Corporate practice
In 2008, we printed 113 directories in the UK; 984 Yellowbook directories in the US and 97 Paginas Amarillas directories in Spain. These products alone attracted 1.4 million advertisers. In the US, Yellowbook is the largest independent directory publisher and has the largest geographical footprint of any directory company. Yell Publicidad is the largest directory company in Spain.Supporting users and advertisers
The majority of our advertisers are small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), employing fewer than ten people. They view classified directory advertising as a highly valuable proposition.
We have more than 8,600 sales people across Yell Group to service our advertisers and we aim to ensure they conduct themselves with the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.
We ensure that users can make informed choices about suppliers or traders, without compromising our impartiality. The
Consumer Information Pages at the front of every Yellow Pages directory in the UK and on Yell.com, contain advice on choosing a supplier, getting quotes, and consumer rights.
We work closely with trade associations in the UK to support responsible business practice in areas such as building, home improvements, and health care.
In 2007, 118 24 7 became a ‘Top Five’ UK brand for customer satisfaction in an annual consumer survey across key business sectors.
Yell Publicidad has been a member of ‘Autocontrol’, the Association for the Self-Regulation of Commercial Communication, since 2002. Autocontrol is a non-profit organisation set up to prevent or resolve any advertising complaints raised by consumers in Spain. As a member, Yell Publicidad complies with their Codes of Conduct, which include the General Code of Advertising Practice.
Working in partnership with key suppliers
We aim for high ethical and environmental standards throughout our supply chain. Our suppliers are required to commit to our Ethical Purchasing Guidelines and to promote the same high standards in their own supply chains. In 2008, 95% of our key Yell UK suppliers and 61% of key Yellowbook suppliers signed up to our Ethical Purchasing Guidelines.
Maintaining quality standards
We are accredited to a range of quality standards and undertake a programme of continuous review in the UK to help assess our strengths and areas for improvement.
Promoting business excellence
Yell is a member of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), an organisation that promotes business excellence throughout Europe, and a member of the British Quality Foundation (BQF).
Yell won the European Quality Award in 1999 and 2004, and we remain the only company ever to win twice in the large business category.
We are active members of various industry associations. We sit on the board for the Data Publishers Association, last year we provided a board member for the Advertising Association council in the UK, and we provide a Vice President for the European Association of Directory Publishers.
In 2008 our CEO, John Condron, was presented with the first-ever lifetime achievement award from the UK Directory Publishers’ Association.
Joe Walsh, CEO of Yellowbook, was recently presented with the Wil Lewis Award by the Association of Directory Publishing for his exceptional lifetime contributions to the independent directory publishing industry. Joe Walsh is one of only ten people to be presented with this prestigious award since 1993.
