Barclays 2006 Annual Report Download - page 149

Barclays PLC
Annual Report 2006 145
Governance
2
Supply chain management
Responsible sourcing principles are an important component in our
commitment to sustainability whilst, at the same time, enabling us to
manage business risk. A key achievement in 2006 was the circulation
of our new Corporate Responsibility Questionnaire to our suppliers
operating in sectors of higher or medium level environmental or social
risk. So far, we have reviewed some 60 suppliers, accounting for
approximately £1.5bn of our total annual spend.
The information gathered through our questionnaire is helping to
ensure that the social and environmental policies of our suppliers are in
line with Barclays own standards. In those cases where suppliers have
performed relatively poorly, we intend to work with them to help them
improve performance.
In 2006, Absa in South Africa spent over 55% of their annual
sourcing total with businesses qualifying under the Black Economic
Empowerment guidelines. These support the South African
Government’s objective to ensure that its citizens have the opportunity
to participate in the economic progress of the country.
In the UK, we worked with our cleaning contractors to secure new terms
and conditions for some 2,400 cleaning staff in our 2,000 UK branches.
This groundbreaking initiative means that the cleaners will now benefit
from improved pay and opportunities for training, as well as access to a
pension, sick pay, increased holiday entitlements and annual leave.
Our employees
The commitment, motivation and talent of our employees lies at the
heart of our approach to sustainability. During 2006, we continued our
pioneering partnership agreement with Amicus, our UK trade union,
and signed a joint Equality Charter that commits us to advancing
equality for our employees.
Our annual independent Employee Opinion Survey showed further
improvements. 87% of our colleagues participated in the survey and
84% expressed pride in working for Barclays, with Employee
Engagement standing at 76% (72% in 2005). Employee perceptions of
Barclays as a responsible company showed further strong progress.
Employee opinion survey results
(% Positive Scores)
2006 2005
Perceptions of Leadership 62 58
Employer of Choice 70 67
Barclays operates with integrity 84 80
Barclays is an environmentally
responsible company 77 76
Barclays is a socially responsible company 83 80
I am proud to work for Barclays 84 80
Diversity amongst our employees is both a long-term commitment and
a business imperative. 21% of our senior employees are female and this
is a start, but we accept that there is more to do. We boosted our intake
of disabled graduates to our summer internship programme with good
progress across our businesses and we benefited from a proactive
partnership with Spain’s Fundación Once.
6% of our UK senior managers are now from an ethnic minority
background whilst, over the past five years, the number of our ethnic
minority employees in the UK has risen from 7% to 13%. In South Africa,
Absa continued to make strong progress with its commitments under
the Financial Sector Charter to increase the number of black managers
at all levels and, as a sub-set, black female managers.
UK employment statistics
2006 2005 2004
Total employee headcount 62,400 59,100 60,000
Average length of service (years) 9.8 10.2 10.5
Percentage working part time 21.8% 23.7% 24.6%
Sickness absence rate 4.0% 4.2% 4.4%
Turnover rate 19.0% 20.0% 19.3%
Resignation rate 12.0% 11.5% 11.8%
Women in Barclays
Percentage of all employees 61.0% 62.2% 63.4%
Percentage of management grades 33.0% 30.9% 30.5%
Percentage of senior executives 12.9% 10.9% 10.5%
Ethnic minorities in Barclays
Percentage of all employees 12.7% 11.3% 10.5%
Percentage of management grades 8.1% 7.1% 7.0%
Percentage of senior executives 6.1% 3.6% 3.3%
Disabled employees in Barclays
Percentage of all employees 5.0% 3.4% 3.2%
Notes
All headcount and FTE numbers relate to direct employees therefore excluding
agency staff and contractors.
All employee statistics relate to Barclays in the UK excluding Barclays Global
Investors (approx 800 UK employees).
All data as at 31st December.
Percentage of disabled employees is derived using responses to the GRCB and
Central Support Employee Opinion Survey, 84% of UK employees.
Sickness Absence percentage excludes Barclays Capital population.
UK historical data has been restated to include Barclays Capital and therefore will
differ from previously reported figures.
Occupational health is an important concern for us and we maintain a
comprehensive HIV/AIDS programme across all our African businesses.
This provides counselling, testing and treatment, including free anti-
retroviral drugs, for our employees and their dependants. We also have
extensive schemes to support business customers and our wider
communities and have been active in supporting malaria programmes
in various African countries.
Community investment
2006 was an important year for our community investment
programme. After extensive research and consultation with
stakeholders both inside and outside Barclays, we are now
implementing a global programme that unites all our businesses
across the world and which complements our business strategy.
Our investment is now being directed towards three key themes:
•Banking on brighter futures
•Looking after local communities
•Charity begins at work