PANELLIST TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND CODE OF CONDUCT
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The Consumer Centre at Unilever in Bebington, Wirral is a facility designed for testing household and personal care products. We have a database of around 3,000 people, males and females, aged 16 and over from all walks of life who help us develop new products.
As a panellist, you may be invited to participate in various studies. We have a hair salon where you may be observed washing your hair or where professional stylists apply products to your hair. There is a hot room where you can test our antiperspirant products. We run several sensory panels where you might be invited to assess the look, feel or smell of products. Some studies run just once for an hour. Other studies identify suitable panellists then run for many months or even years.
For most studies, you will need to come to the Bebington R&D site. Before attending site for your first study, you will be asked to supply a digital photograph and to attend an induction. You will be paid for your time.
Some of our work, for example digital research, is run remotely. Occasionally, if a visit to the site is not possible or practicable (for example due to Covid-19 restrictions), we may choose to deliver products for testing to your home address, as indicated by you on your sign-up form. To facilitate this, your personal information (name and home address) may be passed to our delivery services provider for the purpose of delivering products for testing to your home address. All the information you give us is treated as strictly confidential and the use of it is protected under the Data Protection Act.
You become an official panellist by accepting the Terms and Conditions and Code of Conduct presented here and agreeing to the Confidentiality Agreement. Once your details are in our database, you will become eligible to participate in studies running. To be fair to all, when there is a new study opportunity, panellists who have been invited least recently, are invited first. You will need to ‘screen in’ (meet the qualification criteria) to qualify to take part in a specific study. When a quota for a study has been met, you may open a screener to see a message saying that the study is already full. Invitations with screening questions are sent by email at different times and on different days so no one group is favoured. Screeners are rarely sent to the whole panel; a subset of the least recently contacted panellists is identified. If a quota isn’t achieved, additional invitations containing the screener will be sent out until the study is full.
You will receive payment as a reward for taking part in any study. The reward varies depending on the length of time and study commitment. Cash is paid directly into your chosen Bank Account. To process your payment, you need to provide us with your bank details. We will ask you to complete your Panellists Bank Account Pro-Forma on your first visit to the Consumer Centre. Payment will then be issued within 21 days of completion of any initial study and within 14 days for studies completed thereafter.
Your personal information and bank details will be passed to our Payroll Provider; Manpower UK. Manpower is bound by the provisions of the Data Protection Act to ensure that your details remain confidential and are not disclosed to a third party without your express consent. Data will also only be required for the purposes for which it has been provided to them, which in this instance, is the payment of expenses to you.
Should you have any queries relating to study payments, please contact Manpower directly (contact details below)
| Email: | Unilever672@manpower.co.uk |
| Telephone: | 0151 641 4030 |
CODE OF CONDUCT
ACCESS BADGE
Before attending site, you will be asked to supply a digital passport style photograph and complete an induction. If you intend to arrive by car, you should also complete a car registration document. You will then be given a badge to display on your windscreen. Once you have completed the induction, an access badge will be issued that will operate the carpark barrier and some internal doors where your card has been enabled. Whilst on site, you must always wear this badge around your neck on the lanyard supplied.
The access badge remains the property of Unilever. It is your responsibility to keep the access badge safe and bring it each time you attend site. If you no longer wish to be a panellist, you will be asked to return your badge to Unilever. If you lose your badge, please inform us as soon as possible. If you forget your badge on the day, please report to site reception where you will be given a temporary visitors pass if any are available. As a visitor’s pass does not operate card-controlled doors, the staff member you are coming to see will need to escort you whilst on site. If no visitor badges are available, or no one is available to host you, you will not be able to complete your test and you will not be paid. If you lose or forget your badge, more than twice, Unilever reserves the right to immediately remove you from the panel.
Each time you attend site, you must swipe your card on at least one access-controlled door as this keeps your card active. Access badges are for the exclusive use of the person they are issued to. Your badge should always remain in your possession. You must not share your badge with anyone else or use it to allow someone else to gain access to site.
ATTENDING SITE
You must only attend site when invited.
If you are arriving by car, please try to arrive in the car park no more than 10 minutes ahead of your appointment. Use your access badge to operate the car park barrier. Park in the area assigned for panellists. Drivers must not bring passengers, children or animals into the car park.
If you are arriving on foot, please arrive at the main entrance reception no earlier than 5 minutes before your appointment. If you are being given a lift to site, the driver should drop you at the main entrance and you should enter on foot. The driver should leave site immediately after dropping you off. You must not allow any individual who is not a panellist who is taking part in a test to enter the carpark.
After your study is finished, please leave site immediately.
