As a family run business operating for over 250 years, our values reflect our desire to build long lasting partnerships with suppliers, customers, employees and others. We continual plan for the future and encourage our employees to develop long and satisfying careers – and many stay with us for decades. Our current workforce includes both 8th and 9th generation members of the Latham family. The family retain a majority of the company shares at over 50%.
The below are incorporated into our polices and actions and are evident in our day-to-day behaviours.
- Customer focus
- We aim to be a supplier of choice, so we must ensure our internal processes give our external customers the best experience.
- We are also mindful of our internal customers – our colleagues – and strive to build cohesive and respectful teams both at depot level and across the group.
- Shareholder value
- We maintain central financial control and make the most of the benefits of scale from the group’s activities in order to be efficient with our finances.
- We work to maintain a profitable business that will give benefit to shareholders, including many of our employees.
- Empowerment
- Our business structure encourages entrepreneurial spirit at depot level as each depot runs independently, albeit whilst working to central guidance.
- All employees are encouraged to suggest ideas to improve the way we do things and help continually improve our business.
- Sustainability
- We aim to promote timber and timber products as the sustainable resource for the future.
- We see sustainability as protecting the future of our business, our employees and our planet.
- Integrity
- We are proud to be well respected in our industry and amongst customers and suppliers for principled trading policies and integrity.
- We expect high standards from all employees and expect people to treat colleagues, customers and anyone else they come into contact with through work, with the highest respect.
