive amount of time viewing websites that are not work related
• perform effective internal administration
• ensure that inappropriate, restricted or blocked websites are not being accessed and that offensive or illegal material is not being viewed, sent, downloaded or circulated
• ensure that all employees are treated with respect and dignity at work, by discovering and eliminating any material that is capable of amounting to unlawful harassment
• protect the privacy of personal data, trade secrets and sensitive or confidential Company information and ensure there is no breach of confidentiality or data protection provisions.

Members of the IT Support are authorised to monitor e-mail and the Internet during routine audits or random spot checks and they may also be instructed to do so by managers where a problem is suspected. Access to the results of monitoring is restricted to the IT Support and to those managers who are authorised to access them in accordance with the purposes outlined above. Disclosure of the results of monitoring to other third parties will only be made in accordance with the purposes outlined above and will be limited to:
• the police and other law enforcement agencies, where the results could assist in the prevention or detection of a crime or the identification and prosecution of an offender
• prosecution agencies, such as the Crown Prosecution Service
• relevant legal representatives
• managers involved with Company disciplinary and performance management processes.

The Managing Director (or another senior director acting in their absence) is the only person who is permitted to authorise disclosure of information to external third parties such as law enforcement agencies.

Communications of a sensitive or confidential nature should not be sent by work e-mail because it is not guaranteed to be private. You should use your personal e-mail account for such communications.

When monitoring e-mails, Boxing Futures will, except in exceptional circumstances, confine itself to monitoring the flow of communications, which may include looking at the recipient’s e-mail address and subject line of the e-mail, as well as the date and time. However, where exceptional circumstances warrant it, such as where it becomes necessary to check e-mails during an employee’s unexpected absence, Boxing Futures may open e-mails and access the actual content. In this case, Boxing Futures will still avoid, if possible, opening e-mails that are clearly marked in the subject line as private or personal.

Internet monitoring may involve obtaining an itemised log of all websites and individual web pages visited, as well as the date and time of access.

We recognise that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) is on the increase and has been harnessed by some organisations to save time and resources and enhance the user experience. Artificial intelligence refers to computer systems that can think or act in a more human way, taking information from their surroundings to perform tasks that usually require human intelligence.

ChatGPT is an example of an AI chatbot that can provide answers to questions a user asks it. It can create content formatted in accordance with specific instructions. Although there are multiple benefits to using ChatGPT, it can be problematic when used in the workplace. Therefore, we have set out below our rules on the use of ChatGPT, both as part of your role and in your own time, in order to protect our business interests.

Risks associated with the use of ChatGPT

By the admission of its own creators (OpenAI), ChatGPT has its limits. For example, it can:
• give an incorrect answer to the question asked;
• give inconsistent answers when asked the same question more than once;
• provide outdated information;
• provide information that is biased or discriminatory;
• create a security or data protection risk when confidential information is inputted.

In addition, it can engineer a false view of someone’s capabilities when the information it provides is used inappropriately.

Using ChatGPT

Because of the examples of risks given above, you must not use ChatGPT to carry out any aspect of your role unless your role is of a kind which may require use of it for research or analysis purposes, or for any other purpose related to work reasonably asked of you by [Manager]. If this is the case, you will be made aware of your permission to use it by [Manager]. You should not assume that your role requires access and use of ChatGPT. You must act responsibly when given permission to use ChatGPT. This means using it solely for the task instructed.

Whether during your work activity (where use of ChatGPT is allowed in your role) or in your own time, you must not input any information into ChatGPT that:
• identifies our organisation either directly or indirectly
• is reasonably considered to be confidential or sensitive information relating to our organisation including any content that you have created as part of your work

This is because ChatGPT learns from the information that is inputted and can provide information to subsequent users based on what it has received.

You are permitted to use ChatGPT to carry out your tasks. However, you must be aware of the risks as set out above. You remain entirely responsible for the quality and accuracy of your work.

Failure to maintain the required quality and accuracy of your work may result in the initiation of disciplinary or capability procedures.

Whether during your work activity or in your own time, you must not input any information into ChatGPT that:
• identifies our organisation either directly or indirectly
• is reasonably considered to be confidential or sensitive organisation information including any content that you have created as part of your work.

