Annual report 2004 (English) - PDF 3546K - Imperial Tobacco

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These principles are enshrined in the Group’s Code
of Conduct, which may be consulted on the corporate
Web site at www.altadis.com. Cross-functional policies
have necessarily been established in certain key areas,
including:
• executive personnel management (compensation,
performance assessment, allocation of stock options,
skills and career enhancement, mobility, training),
• employee support during periods of restructuring,
• the application of methodologies that permit
continuous improvements in safety and working
conditions.
It should be noted, however, that because of the
application of differing regulations and assessment
criteria across countries, it can sometimes be diffi cult to
provide Group-level indicators in areas such as training
and safety.
Compensation:
performance assessment
Whereas employee compensation policies are managed
autonomously by each country in accordance with
national data, a standardized approach has been
adopted throughout the Group in the case of executive
remuneration. The variable component of this
remuneration is determined on the basis of an annual
performance assessment, with three parameters
applied for this purpose: company results, fulfi llment
of individual objectives and commitment to corporate
values. The establishment of job descriptions has also
provided a basis for objective comparisons of managers’
salaries relative to market trends.
2004 saw the introduction of a job analysis system
based on a common skills-defi nition model. This
model, applicable throughout the Group, will permit
a systematic approach to workforce planning founded
on optimum career progression, performance
enhancement, and skills and behavior development for
the achievement of corporate objectives.
Safety and working
conditions:
a long-term approach
Safety has always been a priority for Altadis, beyond
legal compliance. The Group remains committed to
reducing the frequency and severity of accidents in
the workplace through preventive action and training,
and has introduced polices over the years to promote
safety on an ongoing basis. These policies are rooted in
continuous accident analysis, corrective and preventive
action plans, involvement of the entire management
chain and awareness/monitoring programs to ensure
adherence to the decisions taken. Teams in the various
countries share their results and best practices in
order to deliver continuous improvements in safety
performance. Safety-related training is key to the
preventive process and is increasingly interlinked with
environmental protection initiatives.
The Group invested some EUR 4.2 million in safety
measures in 2004, and Altadis now ranks among the
companies that have obtained sustainable results in the
prevention of accidents and their consequences. The
efforts deployed testify to the Group’s commitment to
supporting and developing occupational risk prevention