Ilika is committed to embedding sustainable and ethical practices into our everyday activities through culture, continuous improvement and monitoring. Operating ethically and with integrity, in an environmentally and socially responsible manner, is critical to the long-term business success.

Sustainability is a key focus alongside delivering on our business strategy as it is the right thing to do for employees, partners, the planet, our customers and business.

Ilika has a dedicated ESG Committee with representation from the Board, leadership, and technical. Policy, strategy, metrics, improvement, and culture are all reviewed at committee meetings chaired by Monika Biddulph, NED.

We will monitor ESG performance in line with reporting requirements and where there is no mandatory requirement for reporting, we will adopt best practice and undertake benchmarking for the high priority material topics.

A Materiality Matrix was completed in 2023, with topics of the with the biggest impact and of highest importance to stakeholders were ranked, providing a clear insight to the most material items to the company. These are integrated into our ESG Long Range Strategic Plan (LRSP).

Our ESG Statement:

• Make business decisions and policies in the interest of sustainable, responsible and compliant practices.
• Comply with all relevant and applicable laws and regulations.
• Operate in an environmentally responsible manner to reduce our impact on climate change and conserve natural resources
• Implement methodologies to understand what is material to our internal and external stakeholders.
• Build a culture dedicated to ethical business behaviour and responsible corporate activity.
• Foster an environment of diversity, inclusion and equal opportunities across the business.
• Ensure an ethical supply chain and procurement process, seeking the same high level of commitment from external parties such as suppliers, contractors, partners and customers.
• Implement and maintain a high standard of health, safety and wellbeing across the business.
• Perform assessments and routine monitoring across our business and supply chain to improve ESG performance.
• Integrate risk management into all aspects of our business activities.
• Maintain internal resources required to deliver on ESG commitments. 

Our people are our greatest asset and we recognise the value our people create for the business.

Our strong commitment to training, personal development and remuneration policies are designed to reward achievement and encourage staff retention. All employees are offered competitive contributions to a company pension scheme, a performance related bonus, EMI Share Options, CIC, Private Medical Insurance and DIS. Our people have clear goals related to the delivery of the company’s goals which are monitored regularly and reviewed annually.

Ilika is proud to have a diverse workforce with 22 different nationalities making up our employee base. 32% of our employees are female*, with representation in management and at board level.

Contribution to Society

Ilika accepts and acknowledges that we have a corporate responsibility towards society not only by paying taxes and creating and maintaining jobs but also by using our unique research skills to develop knowledge, skills and products which will ultimately benefit society.

Internal procedures have been established to report grievances or alleged inappropriate behaviour to other individuals or organisations. We treat dishonest actions and accusations seriously; this may result in disciplinary action in accordance with company rules and disciplinary procedure. 

Future Plans

We are working with local universities and training providers to launch the next generation of battery engineers, which supports our employee development strategy. We actively work with partners for STEM opportunities, promoting women in science, and apprenticeship schemes. Ilika believes that investing in the training and development of people is essential to long term business success.

Employee Rights

Ilika adheres to legislation relating to employment rights and equal opportunities, with particular reference to non-discrimination on the basis of ethnic origin, religion, gender, age, marital status, disability or sexual orientation. However, Ilika’s policies go beyond the legal requirements and the company acknowledges its moral rights to provide a safe and dignified working environment.

We maintain the highest level of integrity with regard to employees, customers and all others with whom we interact.  We recognise the value that our employees create for the business and our commitment to training and personal development, together with remuneration policies, are designed to reward achievement and emphasise the importance of retaining staff.

Ilika will not tolerate discrimination, bullying or any other kind of harassment within our business community.  The concept of ’mutual respect’ is one of our guiding principles.  Employees are expected to abide by Company rules and to be honest and considerate in their various roles.  

Internal procedures have been established to report grievances or alleged inappropriate behaviour to other individuals or organisations. We treat dishonest actions and accusations seriously; this may result in disciplinary action in accordance with company rules and disciplinary procedures.

Health and Wellbeing

We promote employee health and wellbeing by providing health monitoring, initiatives such as a virtual triathlon, group cycle rides and walking competitions. We offer an EAP service and trained company appointed Mental Health First Aiders. Our managers are trained in mental health awareness and we are developing our 5 year wellbeing strategy.

Sustainable Supply Chain

Our cobalt suppliers provide full transparency of their supply chain ensuring conflict mineral compliance.

Cathode material supply is supported by leading producers who are fully aligned with our principles as well as being participants in the Global Battery Alliance, thereby ensuring they are well positioned to support us in providing products which support the circular economy.

The selection and control of suppliers at Ilika is carefully managed to ensure all developed products can be supported sustainably in both the short and long term. We expect our supply partners to share our desire and duty to provide ethical, sustainable supply chains reducing waste through a circular economy.

