Financial Statements - Solvay

New career
management process
In 2008 the Group formally adopted
the “Talent Roundtables” process for
all Sectors, General Managements
and Regions. These are sponsored
by all levels of the organization,
including the Executive Committee.
The identifi cation of promising talent,
associated with systematic and global
succession management, makes sure
that the Group has the managerial
talent that it will need in the future.
A new personnel needs planning
process was also pilot tested in
2008. The positive results obtained
will help concretely in defi ning an HR
strategy in each entity to better meet
personnel needs. This approach will
be widely used from 2009 onwards.
New impetus to
Industrial Relations and
Sustainable Development
In November 2008, a Sustainable
Development and Corporate Social
Responsibility charter was signed
by Christian Jourquin, Chairman of
the Executive Committee and the
members of the European Works
Council. This charter sets out 10
principles for Solvay’s management
of employee relations in Europe.
These related to equal opportunities,
promotion of diversity, free job
choice, rejection of child labor, social
dialogue, training and competencies,
job safety, wages, well-being at
work and contribution to the Group’s
Sustainable Development thrust in
terms of safety and environment.
Concrete achievements in these
fi elds are presented in the chapter
“Sustainable Development”.
Solvay Corporate University
Founded in 2006 and managed by
the newly-created Chief Learning
Offi cer function, the Solvay Corporate
University opened its doors in 2008,
to supply the skills required by a
worldwide enterprise and to develop
the training programs required by
employees and the needs of the
business. This is a “virtual” university,
charged with making sure that the
knowledge and skills acquired by
employees are directly connected
with the Group’s strategies, values
and objectives.
The University will create a new
training culture, encompass new
people and activities and contribute
to the permanent introduction of
signifi cant changes within the Group.
Among the management development
initiatives offered by Solvay Corporate
University in 2008 are the Quest and
Global Leadership programmes,
responding to the needs of the
Pharmaceuticals Sector, and
Pinnacle, which is more adapted to
those of the Chemicals and Plastics
Sectors.
The special attention that the Group
is giving to its employees will continue
in 2009.
The HR strategy of “Growing our
people to grow our Group” will
become even more important in
the present climate of economic
uncertainty.
The Group is committed to continue
to implement this strategy.
Renaissance is under way
This conversion of systems and
functions, scheduled for completion
around mid-2010, will continue
across the Group, except Asia.
The 2009
Solvay People Survey
Given the uncertainties connected
with the global economic crisis,
Solvay managers need to remain
in contact with their employees,
their questions, concerns and
expectations. For this reason, a new
survey of employee commitment
will be undertaken in mid-2009, the
results of which will be shared with
everyone towards the end of 2009.
June 2008 strategy review
- Sustainable Development
and Human Resources
During this strategic review, senior
Group managers recognized the
importance of encouraging all
employees to get involved in the
process of open innovation.
Among the 10 short-term initiatives
decided upon, the Research and
Innovation group will promote several
projects aimed at evaluating and
developing principles, incentives
and competencies supporting open
innovation, by supplying the research
teams with the necessary training.
The results of these initiatives will be
shared in 2009.
Human Resources
51
Solvay Global Annual Report 2008
Human Resources