Corporate & Social Responsibility
From health and safety to community and charitable giving, we're committed to our corporate and social responsibility at every level of our business.
We add to our policies year on year, this is the latest update from the 2006 Annual Report
Our latest statement on corporate and social responsibility
We believe in sharing the success of the business with our people. A Save As You Earn Scheme is operated across the Group and is a great mechanism for involving our employees in Homeserve's performance. All employees are offered membership of a pension scheme with staff presentations being used where operationally possible to encourage full discussion of this important issue. Access is also provided to independent financial advice where required. Homeserve Membership Ltd featured for the fifth year in a row in the Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to work for. It ranked 73rd this year which is an excellent result for a business where a high proportion of staff work in a call-centre environment which traditionally has a poor reputation for employee satisfaction. Feedback from the survey is reviewed and allows us to continue to improve the working environment.
Health & Safety
Homeserve remains committed to high standards of health and safety across its business activities. A consistently good safety record is achieved through strong leadership at board level, robust health and safety management systems, the active involvement of employees, and the routine monitoring and audit of safety performance. The financial and other positive business benefits from fewer lost time injuries and reduced risks and liabilities are self-evident.
Corporate objectives and standards
Homeserve's strategy for health and safety promotes compliance with minimum standards to achieve corporate objectives. A full-time Health and Safety Adviser supports the businesses in formulating policy and in developing health and safety management systems to meet statutory obligations and to protect employees and others affected by our activities. Our businesses operate autonomously in accordance with local health and safety policies and procedures. Each business has appointed a board member to act as champion for health and safety at board level, overseeing arrangements for the effective implementation of working practices, which meet or exceed statutory requirements. Jonathan Simpson-Dent is the nominated Board director responsible for reporting on health and safety.
Compliance is monitored against minimum corporate standards through routine internal health and safety audits at Group level, which evaluate performance in 15 key areas:
- Health and safety management
- Risk assessment and control
- Plant and equipment
- Employee information and consultation
- Use of hazardous substances
- Personal protective equipment
- Fire and security
- Incidents and injuries
- Monitoring and reporting
- Welfare and the working environment
- Training and competence
- Safety of the public and special risks
- Occupational health
- Working time
- Control of contractors
An ongoing programme of audits identifies areas for improvement. Priority action programmes are developed for each business, with progress monitored and reported to individual boards. Good health and safety performance requires both the commitment and competence of managers and the engagement of employees. Excellent progress has been made in training operational managers in safety management. Local health and safety committees help raise the profile through employee involvement and ownership.
Over the past year, a significant reduction in Homeserve's overall exposure to risk has resulted from greater attention at Board and senior management level to health and safety systems and procedures. Areas of greater risk continue to be given priority.
Performance
Homeserve has continued to maintain a good standard of health and safety performance throughout 2005/6. There were 78 recorded incidents requiring first aid, hospital treatment or time lost from work: most involving cuts, bruises or muscular strains. Of these, 38 were sufficiently serious to require a formal statutory report to HSE, although none resulted in life-threatening or disabling injuries. Most of the more serious incidents involved cuts in the Glass and Locks business, and a campaign is currently being mounted to focus on the prevention of such injuries in future. These incidents resulted in 498 working days lost through absence, slightly higher in total on the previous year but lower as a rate per employee (now 0.05% of the working days available). Unsurprisingly, 94% of the incidents and 82% of the total lost working time occurred within the Emergency Repair businesses.
With adjustment for employee numbers and excluding the now disposed of commercial businesses from the statistics, the Reportable Incident Rate remains consistent with the commendable trend of recent years, comparing favourably with an aggregated statistical average from the relevant industry sectors.
There were no statutory enforcement notices and no prosecutions against any Homeserve business.
Visits made by HSE and Local Authority inspectors to Homeserve Claims Management and to several branches of the Glass and Locks business, and by Fire Officers to Homeserve Warranties and Chem-Dry found either no deficiencies, or a few minor non-compliances, which were satisfactorily addressed within the required timescale.
Progress and developments
New acquisitions
Potential acquisitions are subjected to thorough health and safety scrutiny at due diligence stage to assess any future operational or liability implications, and identify priority actions. The acquisition of Improveline was completed during the year. A review undertaken shortly after the acquisition highlighted a few areas for attention, including a need to develop greater management ownership of health an safety procedures rather than to rely on external consultants. Immediate action was taken on acquisition, with the recruitment of a full time Health and Safety Manager now in progress. An action plan for addressing the remaining issues is in place.
Reportable Incident Rate for Homeserve over the past 5 years together with comparable industry sector statistics *
*Aggregated Industry Sector Average based on statistical data from the service and construction sectors aggregated in proportions similar to those represented within Homeserve businesses.
Health and safety management training
Excellent progress has been made on the provision of health and safety training for key managers.
Within the Emergency Repair division, where the risks are greater, over 50% of managers have now completed safety management training to the IOSH Managing Safely or equivalent standard.
