Marks and Spencer 2002 Annual Report Download - page 25

In addition, JP Morgan has notified us that it is holding 73,888,799 ordinary shares (3.2%) as American Depositary
Receipts, 9,289,105 of which are included in the above figures for Brandes Investment Partners.
Directors and their interests
The current directors are listed on page 20 of the Annual Review and Summary Financial Statement.
Alison Reed and Laurel Powers-Freeling were appointed executive directors of Marks and Spencer p.l.c. on 11 July
2001 and 6 November 2001 respectively.
Jack Keenan was appointed non-executive director of Marks and Spencer p.l.c. on 1 September 2001. Robert Colvill
retired from the Board on 31 December 2001.
As part of the capital reorganisation a new company, Marks and Spencer Group p.l.c., was incorporated on
23 July 2001 – details of the Share Capital are set out in note 24 to the Accounts. The original directors were
Andy Ryde and Melissa Andrews (from Slaughter and May) who resigned on 22 January 2002 when the directors
of Marks and Spencer p.l.c. were appointed as directors of Marks and Spencer Group p.l.c.
On 2 April 2002, Paul Myners was appointed non-executive director of Marks and Spencer Group p.l.c.
The beneficial interests of the directors and their families in the shares of the Company and its subsidiaries are given
on page 21.
Employee involvement
We have maintained our commitment to employee involvement throughout the business.
Employees are kept well informed of the performance and objectives of the Group through personal briefings,
regular meetings and e-mail. These are supplemented by our employee publication, On Your Marks, and video
presentations. Business Involvement Groups in stores, distribution centres and head office represent employees
in two way communication and are involved in the delivery of change and driving business improvement.
The seventh meeting of the European Council took place last July. This council provides an additional forum for
communicating with employee representatives from the countries in the European Community.
Directors and senior management regularly visit stores and discuss, with employees, matters of current interest and
concern to the business.
We have long-established Employees’ Profit Sharing and Save As You Earn Share Option Schemes, membership of
which is service-related, details of which are given on page 38.
Equal opportunities
The Group is committed to an active Equal Opportunities Policy from recruitment and selection, through training
and development, appraisal and promotion to retirement.
It is our policy to promote an environment free from discrimination, harassment and victimisation, where everyone
will receive equal treatment regardless of gender, colour, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, marital status,
sexual orientation or religion. All decisions relating to employment practices will be objective, free from bias and
based solely upon work criteria and individual merit.
The Group is responsive to the needs of its employees, customers and the community at large and we are an
organisation that uses everyone’s talents and abilities to the full.
Employees with disabilities
It is our policy that people with disabilities should have full and fair consideration for all vacancies. During the year
we continued to use the Government’s ‘two tick’ disability symbol to demonstrate our commitment to interviewing
those people with disabilities who fulfil the minimum criteria, and endeavouring to retain employees in the
workforce if they become disabled during employment. We will actively retrain and adjust their environment where
possible to allow them to maximise their potential.
We continue to work with external organisations to provide work place opportunities on the ‘Workstep Programme’.
Creditor payment policy
For all trade creditors, it is the Group’s policy to:
•agree the terms of payment at the start of business with that supplier;
•ensure that suppliers are aware of the terms of payment; and
•pay in accordance with its contractual and other legal obligations.
www.marksandspencer.com 23