Employment

Why is it material?

Employability and the retention and creation of new jobs are a strategic choice of the Group, aiming to achieve growth and improve performance in all fields that are directly or indirectly linked to the Group’s activities.

Concurrently, the Group aims at creating a modern working environment combining stability, consistency, the adoption of innovative working methods, the ability to resolve problems and adaptability to change. This way, the required conditions are secured in order for the Group to be able to respond effectively to the constantly changing environment in the Energy sector.

Our approach

The Group’s corporate policies and practices prioritise enhancing the skills of our employees, balancing professional and personal life, and developing team spirit and co- operation.

To this end, the Group provides an excellent working environment and applies a comprehensive system for developing and managing its human resources by means of collective labour agreements and internal work regulations, competitive remuneration, opportunities for advancement and development, benefits, awards, employee performance assessments, traineeship and employment programs for university students, an internal training system, and encouraging employees to undertake various roles depending on their knowledge, experience and capabilities.

Communication and open dialogue form the basis of a constructive relationship with our employees. The Group has implemented an open door policy in order to increase cooperation, efficiency and mutual respect.

Our ambition

Our ambition is to create conditions that ensure that the Group will always be a first- choice employer, whilst showcasing the employee of the future: an excellent professional, driven by values such as creativity, industriousness, willingness to learn, integrity, good judgement and morality.

The Group, now and in the future, is strongly committed to realising this vision through:
•  Meritocratic systems for attracting and evaluating personnel.
•  Equal opportunities for all in enhancing the skills related to their tasks and staying up to date with developments in the field of energy.
•  Opportunities for advancement, without any discrimination (e.g. as to gender, age, origin, religion, nationality etc.)

Our leading position in the market is thanks to our ability to attract and retain the most capable employees, in accordance with our principles and values. We strive to provide a work environment that is safe and motivates our employees while ensuring that people are treated with respect and are given equal opportunities to develop their skills and advance their career.

Our relationship with our personnel is based on the principle of equal treatment. Both the hiring and the advancement of each employee within the Group are based on his/her qualifications, performance and aspirations, with no discrimination whatsoever.

Our commitments to our employees:

The Group monitors applicable labour legislation (national, European, ILO), including reports concerning child labour, respect for human rights and work conditions, and fully complies with collective and relevant international labour conventions. Employees at the Group are free to participate in labour unions and professional associations.

The average rate of total employees covered by collective labour agreements is 77% (see indicator 102-41). There are nine representative labour unions in the companies of the Group, which co-sign corporate collective agreement (E.S.S.E.) with the companies, through which the terms of remuneration are determined for the employees who are included in them.

At HELLENIC PETROLEUM, the remuneration system is designed in order to recognize and reward employees for their accomplishments and performance, as well as for the value that they bring to the Group. The Group is committed to providing competitive salaries that are designed to, on one hand, attract, retain and motivate employees and, on the other hand, provide them with the skills required to succeed in all aspects of our business activity.

The remuneration policy is determined by the Corporate Collective Labour Agreement. For the staff that is part of the Corporate Collective Agreements, the remuneration is determined in the context of negotiations between the Company and the Union.

The Company has adopted a Remuneration Policy for its executives holding managerial positions, which is approved by the Remuneration and Succession Planning Committee. This Policy provides, inter alia, for the definition of the framework of the overall annual remuneration and the way overall remuneration is split between fixed and variable remuneration. Τhe Remuneration Policy of the executives holding managerial positions is based on the best practices in the domestic labour market, following market research, and the most important factors that affect executives’ competitiveness and motivation.

At the same time, we apply a benefits policy that provides meaningful support to our employees and their families. We are there to help at all times, providing support, safety and security. These benefits to the employees of the Group vary by company and by country.

Indicator 201-1 presents all benefits for employees, which in 2019 exceeded €34 million. Also, the Group’s average employee retention rate (loyalty indicator) stood at 95.17%, indicator 401-1).

Additional Life & Health insurance and pension plans cover 90.79% and 79.24% of employees respectively (average rates).

All employees participate at the annual performance review for the assessment of their performance and the planning of actions to further improve their knowledge and improve their skills.

In 2019, all employees (Group average at 96.17%) were evaluated according to the integrated evaluation system. Indicator 404-3 provides detailed data per company in the Group.

For the purpose of achieving a balance between our employees’ professional and family life, we acknowledge the following benefits that promote a holistic professional-personal life balance:

• Improved cooperation among employees and reduced friction
• Greater employee and customer loyalty
• Reduced absences due to illness
• Enhanced reputation in the market
• Constant development of team spirit and collegiality
• Adoption of innovative organizational structures and synergies

Taking all the above into account, the Group has developed corporate policies and innovative programs, such as:

• Open door policy between management and employees
• Intranet (internal electronic communication network) and Employee Suggestion Box *
• Provision of meals to employees
• Free-of-charge employee transport service from/to our facilities
• Events promoting personal and professional balance
• Participation in sports competitions

Our goal is to support actions in the field of Education and Knowledge Diffusion. Through constant training and education, our aim is that employees understand the strategic objectives of the Group, effectively identify their role in our joint effort to progress, acquire further know-how, and develop their professional skills in order to broaden their prospects in the field of their responsibilities.

Total Group expenditure on training in 2019 amounted to €1,082,058 (€1,150,433 in 2018) involving 116,548 hours of training.

In addition, in the context of its Training Policy in 2019, the Group invested €938,069 in subscriptions to scientific journals and associations, and the enrichment of its corporate libraries.