Courses are planned for the remainder throughout 2006, with a pooling of arrangements to help maximise cost-effectiveness.
Work at Height
The Work at Height Regulations have had a significant impact on some of the businesses in the Emergency Repair division, prompting a thorough review of working practices. They have required more robust risk assessment procedures, the greater use of platforms and access equipment for work at height, and more effective measures to prevent falls where the use of ladders is unavoidable.
Group Health and Safety Forum
A new Group Health and Safety Forum was established during the year. Quarterly meetings of representatives from each business are chaired by the Group Health and Safety Adviser to promote common standards and practices, to pool ideas and expertise, and to share practical health and safety solutions across all of our businesses. The benefits from this initiative are already in evidence.
Publicity
The activities of listed companies are inevitably under public scrutiny by HSE and others because of their greater visibility and recognisable branding. The recent publicity given to Homeserve's work through the BBC TV series of ‘Disaster Masters' programmes drew a number of comments, both favourable and critical. Following screening of the second series, HSE inspectors raised some questions over the glazing practices and ladder use depicted in some scenes. After a formal reply to the issues raised, it was pleasing to note that a very favourable response was received, indicating that HSE were completely satisfied with the information provided and assurances given. Close monitoring of site activities continues to ensure that working methods and practices remain consistent with statutory requirements and good industry practice.
The Way Ahead
The primary focus for 2006/7 continues to be on audit, and on reviewing progress in areas already identified for attention. The consolidation of existing systems and procedures and sharing of best practice will also feature strongly in the year's programme of work. Priorities include:
- Post-acquisition support for the newer businesses to assist integration into Homeserve.
- Continued quarterly reviews of overall risk evaluation across the businesses in the light of the ongoing audit programme and progress in implementing actions to address areas of weakness.
- Assisting each business to greater autonomy and maturity in local health and safety expertise.
- Continued development of safety management systems through improved management training.
- Attention to the ongoing programme of health and safety audits.
- Promoting the sharing of experience and practical solutions through the Health and
Safety Forum. Our companies continue to improve in health and safety competence and expertise. Instances of significant non compliance are few, and are addressed promptly when highlighted through audit. Overall practices are considered appropriate to the nature and level of risk within each business.
Health and safety is fundamental to Homeserve's continuing success. The promotion of good working practices consistent with cost-effective measures to ensure compliance with statutory requirements and good industry practice remains a key focus for future activity.
Customers
Excellent customer service is key to Homeserve's success. We aim to ensure that all customers enjoy a high quality service. Homeserve Membership Ltd attempts to call all customers within 48 hours of a claim to ensure they were fully satisfied and this initiative is also being rolled out across some of the other businesses including Homeserve Warranties. Satisfaction rates for Homeserve Membership Ltd consistently run at above 90% and any dissatisfaction expressed on these calls is followed up with both the customer and the engineer where appropriate.
A noteworthy measure of satisfaction is that customer retention, already high, is higher amongst those customers who have recently made a claim than those who have not. We recognise that our customers have diverse needs and are committed to developing procedures to meet them. One initiative is the development of documentation in alternative formats, such as braille and large print.
We are committed to maintaining and improving customer service levels across the Group and procedures are constantly reviewed and refined.
We use a variety of channels to sell our products and services and seek to apply the same high standard of care to all of them. Particular care is taken in outbound sales to ensure that customers gain a full understanding of the service being provided and all outbound sales calls are recorded and the recordings retained.
Environment
Homeserve and its businesses are committed to environmental sustainability. Our businesses are largely service based and therefore their exposure to environmental risk is low. However, we recognise that Homeserve has a responsibility to act in a way that respects the environment and as such, all our businesses are encouraged to incorporate an awareness of environmental issues into decision-making processes. Recycling of office materials is encouraged and local initiatives are devised to help staff take a more responsible view of resources such as the recycling of toner cartridges. Where the business is not exclusively office based such as Homeserve Emergency Services, efforts are undertaken to manage and recycle waste such as PVC and glass.
Community and Charitable Giving
Homeserve is committed to assisting charities that have a direct impact on the communities in which its businesses operate. We encourage employees to support charities of their choice and they can contribute to those charities in a tax efficient manner through the Give As You Earn Scheme. Employee support for high profile charity campaigns is also encouraged and during the year, employees at Homeserve Membership Ltd in Walsall organized a number of fund raising events for Cancer Research UK including a sponsored slim, dress down days and a ‘celebrity' ball. As a large employer, Homeserve's businesses can offer a great contribution to the efforts of the Blood Donor campaigns and this is regularly promoted to staff.
Being a responsible corporate citizen within our communities is valued by our staff and by potential recruits to the company. Homeserve operates a generous local sponsorship programme offering financial support to school, sports or charity projects that benefits the community in areas of either education, health or issues of well being. In addition, funds were made available to a number of community sports teams nominated by employees.