This is because ChatGPT learns from the information that is inputted and can provide information to subsequent users based on the information it receives.

Confidential or sensitive information

Where referred to above, “confidential or sensitive information relating to our organisation” includes, but is not limited to:
• Information about employees
• Information about customers/clients/suppliers/service users
• Financial information including commercial interests
• Internal policies and procedures
• Trade secrets
• Software code

You must check your mailbox regularly during normal working hours. Unless your job requires otherwise, work-related e-mails need not be checked more than four times a day at minimum during normal working hours. Checking them more regularly can be counter-productive in terms of detracting you from your other work priorities. It is your responsibility to read and action any e-mail you receive. You should action them in order of urgency or priority.

The e-mail system is not to be used as a storage area. Unwanted messages should be deleted completely. Important information or files should be saved into your private or communal data areas or into e-mail folders.

If you are going to be out of the office for a day or longer and as such you will be unable to check your e-mail, you should switch on your “out of office assistant” message. This should state why you are unavailable (for example, due to annual leave or you being out of the office on other work-related matters), the date you will be back, whether you can still access e-mails in your absence and an alternative contact for any immediate enquiries or problems. E-mail received in your absence will not normally be read by other members of staff unless you have specifically requested a colleague to undertake this task. However, e-mail may still need to be checked by managers for business-related reasons when you are absent for any reason. It may therefore be unavoidable that some personal e-mails might be read in these circumstances and so, to minimise the risk of this happening, you should clearly mark such e-mails in the subject line as private or personal.

In addition to following Boxing Futures’ designated house style in all internal and external e-mail and the provisions on reading and storing e-mails, Boxing Futures recommends that employees follow these e-mail guidelines:
• use the subject line to specify exactly what the e-mail is about
• only mark an outgoing e-mail as “urgent” or “high priority” if that is really the case; not because a swift reply is expected or desired from the recipient
• be concise in the body of your text
• writing text entirely in capital letters is generally considered to be the equivalent of shouting – this should be avoided. If you wish to draw attention to something, either underline it, use bold text or another colour
• if an outgoing e-mail is not urgent, always give the recipient adequate time to reply
• if an issue or query in an e-mail is urgent, consider telephoning the intended recipient first and then following up with a confirmatory e-mail later
• answer all incoming e-mails within 24 hours (if only to acknowledge receipt)
• if you cannot give a response at that point, state when you will be able to reply in full and/or what you are doing to find out the answer or resolve the issue
• do not send work-related e-mails between 8pm and 8am at weekends or on bank or public holidays unless you know the intended recipient is available and working; urgent matters that arise during these times should be dealt with via other means.

All incoming and outgoing external e-mails are checked for computer viruses and, if a virus is found, the message will be blocked. E-mails may also be checked for other criteria, for example, having an attached image file or containing offensive or inappropriate material or including a “banned” word or from a “banned” user under the criteria in Boxing Futures’ spam software which indicates the message is spam. Again, the e-mail will be blocked. Boxing Futures reserves the right for the IT Support to block and then read these messages to ascertain whether they are business-related. The IT Support will still avoid, if possible, opening e-mails that are clearly marked in the subject line as private or personal.

If you receive an e-mail or data file that is in a format or comes from a source that you do not recognise, do not open the item but contact the IT Support immediately. Any executable (.exe) files received by e-mail must be referred to the IT Support for clearance before any other action is taken.

If you receive any unsolicited e-mails or spam that manages to bypass Boxing Futures’ spam software, you must not respond in any way. Please forward the e-mail to the IT Support and they will add the sender to the list of banned users. Some spam e-mails may offer the option to opt out of receiving them. Be aware that this is sometimes used as a way by unscrupulous spammers of validating a live e-mail address.

From time to time, Boxing Futures may need to use temporary staff in order to cover busy periods or annual leave. Should any temporary worker need to use a computer as part of their job role, the manager responsible for their day-to-day supervision will be required to bring this policy and its contents to their attention.

