| Strategic objective |
Action / Targets |
Progress 2005/2006 & future actions |
| To strive for continuous health & safety improvement and promote social and ethical “best practice”. |
Achieve “Investor in People” certification and continue staff training. |
Group certified since 2000. Re-certification achieved in November 2004. Re-auditing is due in 2007. |
| Monitor compliance with Social and Ethical Policy. |
As a newly private company, we were unable to maintain our membership of the FTSE4Good Index although we continue to align our ESE Objectives and practices with it. |
| Target Health & Safety incident rates to be below national average year-on-year. |
The Group's Incident Rate (IR) averaged at 895 reportable incidents per 100,000 persons employed (545 in 2005), compared with the National IR of 981. We intend to maintain our incident rate below the National IR. |
| Continually measure performance against Training and Development Policy. |
During the reporting period, the Group invested £943,240 (2005 - £1,085,156) in employee development and training, including our Training Academy, which per employee averaged £1,257 (2005 - £1,368)or 3.2 training days per employee, compared to the industry average of 1.75 training days per employee. |
| Continue Induction Training. |
Induction training for new employees is continuing. Indeed, we are committed to high levels of internal communications for all staff. The Group’s intranet is comprehensive and a staff magazine is regularly produced. Furthermore, Senior Directors give regular presentations to staff outlining strategy and key initiatives going forward. |
| Monitor compliance with Equal Opportunities Policy. |
This is reviewed and continuously monitored through the Chief Executive's Advisory Group (CEAG); this Group develops and implements strategy, operational plans, policies, and procedures and monitors operating and ESE performance. |