The Consumer Centre is located on the ground floor of the PIL, the main building on site. You will be advised at induction which route to take to the Consumer Centre entrance, and you should stick to this route only.
There is no assigned waiting area for panellists. To avoid congestion in the car park and on the ground floor outside the consumer area, panellists are asked not to arrive more than 5 minutes ahead of their appointment time. There is some seating available on the ground floor if your study leader is not available for you immediately.
SIGNING IN FOR YOUR STUDY
Once on site you should make your way to the Consumer Centre and sign in using the tablet provided. You will need your panellist number to do this. If you do not know your panellist number you should mail (csc.general@unilever.com) or call the Consumer Centre staff (08085 312222), When you have signed in, either a Consumer Centre staff member will let you in to the wing or the Unilever staff member you have come to see will come out and collect you.
If you have any questions regarding payments or participation in studies, you should mail (csc.general@unilever.com) or call the Consumer Centre staff (08085 312222). Staff will not be able to deal with enquiries face to face while you are on site.
ON SITE
When on site you must follow the rules and guidelines outlined within this document and the accompanying documents presented in your induction or given by any Unilever or Sodexo staff member. Unilever supports a proactive safety culture. All Unilever staff members are expected to address unsafe behaviours if they are observed. Occasionally Unilever staff will have safety conversations with panellists, colleagues, and visitors when a safe behaviour has been observed. Please answer any questions you are asked openly and honestly.
Whilst on site, you must not smoke or use the smoking shelter. This includes the use of e-cigarettes. Panellists are not permitted to use the company shop or to obtain refreshments from the café or restaurant. A water fountain is available, no purchase necessary.
Your access card is enabled to operate doors into the ground floor of the building. It will not operate the door to the consumer centre. When it is time for your study, a member of staff will let you into the consumer area. Please do not attempt to access other floors or areas.
The consumer facility is integrated into the site. There will be business and scientific staff working in these areas. Whilst on site, please do not use discriminatory, harassing, or profane language. Bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct will not be tolerated. Please wear appropriate clothing. We have an informal, casual dress code, but please, refrain from wearing revealing or lewd outfits. Yes: to jeans, jumpers, leggings, work uniform if enroute to/from a job. No: to bikini's, crop tops, short shorts, nightwear and clothing with offensive, lewd or profane slogans or images.
If any Panellist is found to be in breach of these Terms and Conditions, Code of Conduct and/or Confidentiality Agreement, Unilever reserves the right to terminate their agreement with the Panellist with immediate effect.
CONFIDENTIALITY
As a volunteer panellist, you are expected to read, agree and abide by the Confidentiality Agreement and Terms and Conditions.
PANELLIST STATUS
All participation in testing is voluntary. Panellists are not employees.
Should you wish to leave the panel, let us know by mailing csc.general@unilever.com and we will ensure that you are no longer a member of the Panel. Please note that we may retain your personal details to the extent it is necessary to maintain a record of your participation in the Panel, for example to process pending payments to you or for tax purposes.
CANCELLING APPOINTMENTS
Please can you always let us know if you cannot attend an appointment at the Consumer Centre or cannot participate in a test at home. This will allow us time to offer your place to somebody else. If you fail to attend an appointment, or fail to complete a test at home, we will write to remind you of this policy. If you fail to attend 3 appointments, Unilever reserves the right to immediately remove you from the panel.
TERMINATION
Unilever reserves the right to terminate their relationship with any Panellist at any time with immediate effect, without cause.
EARNED INCOME
Any amounts paid to you by the company in respect of this work should be aggregated with any other taxable income that you earn during the tax year. We remind you that it is your responsibility to report the total of this earned income to HM Revenue and Customs in the normal way and to pay any resulting tax and National Insurance that may arise. Your tax office can advise you in respect of your own individual position. It is your responsibility to ensure you are familiar with, and are abiding by, the current rules and regulations governing the payment of benefits.
SAFETY
Before a study is run, all test methods and activities are subject to appropriate safety and ethical clearance. Unilever Research & Development is committed to the production of new products through processes that do not adversely impact on the environment and safety of our employees, neighbours and consumers.
IF YOU NEED ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE
When you are invited to take part in a study, we will always ask if you have any access requirements to support your site visit. We have accessible test booths, spray booths and disabled parking. If you screen in based on study criteria, we will work with you to make your visit possible.
IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A COMPLAINT
If you wish to make a non-medical related complaint, please contact csc.general@unilever.com or call freephone 08085 312222.
Medical incidents are extremely rare. If you experience an incident, please seek medical help in the first instance and follow the instructions given to you on your panellist information sheet.