Corporate and social responsibility
The Board and employees of e2v are aware of their responsibilities in seeking to maximise the positive impact of their presence within the local communities in which they operate. In order to achieve this goal e2v technologies is committed to developing its Corporate and Social Responsibility policies based on the principles of sound management and integrity.
There are policies covering key subjects established throughout the Group, which are signed by the Chief Executive and posted prominently across the sites.
The following section provides a summary of our current position with regard to the key areas of our policy:
HEALTH AND SAFETY
The Group’s Health and Safety policy requires that:
- Responsibility for health and safety performance is clearly assigned and understood.
- Health and safety measures are effectively communicated to all employees, adequate training is provided and monitoring processes are put in place to maximize the health and safety at work of all its employees, contractors and visitors.
- Appropriate safety equipment and protective clothing are available at all times.
- All employees are encouraged to contribute to the development of health and safety procedures as well as being involved in the risk assessment process.
- Health and safety performance is regularly monitored to ensure continued effectiveness of the Group's policy.
- Regular safety audits and inspections are carried out on all sites with any non-conformances being reported at the health and safety committee meeting.
Our goal is to continually improve the Health and Safety performance across all our sites with compliance with law and codes of practice regarded as the minimum standard. The Board reviews top-level statistics on Health and Safety at every Board meeting.
During the year there were two accidents which were reported to the Health and Safety Executive under RIDDOR.
Works Safety Committees, made up from departmental safety representatives and management, review potential risks and issues and are responsible for on-going safety training.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
The Group's environmental policy states that:
The Company is committed to the continuous improvement of our systems and processes to minimise any adverse impact on the environment
- We will maintain operational and management systems that facilitate compliance with Environmental legislation.
- Through training and communications, all persons working on behalf of the Company, will be encouraged to take personal responsibility to minimise their adverse impact on the environment.
- We are committed to seeking practical ways to reduce emissions to Land, Air and Water through the responsible management of our business processes.
- Environmentally sound design practices will be encouraged at all stages of product life cycle, to include reduced material waste, recycling, reduced energy consumption and end-of-life/disposal criterion.
- Energy usage will be managed for efficiency and minimal waste through appropriate investment in processes, controls and continuous improvement plans including maintaining the Energy Efficiency Accreditation as detailed in the company energy policy.
- The company will strive to secure a green procurement chain through working with and developing our suppliers to ensure they comply with the relevant Environmental legislation.
e2v technologies continues to focus on minimising its impact on the environment. The Group’s main aims are the reduction of energy use, reduced waste generation and improved waste management, with compliance with legislation regarded as a minimum standard. e2v technologies commitment is backed by its well-established Environmental Management System, which has been certified to ISO 14001 since 1997. The principal manufacturing site at Chelmsford was one of the first in Essex to gain this certification and this is the framework on which all subsequent environmental activities are based.
Energy
The Group’s energy policy states that:
The Company is committed to the continuous improvement of our systems and processes to ensure maximum efficiency of our energy usage.
- We are committed to assisting the Government to reach its targets of reducing UK Carbon Dioxide emissions as stated in the Kyoto Agreement.
- We will ensure that adequate resources will be provided for the completion of the energy management programme and our milestone targets set out in our underlying agreement with the Secretary of State.
- Energy efficiency will be considered when selecting capital equipment.
- We will set up appropriate monitoring and reporting systems.
- We are committed to reviewing and auditing our energy management systems against stated aims, targets and industry best practice and reporting our energy performance, both good and bad, as a means to improve accountability and to drive the continual improvement of our operations and business effectiveness. This will be achieved by meeting the requirements of the Energy Efficiency Accreditation.
The main manufacturing activities, based in Chelmsford, UK are certified to the Energy Efficiency Accreditation Scheme. The Company is continually reducing its energy usage in line with Climate Change Levy (CCL) targets and has been working closely with the Carbon Trust to identify opportunities for further improvement in our energy consumption. A 5% reduction was achieved in 2006, with further opportunities for reductions identified for 2007.
Compliance with latest environmental legislation
As a minimum, e2v strives to be compliant with all current environmental legislation. During 2006, e2v focused on the Company’s compliance to new legislation. As a result, the Chelmsford and Lincoln sites now conform to the Hazardous Waste Regulations and all manufacturing sites are in the process of obtaining Restriction of Hazardous Substances compliance for all relevant products. e2v are also currently finalising our conformance to the Solvents Emissions Directive and will meet the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive when it is introduced in the UK.
Waste management
e2v’s manufacturing activities continue to target reductions in both its controlled factory waste to landfill and its hazardous waste from production processes. It treats waste process streams in its onsite treatment plants at Lincoln and Chelmsford, where 21 million gallons were treated in 2006, cleansing water to the necessary level of purity prior to being discharged into the public utility system, and utilises external waste treatment contractors at the e2v scientific instruments High Wycombe site.
