Social sustainability
Our employees
South West Water's people strategy continues to focus on recruiting and developing individuals who can support the delivery of the Company's 'Pure' vision, enabling the provision of a high quality service to customers and the achievement of operational efficiencies.
2010/11 Target
Target a one year RIDDOR incident rate of no more than 16 per 1,000 employees
Not met
The Company has in place a range of 'Family Friendly' policies, which exceed statutory requirements. Employees are entitled to participate in the Pennon Group Sharesave Scheme and the Pennon Group Share Incentive Plan, both of which are all-employee plans where performance conditions do not apply.
Employee volunteering
The Company remains committed to a non-discriminatory employment policy, making every reasonable effort to ensure that no current or future employee is disadvantaged because of age, gender, religion, colour, ethnic origin, marital status, sexual orientation or disability. In particular, the Company welcomes applications for employment from disabled persons and makes special arrangements and adjustments as necessary to ensure that disabled applicants are treated fairly when attending for interview or for pre-employment aptitude tests. Wherever possible, the opportunity is taken to re-train people who become disabled during their employment in order to maintain their employment within the Company.
Employee involvement and participation in all aspects of business and organisational change is encouraged and supported through the company's Staff Council, and craft and industrial consultative forums.
The safety of staff is paramount, and our Occupational Health and Safety strategy focuses on providing strong leadership, engagement with employees, building competence and measuring performance. These principles are promoted by a health and safety steering group comprising a cross-section of directors, managers and employee representatives. A revised and improved programme of Executive Management Team and Senior Manager health and safety site audits is currently being developed. We provide training and promote a health and safety culture. During 2010/11 we have been addressing short-term absence, musculo-skeletal problems and mental wellbeing in conjunction with our Occupational Health Advisor.
RIDDOR incidents per 1,000 employees totalled 20 in 2010 compared to 13 in 2009. Analysis has shown that behavioural and cultural factors are often a significant contributory factor to RIDDOR incidents occurring: a major behavioural safety programme badged 'TAP' (Think, Act, Prevent) has been launched and targets a substantial reduction in the number of accidents and RIDDOR incidents.
The Company holds the 'Investor in People' (IIP) Silver Status, which represents the achievement of a high standard in IIP evidence requirements.
Our employees are the foundation of our success. It is one of our core values that people matter, and we have programmes in place both to support their progress and to assure their safety at work. Examples of these include a Post Graduate Certificate in Management developed with the University of Exeter's Business School, and the 'GROW' staff development programme providing training in personal growth and business strategy.
As part of the Company's GROW programme, an eight-strong team of South West Water employees raised over £12,000 for the Prince's Trust Million Makers Challenge in six months. The money will help young, disadvantaged people get into work, education or training.
2010/11 Target
Undertake detailed employee survey to ascertain satisfaction with South West Water as employer
Met
Employees and the Company's partners who deliver above and beyond what is required in their day-to-day jobs are eligible to be nominated for the Company's Pure Award scheme in three categories - Pure Water, Pure Service and Pure Environment. Around 50 employees and partners were recognised for their additional contributions in this way last year.
The Company conducts employee surveys, and one was completed in 2010/11. The survey asked general questions on how employees felt about their everyday role, their manager and the Company as a whole. A few more specific questions were asked, proposed by an employee focus group which was convened to help draw up the survey.
The survey identified a number of strong, positive themes:
- a strong passion and belief in the services we provide for each other and our customers
- a belief our work is important
- the confidence we have the skills to perform our jobs well
- a strong loyalty to South West Water.
Employee Survey Action Groups - with teams of employees representing all parts of the Company - were established to explore opportunities for improvement and drive implementation across all areas of the Company. The issues explored by these groups were:
- better communication of future plans
- consistency of management approach
- visibility of the leadership team
- providing more opportunities for people to fulfil their potential
- continuing the improvements we made with health and safety in the workplace.