SOP 17.19 – Dress Code and Appearance Policy

# SOP 17.19 – Dress Code and Appearance Policy

**Little Coffee Bean Co**
**Section 17: Company Policy**
**Effective Date:** 29 October 2025
**Review Date:** 29 October 2026
**Owner:** Dan Kane, CEO

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## 1. Purpose

This policy sets out the dress code and appearance standards for all employees to maintain a professional, hygienic, and safe working environment that reflects the company’s brand and values.

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## 2. Scope

This policy applies to all employees, workers, contractors, franchisees, and agency staff at Little Coffee Bean Co, across all locations (mobile Tuk Tuks and fixed shops).

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## 3. Policy Statement

Little Coffee Bean Co is committed to presenting a professional, welcoming, and hygienic image to customers. All employees are expected to dress appropriately for their role, maintain high standards of personal hygiene, and comply with health and safety requirements.

**The company respects individual expression while ensuring standards are met for customer service, food safety, and workplace safety.**

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## 4. Procedures

### 4.1 General Dress Code

**Step 1:** All employees must wear:
– **Company-branded uniform** (if provided): T-shirt, polo shirt, apron, or other branded items
– **Clean, neat, and well-maintained clothing**
– **Closed-toe, non-slip footwear** (for safety and hygiene)

**Step 2:** Clothing must be:
– Free from offensive language, images, or logos
– Appropriate for a food service environment
– In good repair (no rips, stains, or excessive wear)

**Step 3:** Employees must not wear:
– Shorts (unless part of approved summer uniform)
– Flip-flops, sandals, or open-toe shoes
– Excessively revealing or inappropriate clothing
– Clothing that poses a safety risk (e.g., loose sleeves near equipment)

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### 4.2 Personal Hygiene

**Step 1:** All employees must:
– Maintain high standards of personal cleanliness
– Wash hands regularly and thoroughly (see SOP 1.1: Personal Hygiene)
– Keep hair clean and tied back if shoulder-length or longer
– Keep nails short, clean, and unvarnished (or with clear/neutral polish)

**Step 2:** Employees must not:
– Wear strong perfumes, colognes, or scented products (may affect food safety and customer comfort)
– Come to work with poor personal hygiene

**Step 3:** Employees who do not meet hygiene standards will be asked to address the issue immediately or may be sent home.

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### 4.3 Jewellery and Accessories

**Step 1:** Employees may wear:
– Plain wedding bands
– Small stud earrings
– Watches (must be removed or covered during food preparation)

**Step 2:** Employees must not wear:
– Dangling earrings, bracelets, or rings (food safety and safety hazard)
– Facial piercings (unless small studs that can be covered or removed)
– Excessive jewellery that may interfere with work or hygiene

**Step 3:** Managers may ask employees to remove jewellery if it poses a safety or hygiene risk.

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### 4.4 Hair and Facial Hair

**Step 1:** Hair must be:
– Clean and well-groomed
– Tied back, covered with a hairnet, or secured if shoulder-length or longer
– Kept away from face and food preparation areas

**Step 2:** Facial hair must be:
– Clean and neatly trimmed
– Covered with a beard net if required by food safety standards

**Step 3:** Unnatural hair colours are permitted, provided they are professional and do not detract from the company’s image.

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### 4.5 Tattoos and Body Art

**Step 1:** Visible tattoos are permitted, provided they are not:
– Offensive, discriminatory, or inappropriate
– Likely to cause offence to customers or colleagues

**Step 2:** Managers reserve the right to ask employees to cover tattoos if they are deemed inappropriate.

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### 4.6 Religious and Cultural Dress

**Step 1:** Little Coffee Bean Co respects employees’ rights to dress in accordance with their religious or cultural beliefs.

**Step 2:** Employees who wish to wear religious or cultural dress (e.g., hijab, turban, kippah) should discuss this with their manager to ensure it is compatible with health and safety and food hygiene requirements.

**Step 3:** Reasonable adjustments will be made wherever possible.

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### 4.7 Seasonal Variations

**Step 1:** During summer months, managers may approve:
– Short-sleeved shirts or polo shirts
– Shorts (if part of approved uniform)

**Step 2:** During winter months, employees may wear:
– Company-branded jackets or fleeces
– Layers underneath uniforms (must not be visible)

**Step 3:** All seasonal clothing must meet the same standards of cleanliness, safety, and professionalism.

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### 4.8 Non-Compliance

**Step 1:** Employees who do not comply with this policy will be:
– Spoken to by their manager and given the opportunity to correct the issue
– Sent home to change if necessary (unpaid)

**Step 2:** Repeated non-compliance may result in:
– Informal warning
– Formal disciplinary action (see SOP 17.3: Disciplinary Procedure)

**Step 3:** Managers must handle dress code issues sensitively and in line with equality and discrimination laws.

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## 5. Responsibilities

### 5.1 Employees
– Comply with dress code and appearance standards
– Maintain high standards of personal hygiene
– Report any concerns or requests for reasonable adjustments

### 5.2 Managers and Leads
– Ensure all employees are aware of and comply with this policy
– Address non-compliance promptly and sensitively
– Make reasonable adjustments for religious, cultural, or disability-related needs

### 5.3 CEO and Senior Management
– Provide uniforms and branded clothing where appropriate
– Review and update this policy annually
– Ensure compliance with equality and health and safety laws

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## 6. Compliance and Legal Framework

This policy complies with:
– **Health and Safety at Work Act 1974**
– **Food Safety Act 1990 and Food Hygiene Regulations 2013**
– **Equality Act 2010** (religious dress, disability adjustments)
– **ACAS guidance on dress codes**
– **UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018** (handling personal information sensitively)

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## 7. Related Documents

– SOP 1.1: Personal Hygiene
– SOP 17.1: Equal Opportunities Policy
– SOP 17.2: Health and Safety Policy
– SOP 17.3: Disciplinary Procedure
– Food Safety and Hygiene SOPs (Section 1)

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## 8. Review

This policy will be reviewed annually or following significant incidents, legal changes, or operational updates.

**Next Review Date:** 29 October 2026

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**Document ID:** SOP-17.19-Dress-Code-Appearance-Policy
**Version:** 2.0
**Author:** Penn, Copywriter
**Approved by:** Dan Kane, CEO