The recovery of waste throughout our operations for reuse has been a key objective, and e2v continues to invest in waste treatment and management facilities. In 2006 the Company recycled over 32 tonnes of cardboard and over 20 tonnes of office paper along with glass, plastics and various process fluids such as oils, organic solvents and scrap metal, which are segregated and recovered across all sites.
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
e2v technologies is currently the largest private employer in Chelmsford, UK and recognises the social responsibilities this entails. Indeed, 80.5% of e2v’s Chelmsford staff live in Chelmsford and the surrounding area and 59% of e2v staff have worked for the Company for more than 10 years, with many acting as school governors in the very schools which provide a valuable source of future employees. This represents a great investment by the community in the Company today and for the future. For its part e2v strives to support its staff in making their communities better places to live.
SETNET Ambassadors programme
The Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics Network (SETNET) is a UK-wide charity that promotes science, engineering, technology and mathematics awareness, especially among young people. e2v technologies has 14 Science and Engineering "ambassadors" who facilitate at company relevant events organised by SETNET at local schools and colleges to help ensure that there is a flow of motivated, capable people into science, technology, engineering and maths-related careers.
e2v is currently engaged with over 30 schools and colleges in the UK providing ongoing learning support and generally promoting science, technology and manufacturing.
In addition, the manufacturing facilities in Lincoln and High Wycombe and the offices in France, Germany and the US recognise the important roles they play within their own communities, through for example a US presence on the global charities committee and their local charity fundraising activities.
In the year the UK organisation provided £17,000 to the Company’s charities committee to donate to worthwhile causes in the community: with 4 core charities maintained as the focus of their support activities. In addition to the charity committee activities, Company employees are encouraged to take part in charity fundraising of their own and this has resulted in employees raising funds for many charities including the Pakistan Earthquake Appeal, the Tsunami Appeal, Cancer Research UK, and Diabetes UK.
EMPLOYMENT
The Company is aware of the importance of communication with its employees. During the year, the policy of providing employees with information about the Group has been continued through the Group newsletter “time2talk” in which employees are encouraged to contribute news. In addition, monthly team briefs are held to allow the free flow of information and an employee forum is available on the Group’s intranet. The Group believes it complies with the Information and Consultation directive of the European Union that became effective in the UK on 1 April 2005.
A share save scheme was launched for all Group employees in September 2004 and a subsequent share save scheme was launched in August 2005. An employee share option scheme was launched in the year ended 31 March 2005 and 240,000 options were granted on 12 January 2005. A further 265,000 options were granted under the scheme on 1 August 2005.
The Group endeavours to provide equality of opportunity in recruiting, training, promoting and career development to all, irrespective of sex, race, religion or colour. The Group gives full consideration to applications for employment from disabled persons where a handicapped or disabled person can adequately fulfil the requirements of the job.
Where existing employees become disabled, it is the Group's policy, wherever practicable, to provide continuing employment under normal terms and conditions, and to provide training and career development and promotion to disabled employees, wherever appropriate.
The Group recognises that its competitiveness in the market is dependent on employing the right people and skills in its business. To do this it strives to create a stimulating and challenging environment for all employees to thrive and excel in. Key elements of our employment policy are:
- Create a working environment where all employees are able to improve their skills and knowledge.
- Maintain a stimulating, healthy and safe working environment.
- Give employees the necessary support to make informed decisions about their lifestyle and financial security.
- Create an open working environment where employees feel comfortable in expressing their views and highlighting wrong-doing.
- Promote an environment of equal opportunities that does not tolerate discrimination, harassment or victimisation of any type.
- Offer competitive and fair remuneration packages which are tailored to deliver both the short and long-term objectives of the business
- Give regular open and honest feedback to all employees regarding their performance, career options and training needs via a yearly Personal Progression Plan.
- Encourage all employees to embrace the four key values of the business:
- Integrity
- Innovation
- Connectivity
- Raising the Bar
In the coming year we will be executing actions required to effectively deal with the output from a comprehensive employee survey which was conducted in 2006 to help us shape our employment strategies.
Bridging the skills gap
To ensure we have the correct level of skills coming into our business we have ongoing apprentice training programmes and at any one time have approximately 30 apprentices on the three-year program. We also have a yearly graduate intake and training program.
CUSTOMER AND SUPPLIER RELATIONS
e2v technologies works to build long-term relationships with its customers and suppliers. Our goal is to view these relationships as a partnership. This approach enables e2v to involve customers and suppliers in decisions regarding new product developments, and conversely, enables e2v to discuss customer needs to tailor technology solutions to the market place. Within these relationships e2v promotes sound corporate governance to ensure that its policies are, wherever possible, flowed throughout the entire supply chain.
Customer satisfaction
e2v conduct regular customer satisfaction surveys to determine the levels of satisfaction and identify areas for improvement. The 2006 survey demonstrated that, compared with the last survey in 2003, e2v has improved in all the key performance areas, making the most improvement in the areas of: product returns, product quality and offering good value for money, but the least improvement in keeping promises, offering professional technical back-up and handling complaints.
