Vodafone 2008 Annual Report Download - page 23

It also allows an open exchange of views and suggestions on
how Vodafone can best continue to serve its customers. Monthly
messages from the Chief Executive, using a wiki platform and
video-cast, provides another opportunity for the Vodafone
employees to understand how the Group is progressing against
its goals and to provide feedback direct to the Chief Executive.
Face to face communication, particularly with employees’
line managers, is a fundamental principle of good employee
engagement and is critical for communicating change
effectively. Performance and transnational change issues
are also discussed with employee representatives from the
European subsidiaries, who meet annually with members of
the Executive Committee in the Vodafone European Employee
Consultative Council.
Equal opportunities and diversity
Vodafone does not condone unfair treatment of any kind and
operates an equal opportunities policy for all aspects of
employment and advancement, regardless of race, nationality,
sex, age, marital status, disability or religious or political belief.
In practice, this means that the Group is able to select the best
people available for positions on the basis of merit and capability,
making the most effective use of the talents and experience of
people in the business and providing them with the opportunity
to develop and realise their potential.
In April 2008, Vodafone implemented a new strategy to improve
gender diversity across the Group. This includes carrying out
senior leadership training on diversity, and plans to build a more
inclusive culture.
Vodafone is conscious of the difficulties experienced by people
with disabilities. Every effort is made to ensure ready access to
the Group’s facilities and services and a range of products have
been developed for people with special needs. In addition,
disabled people are assured of full and fair consideration for all
vacancies for which they offer themselves as suitable candidates
and efforts are made to meet their special needs, particularly
in relation to access and mobility. Where possible, modifications
to workplaces are made to provide access and, therefore, job
opportunities for the disabled. Every effort is made to continue
the employment of people who become disabled via the
provision of additional facilities, job design and the provision
of appropriate training.
Reward and recognition
To support the goal of building the best global team by attracting
and retaining the best people, the Group’s aim is to provide
competitive and fair rates of pay and benefits in each local
market where we operate.
Within Vodafone, there are initiatives that reward our employees
based on their contribution to the success of the business. In the
2009 financial year, the Group expects to continue to extend
reward differentiation based on individual contribution, through
the global reward programmes, including the Global Long Term
Incentive Plan.
A variety of share plans are offered to incentivise and retain our
employees and, in July 2007, all eligible employees across the
Group were granted 320 shares under the All Shares plan.
Retirement benefits are provided to employees and vary
depending on the conditions and practices in the countries
concerned. These are provided through a variety of
arrangements including defined benefit and defined
contribution schemes.
Measurement of employees’ views of their reward, recognition
and benefits is undertaken through the global People Survey.
In the 2007 People Survey, the overall Vodafone Group
employee response relating to reward and recognition had
increased favourably.
Health, safety and wellbeing
The health, safety and wellbeing (“HS&W”) of the Group’s
customers, employees and others who could be affected by
its activities are of paramount importance to Vodafone and
the Group applies rigorous standards to all its operations.
This year has seen a clear focus on execution of the global HS&W
initiatives across the business. Work progressed on three key
focus areas agreed with the Global HS&W Board and Group HR
for the 2008 financial year. These included continued delivery
of employee wellbeing initiatives as part of the Global People
Strategy implementation, integration of HS&W into Group
Supply Chain activities, particularly the Supplier Performance
Management processes, and updating, communicating and
implementing Vodafone’s policy on mobile phones and driving.
Improvement of Group wide governance continued with
integration of serious incident reporting systems for network
service providers and improved policy and processes for
managing supplier terminals compliance.
Employment policies
The Group’s employment policies are consistent with the
principles of the United Nations Universal Declaration of
Human Rights and the International Labour Organisation Core
Conventions and are developed to reflect local legal, cultural
and employment requirements. High standards are maintained
wherever the Group operates, as Vodafone aims to ensure that
the Group is recognised as an employer of choice. Employees
at all levels and in all companies are encouraged to make the
greatest possible contribution to the Group’s success. The
Group considers its employee relations to be good.
Allocation of Group’s 72,000
employees by activity (%)
1 Administration – 51.7%
2 Selling and distribution – 30.5%
3 Operations – 17.8%
1
3
2
Vodafone Group Plc Annual Report 2008 21