It is also policy that any temporary workers who are required to use a computer for more than 14 days will be given their own log-in details. Managers will need to identify if there are any directories or computer files on the computer that will be used by the temporary worker that are of a sensitive or confidential nature. If so, the IT Support will need to be involved in restricting access to them. The same principles apply to any self-employed contractors engaged by Boxing Futures.

Boxing Futures’ telephone lines (including Company mobile phones) are for the exclusive use by employees in connection with Boxing Futures’ business. Whilst Boxing Futures will tolerate essential personal telephone calls concerning an employee’s domestic arrangements, excessive use of the telephone for personal calls (and also, in the case of Company mobile phones, for personal text messages, personal use of apps and personal Internet access) is prohibited. This includes lengthy, casual chats and calls at premium rates. Not only does excessive time engaged on personal telephone calls lead to loss of productivity, it constitutes an unauthorised use of Boxing Futures’ time. If Boxing Futures discovers that the telephone has been used excessively for personal calls (or, in the case of Company mobile phones, for personal text messages, personal use of apps or personal Internet access), this will be dealt with under Boxing Futures’ disciplinary procedure and the employee will also be required to pay Boxing Futures the cost of the personal calls (or, in the case of Company mobile phones, personal text messages or personal data usage) made.

Acceptable telephone use should be no more than 10 minutes of personal calls in each working day. Personal telephone calls should be timed so as to cause minimum disruption to the employee’s work and should, as a general rule, only be made during breaks except in the case of a genuine emergency.

Employees must not use Company landlines and mobile phones to place gambling bets under any circumstances and doing so will be a disciplinary matter dealt with under our disciplinary procedure.

Employees should be aware that telephone calls made and received on Boxing Futures’ telephone network will routinely be monitored in real time by managers and recorded. In addition, an itemised call log may be maintained and retained of all external calls made and received on Boxing Futures’ telephone network. This may include details of the external caller’s or recipient’s number and the date, time and duration of the call.

Boxing Futures will only monitor telephone systems and record telephone calls where we have a lawful basis for doing so. The business purposes for such monitoring are to:
• establish the existence of facts, e.g. in response to a client or customer complaint
• ascertain compliance with regulatory or self-regulatory requirements, practices or procedures
• assess standards of employee performance and conduct and promote productivity and efficiency
• investigate or detect any unauthorised use of the telephone system
• ensure the security of the telephone system and network and their effective operation
• ensure the smooth running of the business by checking whether there are any relevant business voicemail messages that need to be dealt with
• ensure that Boxing Futures’ rules, policies and procedures are being complied with
• record transactions
• promote client and customer satisfaction
• ensure that the telephone system is not being used for any unlawful purpose or activities that may damage Boxing Futures’ business or reputation
• make sure there is no unauthorised use of Boxing Futures’ time
• perform effective internal administration
• protect the privacy of personal data, trade secrets and sensitive or confidential Company information and ensure there is no breach of confidentiality or data protection provisions.
• Employees should also be aware that voicemail messages may be checked by managers for business calls when they are absent for any reason. It may therefore be unavoidable that some personal messages might be heard in these circumstances.

Members of IT Support are also authorised to monitor telephone systems during routine audits or random spot checks and they may be instructed to do so by managers where a problem is suspected. Access to the results of monitoring is restricted to the IT Support and to those managers who are authorised to access them in accordance with the purposes outlined above. Disclosure of the results of monitoring to other third parties will only be made in accordance with the purposes outlined above and will be limited to:
• the police and other law enforcement agencies, where the results could assist in the prevention or detection of a crime or the identification and prosecution of an offender
• prosecution agencies, such as the Crown Prosecution Service
• relevant legal representatives
• managers involved with Company disciplinary and performance management processes.

The Managing Director (or another senior director acting in their absence) is the only person who is permitted to authorise disclosure of information to external third parties such as law enforcement agencies.

Boxing Futures is committed to being transparent about how and why employees are monitored and will always consider whether the monitoring measures are proportionate.

If employees wish to make or take a particularly sensitive, private or confidential personal telephone call, they are advised that they should use their own personal mobile phone for such calls (subject to the rules below on the use of mobile phones).

