Annual Report 2012 - Investor Relations

32Sustainability ReportEmployees: Fostering CPD and creating prospects for our employeesThe composition of our workforce changed in 2012. This changemeans opportunities and challenges alike that we are seeking toseize and master in concert with our employees. In an industry likethe paper industry that is based primarily on technological and innovativeprowess, our expertise is our capital and potential. In orderto preserve our technological and innovative capability in the future,we are seeking to secure the transfer of existing expertise withinthe company and more strongly integrate the up-and-coming generationof professionals. To this end we are banking on targetedCPD and clear-cut reporting lines.New composition of Cham’s workforceThe length of service of the Cham Paper Group’s workforce isabove-average. The employees’ sense of identification with thecompany is equally pronounced. However, due to the shutdownof base paper production in Cham there will be sizeable changesin the composition of Cham’s workforce. The shutdown of the firstpaper machine as of mid-June 2012 is already perceptible in theanalysis. As of the reporting date, the combined workforce amountedto 574 employees, of whom 248 were located in Switzerlandand 326 in Italy. The share of women was 11.5%. A total of 31employees were employed part time and 32 had a fixed-term employmentcontract.At 35.2% the fluctuation rate was very high for 2012, particularlyin Switzerland. By contrast, in Italy it was 5.7% which is lower ascompared to the previous year. The reason for the higher numberof departures during the year under review was the restructuringthat took place at the Cham site. This resulted in voluntary departuresand terminations caused by redundancies. In order to bridgetemporary manpower shortages caused as a result, personnel washired on a fixed-term basis via a placement agency. Employees affectedby termination were provided comprehensive assistanceunder a carefully crafted redundancy scheme. The executive managementlevel was also included in the reorganisation. At the endof 2012 it was announced that there would no longer be any GroupCEO. The supreme executive governing body is now the ExecutiveCommittee, headed by a delegate of the Board of Directors.New perspectives by virtue of goals and participationWe are characterised by our employees and as such their confidenceand trust in us is key. That is why we seek to open up newprospects for them in our role as employer and foster each andevery employee according to his or her needs. Due to the realignmentof operations at Cham in 2012 this proved to be a difficultproposition and frequently created considerable uncertainty. A participativeleadership style and a clearly defined human resourcespolicy are designed to counteract this. We continue to perceive thelatter to be a strategic core issue and are endeavoured to bring theneeds and perceptions of employees in line with Cham’s corporateobjectives. Human resource topics are regularly discussed at themonthly meetings of the Executive Committee and are monitoredby the Board of Directors. Consequently, the inclusion of our employeeson an equitable basis in accordance with fair and equal principlesis also a principle of our communication philosophy.CPD opportunities through training and continuing educationWe afford all our employees the opportunity to discover somethingnew and engage in personal development. At Cham we are facedwith the particular challenge of preserving the sizable know-how ofCham’s workforce in the company and equipping ourselves withnew knowledge for dealing with the future. What is needed is agood leadership style, intriguing development goals and making theright choices when it comes to recruiting new employees. In Italycomputer-aided performance management is already a reality. AtCham the focus in 2012 was on individually drafted developmentplans for fostering talented employees.Health and safetyOur goal is to provide optimal guidance to our employees whenit comes to health and safety. Workplace health management ensuresthat health-promoting measures such as absence management,assistance to employees who have fallen ill or suffered anaccident, establishing sheltered workplaces, and reintegration inthe work process are promptly implemented by way of targetedactions.The work and safety contacts (KOPAS) are responsible for the directexchange of key topics between employees and managementas is a core team tasked to this end, the team composed of managementmembers from the various technical areas. Owing to therestructuring at Cham there will be a slight change in the organisationof the core team. The high significance of health and safetycontinues unabated. In 2012 there were no work-related fatalities.Our safety efforts are not restricted only to our personnel manningthe machinery. We also seek to appropriately include the thinkersworking at their desks in our health and safety efforts. Properly assessinghazards and risks is the first step to this end. We conducta three-phase risk assessment so as to gauge potential risks in aspecific, economic and comprehensive manner. The three phasesconsist of conducting tours and inspections on site, collecting andperforming assessments of incidents and accidents, and conductingrisk analyses for new construction, conversion and retrofittingprojects.By the same token, we attach importance to the health of our employees,both physical and mental. In order to achieve the rightwork-life balance we enable our employees to take advantage ofa flexitime model in daytime work. Health is writ large on the “vitamindays” on which we distribute information sheets on healthynutrition throughout the company and distribute fruit from localgrowers free of charge. With our annual “Bike to work” initiativewe are also actively on the go while promoting our employees’enjoyment in engaging in outdoor exercise.