Vodafone 2000 Annual Report Download - page 18

Vodafone AirTouch Plc Annual Report & Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2000
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Research and development
The Group continues an active research and development programme for the enhancement of mobile telecommunications.
Directors’ interests in the shares of Vodafone AirTouch Plc
The Remuneration Report of the Board on pages 20 to 26 details the directors’ interests in the shares of Vodafone AirTouch Plc.
Directors’ interests in contracts
None of the directors had a material interest in any contract of significance to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries was a party during the
financial year.
Employee involvement
During the year new initiatives have been launched to agree and communicate the Group’s vision and goals amongst employees and to translate these
into a set of behaviours and values which relate to the way the vision and goals are achieved. Our vision is to become the world’s leading wireless
telecommunications and information provider, bringing more customers more services and more value than any other, and our goals are to:
• Expand our geographic presence and control our investments;
• Bind customers to us through a constant introduction of new products and services and a brand that differentiates us from the rest;
• Lead in each local market by customer and brand loyalty, lowest cost position, share of profit pool and employee satisfaction;
• Leverage our global scale and scope to realise synergies which help to achieve the lowest cost position and offer greater value to our customers;
• Lead global technological platform development while positioning ourselves as the strategic partner of choice with technology leading suppliers; and
• Attract the most talented people to work with us.
The goals are intended to be achieved by employees adopting agreed behaviours and values, which are to:
• Put customers first;
• Work as one team;
• Be open and involving;
• Move quickly into action;
• Deliver quality and innovation; and
• Think and act like owners.
These messages have been communicated in conferences, workshops and other forms of employee communications.
The Board places a high priority on employee communications and this is achieved through an increasing number of different channels including
management presentations, team briefing, e-mail and conferences. The Company has, during the year, established an International Employee
Communications Forum at which elected employee representatives from subsidiary companies in Europe are able to discuss the progress of the Group
and employee matters affecting more than one country. The initial meeting of the Forum was held in June 1999.
During the year the Company adopted a new policy to have employee-elected Trustees for the UK based Pension Schemes.
Employee education, training and development
Continuing education, training and development are important to ensure the future success of the Group. Policies have been adopted to assist all
employees to reach their full potential and a wide variety of schemes and programmes are offered, aimed at ensuring that relevant education, training
and development opportunities are available. Many courses are provided by the Group’s Training Services department, which has well equipped technical
and development training facilities and a broad range of expertise.
A programme of business related further education is also sponsored by the Group and programmes exist to help employees meet the training and
qualification requirements of their chosen professional institution, thereby continuing to raise the existing professionalism of the Group.
Directors’ Report continued