1. Purpose of This Policy

GrowMore Recruitment is committed to conducting its business with the highest ethical standards, in alignment with our values of integrity, transparency, and respect for individuals and communities. As part of that commitment, we recognise that the nature of a client’s business can materially impact the wellbeing of workers, the ethical integrity of our services, and our reputation as a trusted recruitment and workforce solutions provider.

This policy outlines our firm decision to exclude clients operating in certain industries from obtaining our services. The aim is to safeguard our commitment to ethical practice, protect candidates and workers from potential harm or exploitation, and uphold our corporate values across all engagements.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all potential and existing clients of GrowMore Recruitment (including under any of our brands and service lines: permanent staffing, contractor resourcing, staff augmentation, Employer of Record (EoR), outsourcing, volume recruitment, payroll, and workforce management). It applies to all new proposals, contracts, and service agreements initiated after adoption of this policy, as well as all internal evaluation and client-onboarding processes, due diligence checks, vendor/client assessment, and contract negotiations.

3. Prohibited Industries and Activities

GrowMore Recruitment will not accept engagements or establish partnerships with companies operating primarily or substantially in the following sectors:

1. Gambling: Including but not limited to casinos, online gambling/betting platforms, sports betting, gaming operations, lottery services, and any business model whose core activity is gambling.
2. Tobacco and Tobacco-Related Products: Including production, distribution, marketing, sale, or promotion of tobacco, e-cigarettes, vaping products, nicotine products, or any derivative substance or related paraphernalia.
3. Adult Entertainment: Including, but not limited to, pornography, strip clubs, escort services, adult content production or distribution, adult venues, or services directly tied to adult entertainment.
4. Multilevel Marketing or Pyramid-Style Schemes: Including businesses whose primary revenue model is derived from continual recruitment rather than genuine product or service sales, or whose operational structure places workers at financial risk through mandatory buy-ins, inventory purchases, or commission-only recruitment chains. This includes any organisation that resembles or operates similarly to pyramid schemes, deceptive multilevel models, or unfair network-recruitment structures that may exploit vulnerable individuals.
5. Payday Lending, Predatory Finance, and High-Risk Consumer Credit: Including organisations offering high-interest loans, payday advances, aggressive debt collection, exploitative credit products, or any financial services that disproportionately harm or target vulnerable individuals.
6. Environmental Harm & Extractive Industries With Poor Compliance: Including operations involved in illegal mining, deforestation, non-compliant waste management, environmentally destructive extraction practices, or organisations that repeatedly violate environmental standards or operate without proper regulatory oversight.
7. Human Trafficking, Escorting, or Exploitative Labour Agencies: Including businesses engaged in trafficking, coerced labour supply, unethical recruitment, visa scams, or any labour agency known for exploiting workers or operating outside lawful employment frameworks.
8. Political Lobbying Groups or Extremist Organisations: Including entities that promote extremist ideologies, radical movements, hate-based agendas, or politically motivated organisations where partnership poses ethical, reputational, or social risk.
9. Counterfeit Goods, Piracy, or Intellectual Property Infringement Operations: Including manufacturers, distributors, or resellers of counterfeit goods; companies involved in piracy; grey-market sellers; or any entity engaged in the unauthorised reproduction of protected intellectual property.
10. High-Risk Clinical Trials or Unethical Medical Testing Groups: Including organisations conducting medical trials without proper regulatory approval, insufficient ethical oversight, inadequate participant protections, or research activities posing undue risk to human subjects.

These industries are considered to carry inherent social, ethical, reputational or human-rights risks that conflict with our values and the welfare of the candidates and workers we represent.

4. Principles & Rationale

By refusing to engage with clients from these industries, GrowMore upholds ethical integrity by ensuring business operations align with principles of respect, dignity, and social responsibility. Protection of individuals is prioritised by avoiding association with industries that may pose exploitation, dependency, addiction, or other socio-economic harm, thus safeguarding candidates, workers, and communities.

This position also supports reputational safeguard, maintaining the brand values and trust GrowMore has built over years serving enterprise clients, and ensures consistency with corporate values by reflecting dedication to transparency, accountability, and care for human rights and welfare across all operations. This policy demonstrates to clients, candidates, and stakeholders that GrowMore prioritises long-term societal impact over short-term commercial gains.

5. Client Screening and Due Diligence

To enforce this policy, GrowMore will implement screening and assessment procedures during client onboarding and prior to entering any contractual agreement. During initial client intake, comprehensive information will be requested about the client’s business activity, products/services, corporate structure, and main revenue streams.

Publicly available information such as the company website, business registration, product catalogues, and marketing materials will be reviewed and verified to assess whether the business falls within any excluded industry. New client proposals and agreements will include a mandatory declaration clause requiring the client to affirm that they are not engaged in, nor derive substantive revenue from, any excluded industry.

If there is doubt or ambiguity regarding a client’s activities or business model, the case will be referred to the Compliance Committee or designated senior management for review. A client-exclusion register will be maintained to log all clients assessed and rejected under this policy, along with reasons for rejection and the date of decision.

6. Communication and Transparency

When declining to engage with a prospective client on the grounds of this policy, GrowMore will clearly communicate that the decision is based on adherence to internal corporate ethics and values. Where appropriate, a concise explanation will be provided that the company does not work with businesses in certain industries, without entering into detailed debate or justification.

Internal stakeholders, including sales, business development, legal, and operations, will be kept aware of and trained on the policy so that refusals are consistent and non-discriminatory.

7. Non-Negotiable Position

The restriction on working with clients from the excluded industries is absolute. GrowMore will not entertain requests for exceptions or partial engagements under any circumstances.

The commitment to ethical standards is non-negotiable, and the decision applies even if a client proposes partial or marginal business activities outside the prohibited sectors.

8. Review and Policy Maintenance

GrowMore commits to reviewing this policy periodically, at least annually, or sooner if new industries emerge that raise serious ethical concerns or social risks. Reviews will also occur if the business scope expands into new service lines or jurisdictions, if stakeholders provide feedback suggesting adjustments, or if regulatory or societal standards evolve regarding acceptable client activities.

Any updates will be documented, approved by senior leadership, and communicated to all relevant teams across the organisation.

9. Implementation & Responsibility

Overall responsibility for implementing and enforcing this policy lies with the Leadership Team, working in close cooperation with Business Development, Compliance, Legal, and Operations departments. All staff involved in client acquisition, onboarding, contracting, and service delivery must comply fully.

10. Statement of Ethical Identity

By maintaining this Exclusion of Clients Policy, GrowMore Recruitment reaffirms its identity as a socially responsible organisation. The company commits to contributing positively to communities, protecting individuals placed through its services from risks associated with harmful industries, and ensuring that long-term success is built on strong ethical foundations.

By applying this policy, GrowMore reinforces its dedication to operating with integrity and partnering with organisations whose work reflects the standards it upholds. Choosing not to engage with certain industries is a deliberate decision that allows the organisation to protect the wellbeing of the people it serves and remain true to its values.

In doing so, GrowMore aims to contribute to a more responsible, respectful, and sustainable business landscape, where actions support the long-term interests of individuals, communities, and society as a whole.