Telephone monitoring also covers Company mobile phones. Boxing Futures reserves the right to monitor Company mobiles phones, both during routine audits or random spot checks and in specific cases where a problem relating to excessive or unauthorised use is suspected. The purposes of such monitoring are as set out above but also include ensuring that inappropriate, restricted or blocked websites are not being accessed from Company mobile phones and that offensive or illegal material is not being viewed, sent, downloaded or circulated. Therefore, in relation to Company mobile phones, Boxing Futures reserves the right to obtain an itemised list from the mobile phone service provider of all outgoing calls made on the mobile phone. This list may include details of each number called, the date, time and duration of each call and the cost of each call. In addition, Boxing Futures reserves the right to obtain an itemised list from the mobile phone service provider of all outgoing text messages sent from the mobile phone. This list may include details of each number texted, the date and time of each text message and the cost of each text message. Where exceptional circumstances warrant it, Boxing Futures may also ask the mobile phone service provider to provide access to the actual content of text messages. Finally, where applicable, Boxing Futures may request Internet access records from the mobile phone service provider, including websites and individual web pages visited, apps accessed, the date and time of access and the amount of mobile data used.

If you wish to use your mobile phone, you should do so outside of normal working hour however calls related to childcare, and other emergencies related to the caring of family members, may be received during work time. Normal working output must not be affected, and should it be necessary, misuse will be subject to disciplinary investigation Also prohibited are lengthy calls, casual chats, text messaging, e-mailing, web browsing, accessing phone apps, using social media sites and the taking of video and/or still images (if your phone is so enabled). Your mobile phone should be set to a silent ring or vibrate during normal working hours.

If staff are contacted by friends, relatives, or medical and professional contacts in a personal capacity, you may accept them provided that:
• Any response is not given priority over or allowed to disrupt any work, meeting, or service-user contact in which you are engaged.
• If any response lasts longer than a few minutes, it must be accounted for in the staff member’s own time (i.e., included in the time recorded for lunch breaks).

Under no circumstances may staff misuse Boxing Futures’ mobile telephones for their own personal use.

All employees are expected not to use handheld mobile phones (Boxing Future’ issued or personal) for organisational use whilst driving. Stopping at traffic lights or being stuck in traffic jams is still deemed driving under the law unless the traffic jam is “exceptional”, and the engine is turned off. For further details, see our Driving Policy.

Boxing Futures is fully committed to compliance with all legal requirements of the Data Protection Act 2018 The legislation applies to anyone processing personal data. It sets out principles which should be followed, and it also gives rights to those whose data is being processed which is dealt with separately.

You are responsible for ensuring that any personal data that you hold and/or process as part of your job role is stored securely.

You must ensure that personal information is not disclosed either orally or in writing, or via web pages, or by any other means, accidentally or otherwise, to any unauthorised third party.

You should note that unauthorised disclosure may result in action under the disciplinary procedure, which may include dismissal for gross misconduct. Personal information should be kept in a locked filing cabinet, drawer, or safe. Electronic data should be coded, encrypted, or password protected both on a local hard drive and on a network drive that is regularly backed up. If a copy is kept on removable storage media, that media must itself be kept in a locked filing cabinet, drawer, or safe.

When travelling with a device containing personal data, you must ensure both the device and data is password protected. The device should be kept secure and where possible it should be locked away out of sight i.e. in the boot of a car. You should avoid travelling with hard copies of personal data where there is secure electronic storage available. When it is essential to travel with hard copies of personal data this should be kept securely in a bag and where possible locked away out of sight i.e. in the boot of a car.

You should note that any personal mail which uses Boxing Futures address, irrespective of being designated “Strictly Private and Confidential”, can and will legitimately be opened by the appropriate employee of Boxing Futures, e.g. Company Secretary, Managing Director, etc. Such actions are considered essential to safeguard the interests of the business and to ensure that the only mail received is of an official nature and the issues contained within relate to its business.

You must not use Boxing Futures’ stationery or other stock (e.g., staff kitchen supplies, cleaning materials) for private purposes. Unauthorised removal of Boxing Futures’ stationery or other stocks and or materials from the office will be treated as theft.

This policy was approved on 17th June 2024.

Review date: May 2025.