Employees and Engagement
Personnel
The Company's workforce is approximately 2,765 employees, including those from the recent acquisition of Greater Manchester Waste Limited (GMWL) by virtue of the successful Viridor Laing PFI bid. The Company employs a wide range of personnel at every level including professional, technical, managerial, supervisory, administrative and clerical, skilled, semi-skilled and other employees, many of whom are vocationally trained or have extensive operational experience. Membership of the Chartered Institute of Waste Management (CIWM) is actively encouraged as is membership of other professional bodies as appropriate. All employees irrespective of academic background have been thoroughly trained to an appropriate level dependent on their job description and responsibilities.
To ensure 'best practice' in all its employment matters, the Company has a full range of policies and procedures in place including an equal opportunities policy. The Company makes great use of its intranet - where a dedicated HR portal has been established - which together with an individual employment handbook, ensures that all employees are kept up to date with any changes to policies or procedures.The handbook has been extensively revised and a more detailed management guide is due for publication later in 2009. Internal promotion and personal career development is actively encouraged. Apprenticeship trainee programmes and graduate management training schemes have been successfully piloted and further schemes are in operation. This approach places the Company at an advantage when tendering for local authority contracts and other major customers who are looking to form robust relationships with modern, best value employers.
The Company recognises that good communications are vital to achieving its business objectives. It utilises its extensive e-mail and internet systems and has established a rolling in-house magazine (Viridor Voice) on its Intranet. Local communications within operational units are actively encouraged and regular work planning meetings are held at every level.
The Company works closely with trade unions including the T&G section of Unite, GMB and Unison. Membership of GMB is particularly strong in the ex-GMWL business and strong links with full time officials in the area have been established. We have also established the Waste Management Staff Association in partnership with the Amicus section of Unite which is open to all employees.
Due to the current economic climate in UK industry in general and in the waste and recycling industry in particular, the Company has had to respond by examining its staffing levels and match these to customer demands and expectations. As a consequence it was necessary over the last 12 months to implement some 66 redundancies. These have occurred at all levels of the Company and not just confined to 'blue collar' workers. Full consultation is carried out in all cases and only after an exhaustive search for suitable alternative employment is an employee's contract terminated. Trade unions are kept fully informed.
Total Number of Employees |
2765 |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gender |
Male |
2405: 86.98% |
Female |
360: 13.02% |
Disabled |
35: 1.3% |
Ethnic Heritage |
White (British) |
2259: 81.7% |
Mixed White & |
0: 0% |
Black/Black |
5: 0.18% |
White (Irish) |
11: 0.4% |
Mixed White & |
2: 0.07% |
Black/Black |
21: 0.76% |
|
White (other) |
115: 4.16% |
Mixed White & |
0: 0% |
Black (Other) |
0: 0% |
|
Asian/Asian British |
9: 0.33% |
Mixed (Other) |
1: 0.04% |
Asian/Asian |
0: 0% |
|
Asian/Asian British |
1: 0.04% |
Chinese |
2: 0.07% |
Other Ethnic |
1: 0.04% |
|
Asian/Asian British |
0: 0% |
Not Disclosed |
338: 12.22% |
|||
Age |
25 & Under |
214: 7.74% |
26 - 35 |
531: 19.2% |
36 - 45 |
842: 30.45% |
46 - 55 |
747: 27.02% |
56 - 64 |
400: 14.47% |
65 and Over |
31: 1.12% |
|
The Company still has a slowly increasing age profile particularly in the LGV Driver/Operator sector. The introduction of certificates of professional competence for all LGV Drivers later in 2009 will increase professionalism amongst the fleet but may discourage drivers with learning difficulties in continuing with their chosen career. Recognising this, the Company is looking to make available life-long skills programmes to enable employees to gain or improve their literacy and numeracy skills. The key to a sustainable workforce is to match demands with wastage in key areas such as transport and recycling.
Large numbers of operatives are required over the next few years to staff the new MRFs and HWRSs that are required by customers and by Government. To meet this demand Viridor has utilised foreign workers where practical, but recognises that this is not a long-term solution. It has therefore embarked on a programme of identifying previously un-tapped labour pools or resources in the UK to relieve this reliance. Areas of interest include ex-offenders returning to the job market, young probationers looking for their first job role, long-term unemployed and school leavers. Good progress with various Government agencies has already been made and further results are expected over the medium term. We aspire to offer all operatives the opportunity to train to at least NVQ level 2.
Skills shortages do exist in some other sectors although this has stabilised as the Company responds to modern employment practices. However, the skills issue remains top of the Company's agenda in terms of attracting and retaining the most experienced and qualified employees to achieve its ambitious business plans, particularly in the recycling sectors.
Training
The Company recognises and supports the importance of a well trained and skilled workforce and is committed to skills-based and vocational type training. All training is structured in accordance with the Company's business management system and Investor in People accreditation is becoming increasingly required by customers. A formal training policy has been adopted by the Company. Induction training is carried out at all levels and skills-based and transfer training is undertaken as appropriate. Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programmes are also in place to ensure up-to-date knowledge and experience. Many employees are supported by the Company in their pursuit of graduate, post-graduate and professional qualification on distance or day / block release programmes.
The Training Department has been expanded (based on that acquired with Greater Manchester Waste Limited (GMWL)) which will ensure cost effective training is provided in a timely and efficient manner. There are a range of grants and other financial support available from Government agencies and these will continue to be maximised to reduce training expenditure with no loss of quality. In addition internal benchmarking and review processes are being established to ensure that any training provided is 'fit for purpose' and supports the Viridor brand and business objectives. Investor in People accreditation currently held by GMWL will be rolled out into the Northern Region in the short-term and the whole Company in the longer term.
The Company has also ensured that Certificates of Technical Competence (COTCs) based on the S/NVQ systems are held by appropriate operational personnel as required under current environmental legislation. This is now being rolled down to supervisors and team leaders as appropriate. NVQ Level 2 in Waste Management is being trialled with various operatives with a view to becoming a Company-wide scheme. Other technically competent personnel provide expertise and guidance as part of the central support services. The newly devised and approved Operator Competency framework developed by ESA/EU Skills is currently being examined for adoption into the Company.
In line with the Company's policy of internal promotion, management development programmes are utilised as appropriate to bring forward team / departmental leaders to ensure continuity into the future. These include management skills based courses (such as 'Fundamentals of Management') and specific task based programmes.
The Company is highly supportive of the work of EU Skills, the Sector Skills Council for the waste industry. As such it has been working with them in the development of apprenticeship schemes, young driver training initiatives, the new waste management diploma and diversity programmes. All these are designed to showcase the waste and recycling industry as a career of choice for young people or those wishing to join the industry. The formation of a National Skills Academy will also provide a springboard for training and development across the whole industry.