Ilika has recently driven change in the choice of its packaging materials. Working with our suppliers has enabled packaging to be reused and recycled within our supply chain, thereby significantly reducing costs and waste. We continue to work with our suppliers to further decrease waste.

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We are developing an internal Ethical Supply Chain Programme to ensure that before engagement, all of our suppliers comply with international law, best ESG practice and in line with our values. At all times, we will operate with integrity, and expect our suppliers to share this desire.

In line with our battery development we aim to align with a Battery Passport system to record the environmental and sustainability credentials of the constituent parts of our solid state batteries to support transparency within the supply chain as a whole.

Environmental Commitment

Ilika is committed to achieving a real and sustainable positive impact on the broader community by adopting environmentally responsible policies. We believe it is essential we operate in an environmentally conscious manner and our objective is to minimise the impact of our business activity on the environment wherever possible.

Ilika has implemented many changes within the business in the interests of environment and sustainability. We monitor progress against our own targets and creatively consider new initiatives. We to consider environmental issues and impact in our decision making processes and company activities.

Our waste is zero to landfill, we promote sustainable methods of commuting such as EV leasing and Cycle to Work, and use renewable energy at our facilities.

Carbon Footprint

Ilika is committed to monitoring and reducing carbon footprint throughout our product development and licensing journey. We have had our carbon footprint assessed annually since 2021 and continue to be awarded carbon reduced organisation status from Carbon Footprint Ltd. We are expanding our carbon footprint assessment to include Scope 3 emissions.

Green Economy Issuer

Ilika holds a Green Economy Classification and Mark, an initiative launched by the London Stock Exchange Group (‘LSEG’) which identifies London-listed companies and funds that generate over 50% of total annual revenues from products and services that contribute to the global green economy.

ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System

In 2024, we recertified to ISO14001:2015 for our Environmental Management System. An Aspects and Impacts register is continuously monitored to reduce our environmental impact.

Energy

Our electricity is from renewable sources, and we continue to identify methods of further reducing our impact and consumption. We also use natural lighting to illuminate common areas and a portion of our offices.

Localised monitoring systems are in place for electricity, along with tool turn off procedures and motion lighting in laboratories and clean rooms to reduce consumption.

Green Champions

We have an engaged group of company volunteers who further enhance our commitment to environmental and sustainability. Through our Green Champions, Ilika has organised activities such as local litter picks, seed collection and weeding for our company event day in partnership with the local council.

Health and Safety

As a company we ensure the wellbeing, safety and welfare of our employees, those who are affected by our business and we maintain a safe and healthy working environment. Health and Safety has direct positive benefits for the company and a commitment to a high level of safety makes good business sense.

Health and Safety is considered at the highest level in the company with the ultimate responsibility resting with the Board. Health and Safety is an agenda item at each Board meeting and a full report is presented annually.

Ilika’s health and safety policies formalise our commitment to high standards of Health and Safety performance. We operate a ‘4 Pillar’ approach under our Health and Safety framework, covering Compliance, Commitment, Culture and Continuous Improvement.

Ethics and Values

Ilika supports the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This means we support freedom from torture, unjustified imprisonment without fair trial and any other oppression. In addition, we support the right of any individual to have freedom of expression and religion, political representation or in respect of any other matter. Accordingly, we will not support or work with organisations which fail to uphold basic human rights or are involved in the manufacture or transfer to an oppressive regime or are involved in the manufacture of equipment used in the violation of human rights. Neither will we work with organisations which are involved in the funding or carrying out of terrorist activities.

Ilika will not provide support or work with organisations which do not conform to the most widely accepted standards for minimum labour rights or which do not cover the use of under-age or forced labour.

Ilika does not give or receive any bribes, extra contractual gratuities, inducements, facilitation fees or similar payments. Any gifts, whether in cash or kind, received by employees or the company in the course of normally accepted business entertainment are accepted subject to the prior written approval of the management. We do not donate (including sponsorship, subscriptions or provision of employee time or facilities) to any political party or similar organisation.

Governance

See our Corporate Governance page here.

Risk

Risk and governance are intertwined in everything we do as a business, from process and product risk assessments, through to project risk monitoring and risk registers held by the Board.

Ilika takes a holistic approach to Risk Management, including Compliance Reporting, Financial, Health and Safety, Quality and Innovation, and understand these are all critical to business success.

Quality

ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems

Ilika recertified to ISO 9001:2015 – Quality Management Systems in 2023 and has a strong commitment to ensuring a quality mindset and culture in everything we do. Quality is at the heart of our product development roadmap and NPI processes.

KPIs

Company KPI’s are set annually and are an agenda on all Board meetings. KPI’s are internally supported by a Target Management Deployment programme and monitored monthly.

Continuous Improvement

Ilika is committed to improving our processes, activities and environments. We operate routine internal auditing, including 6S audits – Safety first, followed by Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardise and Sustain. To further support our commitment to Continuous Improvement, XX% of our staff are Lean Six Sigma Green Belt trained.