Volvo 2000 Annual Report Download - page 19

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arranged in Göteborg, Sweden. Approximately 600 managers attended the conference where
they took part in lectures and workshops on how Volvo can improve health and prevent
burnout. A health action plan will be put forward from each company within the Volvo
Group.
The project “Prevent Burnout” has been going on since 1998 and the result is a toolbox for
handling stress-related problems in the workplace. The toolbox will constitute support to the
organization to improve health and prevent long-term absence due to illness. The Volvo Group
has developed a unique program for those who are affected by illness, with the aim of reduc-
ing costs and increase the employer value to the employees.
Globalization
Today, there are significant number of persons assigned to Volvo organizations outside their
home countries, with the aim of sharing and adding expertise. This category of employees
increases annually and clearly reflects the ongoing globalization process. This will be further
emphasized now that Mack and Renault V.I. are part of the Volvo Group and integration
efforts require the exchange of personnel within various areas and at various levels. There is
also a tendency for an increasing number of persons from countries other than Sweden to be
assigned to Volvo organizations outside their home countries. This will further develop and
strengthen the Volvo Group’s already multicultural organization.
Integration of Mack and Renault V.I.
The integration of Mack and Renault V.I. into the Volvo Group is the largest challenge that
has ever faced Volvo, particularly from a multicultural perspective. For Volvo, it is important
to utilize all expertise regardless of a person’s gender, nationality, age and education. Diversity
promotes creativity and also increases the opportunities for effective international cooperation
and greater understanding.
In collaboration with representatives of Mack and Renault V.I., extensive analyses were con-
ducted, with the aim of clarifying synergies in the area of personnel policy. With the help of
leading expertise, the methods applied within Mack, Renault V.I. and Volvo Trucks were com-
pared with similar areas in other leading global companies. The goals established for integra-
tion efforts are, in the majority of cases, related to the achievement of world-class results.
96 97 98 99 00
Operating income/
employee**, SEK T
52.1 86.9 102.5 122.6 113.4
96 97 98 99 00
Net sales/employee*,
SEK M
1.86 2.05 2.19 2.34 2.40
Diversity work rewarded
Volvo Trucks has developed a diversity
model, which is applied for changing
attitudes and opening the company to
all groups in society, regardless of
nationality, culture or gender. During
autumn 2000, Volvo Trucks was
awarded a prize for its work with diver-
sity from the Swedish Council for
Diversity in Working Life.
Volvo Trucks has also participated
in an EU project concerning Equality in
Life and Work, together with both
national and transnational partners,
such as the City of Göteborg, the City
of Stuttgart and DaimlerChrysler. The
aim is to increase the cooperation
between the partners regarding equal-
ity and diversity issues.
Global Profit Sharing
The year 2000 was the first for the
global application of Volvo Profit
Sharing. The main message in the
information activities that took place
focused on Volvo’s success factors:
growth, product-cycle management
and operational excellence. Since profit
sharing is provided in the form of
shares in the Group, it has been pos-
sible to create a focus on the success
factors, from the point of view of both
employees and shareholders. The con-
dition for the payment of Volvo Profit
Sharing is a return on shareholders’
equity that exceeds 10%.
* Excluding divested operations
** Excluding divested operations
and items affecting compara-
bility