Social Value and Sustainability
This page sets out how we generate social value and reduce our environmental footprint through the way we run our business. Zest Assure, a trading name of Juicy Media Ltd, is a compliance platform for managing ISO 9001, ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certification, providing compliance workspaces, evidence management, reviews, assessor collaboration, staff training and audit-ready exports. Juicy Media Ltd is registered in England & Wales under company number 05514688, is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (registration Z1589829), and has its registered office at DiSH, Heron House, 47 Lloyd Street, Manchester, M2 5LN.
This statement should be read alongside our Environmental Policy, our Carbon Reduction Plan and our Corporate Social Responsibility Policy, which describe our environmental and community commitments in greater detail.
Introduction
As a software business delivering a cloud-hosted compliance platform, we are able to operate without the physical infrastructure that many organisations depend upon. We have made deliberate choices about how we work, who we buy from and how we share our expertise so that the growth of the business benefits the communities and regional economies around us, not just our customers and shareholders.
Our approach is practical rather than aspirational. Each commitment below reflects something we already do or are actively building, and we review this statement at least annually to make sure it stays accurate as the business develops.
Our commitment
Remote-first working
We operate a remote-first working model. Our team builds, supports and improves the Zest Assure platform from where they live, which removes the daily commute for most of our people and the emissions that go with it. Working this way also lets us recruit on merit from across the United Kingdom rather than within travelling distance of a single office, and gives colleagues greater flexibility to balance work with family, caring responsibilities and their own wellbeing. The savings we make by not maintaining large premises are reinvested in the platform and in the initiatives described on this page. The environmental effect of this model is quantified in our Carbon Reduction Plan.
Partnerships with regional suppliers
Where we buy goods and services, we look first to suppliers based in the regions where our people live and work, provided they can meet our ethical, environmental and information security expectations. Sourcing closer to home shortens supply chains, keeps spending within regional economies and supports local employment. We assess suppliers before engagement and keep those assessments under review; our expectations on labour standards within the supply chain are set out in our Modern Slavery Statement.
Apprenticeships
We run an apprenticeship scheme that gives people at the start of their careers a paid, structured route into software development and information security work. Apprentices are embedded in our delivery teams, work on the live platform under the guidance of experienced colleagues, and gain skills that remain in demand across the digital economy whether or not they stay with us long term.
Business mentoring
Members of our team give their time to mentor founders and early-stage business owners, sharing what we have learned about building a technology company, protecting customer data and achieving certification. We focus this support on businesses that would otherwise struggle to access experienced guidance, because we believe healthy small businesses are the foundation of resilient local economies.
Academic partnerships
We maintain working relationships with universities, contributing guest lectures, placement opportunities and real-world project briefs drawn from the challenges of building a compliance platform. These partnerships give students practical exposure to information security and quality management as they are applied in industry, and give us access to emerging research and a more diverse pipeline of future talent.
Affordable certification for small businesses
The most direct social value we create comes from the product itself. Certification against standards such as ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials has historically been priced and structured for large organisations, leaving smaller businesses exposed to security risks they cannot afford to address. Zest Assure exists to change that: by giving small and medium-sized enterprises structured workspaces, guided evidence management and direct assessor collaboration, we lower the cost and complexity of achieving recognised certification. Every SME that becomes certified through our platform strengthens the security of its own customers and supply chain in turn.
Accredited quality management
We hold ourselves to the same standards we help our customers achieve. Juicy Media Ltd holds ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certification, and the quality and information security management systems behind those certificates govern how we design, build and support the platform. Running an accredited management system keeps our commitments measurable and independently examined rather than self-declared.
Review and contact
This statement is reviewed at least once a year and whenever a significant change to the business makes an earlier review appropriate. It is governed by the laws of England & Wales. If you have questions about anything on this page, or would like to explore a supplier, mentoring or academic partnership with us, please contact us at [email protected], call 0161 464 9252, or write to Zest Assure, DiSH, Heron House, 47 Lloyd Street, Manchester, M2 5LN. More information about the platform is available at www.zestassure.com.