Tukule Issue 4 - Lafarge Zambia
Transcription
Tukule Issue 4 - Lafarge Zambia
Lafarge Zambia Magazine – Issue No.004 – June 2015 A look at Countdown to the LafargeHolcim merger PowerCrete Sustainable green homes A look back at Lafarge Lusaka Marathon 2015 Ndola staff lead a performance during Health & Safety Day. JK dazzles the crowd on Health & Safety Day. Children take to the stage during Health & Safety Day in Ndola. Children take to face painting during Health & Safety Day at Chilanga. Staff engage in housekeeping. Chilanga staff show their skills on Health & Safety Day. IT Team taking part in Health & Safety activities. CONTENTS 02 CEO MESSAGE Message from our CEO 04 AGM 2015 Lafarge Zambia AGM: Looking back on 2014 06 LAFARGE IN THE NEWS 08 INNOVATION PowerCrete grows our product line up Lafarge & Total launch first-of-its-kind container store Launching the demo house - delving into sustainable green homes 10 LAFARGE FOUNDATION Stepping up our commitment to CSR: The Lafarge Foundation Help the environment: Plant a tree 12 OUR FAMILY New to the family Lafarge Zambia cleans house Lafarge Lusaka Marathon 2015 a runaway success 16 LafargeHolcim Update LafargeHolcim leadership for East Africa and Indian Ocean 18 PROJECTS His Grace the Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu blesses Big Chilanga Project Lafarge Leadership Journey launch Ndola Plug & Grind project Lafarge Zambia scores a first in Sub-Saharan Africa 24 CUSTOMERS Lafarge VIP Resellers Club: Rewarding our top resellers 26 Health and Safety Month Health and Safety Month: Committed, Open and Uncompromising Cover Page: (L - R) Eric Olsen – LafargeHolcim Group CEO, Saâd Sebbar – Executive Committee member in charge of Middle East & Africa and Dominique Drouet – Area Manager, East Africa & Indian Ocean. Tukule magazine is Lafarge Zambia’s quarterly publication. Please send your comments to the Corporate Affairs and Sustainable Development department on how you would like to see this publication evolve. ceo message Message from our CEO LafargeHolcim merger I am sure you can all feel the nearly tangible excitement in the air, because we are now reaching a true watershed moment – making history in the company. Soon we are going to be part of a new Group, making us the most advanced and powerful construction materials company in the world. The merger is expected to be completed on the 15th of July. In order to facilitate the smooth integration of Lafarge Zambia into the new organisation, Rusununguko Matavire has been appointed as Integration Project Manager for the duration of the project, reporting directly to me. An Integration Steering Committee has been set to drive the Integration agenda in the coming months. There will be high expectations and many opportunities for Africa and Zambia in particular. I have no doubt that we will meet these expectations and raise the bar even higher. I count on you to continue to be open and embrace this change. Our Health and Safety: A matter of life and death During the Town Hall meetings held at Ndola and Chilanga earlier this PAGE 2 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | 2015 year, I shared with you the tragic incident at the phyllite quarry, where nine-year-old Cullen Chitete lost his life. The incident was a result of a known hazard, and could have been prevented. In February, another incident resulted in Proscope contractor Teddy Mwape sustaining first degree burns when material spilled off from Ndola’s Kiln 2 inlet. When we say that safety is a matter of life and death, we are not exaggerating. Every time you are confronted with a hazard, a potential safety issue or a colleague who is not complying with our health and safety practices, you need to STOP and THINK, because you could be the one to save someone’s life. The Lafarge Foundation Over the years, Lafarge Zambia has supported many projects and many lives have been changed through our initiatives for schools, housing and community health. Now the time has come to give a new dimension to our corporate social responsibility through the establishment of the Lafarge Foundation. With a singular focus on CSR, the foundation is set to leave a deeper mark on our local communities. To help prepare the foundation for its work ahead, Lafarge has made available a budget of K2M over a period of three years. The foundation will have its own account and will be managed by an independent panel. Although some members will be Lafarge staff, many of them will be external to the company. Please join in and register as volunteers in our community, we need your support to conduct key projects. in many areas of our business. Keep striving towards ever-greater performance, cost-efficiency and customer service. And above all, be safe! Best wishes, Big Chilanga project A few weeks ago, we laid down the foundation stone of a new line at our Chilanga plant, marking the beginning of our Big Chilanga project. Big Chilanga will greatly expand our production capacity, making Chilanga the biggest cement plant in the Southern Africa region when it is completed at the end of 2017. I am impressed by the work done so far to get us to this important milestone and we will share regular updates on the project’s progress. Emmanuel Rigaux Looking ahead No great thing has ever been achieved by standing still. The months ahead will be ones of change and will challenge everyone in our company. Yet I believe that every man and woman at Lafarge Zambia is up for the challenge and I can already see a step change 2015 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | PAGE 3 AGM 2015 Lafarge Zambia AGM: Looking back on 2014 Lafarge Zambia’s Annual General Meeting held in March this year proved that we are firmly on the right track, with record revenues and profitability for another successive year. Building our business Wendy Tembo, Chitalu Chisanga and Alaksh Parma at the 23rd AGM. The Company paid a final dividend of ZMW0.85 per share, in addition to an interim dividend of ZMW0.75 per share paid to shareholders. Our share price at year end closed at ZMW 26,00 per share, up 64% from the previous year. The AGM was well attended and all resolutions tabled at the meeting were passed, while shareholders commended the team for a good 2014 performance. Directors revealed that profit after tax and earnings per share increased by 25% to ZMW424 million and ZMW2.12, respectively. Profit before tax was up 29% to ZMW658 million, due to successful implementation of cost control measures. Creating a safer working environment Tamara Opara during the 23rd AGM. Touching on our number one priority health and safety, Emmanuel announced that the total injury frequency rate improved from 10.85 in 2013 to 0.84 in 2014. “Sadly, we experienced a fatality at Chilanga Plant and LTIs at both plants in 2014. During the year, we also renewed our focus on road transport safety and reviewed our health and safety roadmap,” he said. An expo was held as part of the AGM. Shareholders at the 23rd AGM pose for a photo. PAGE 4 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | 2015 Mrs Maria Phiri, our enthusiastic shareholder, poses for a photo shortly after the AGM. Shareholders listening attentively during the AGM. Expanding our product range Three new cement products were introduced to the market last year and earlier this year, RoadCem, WallCrete and PowerCrete. These products represented 23% of our overall sales, while aggregates operations continued to ramp up and make a positive contribution in 2014. Through innovations like Lafarge Inside and our new concrete laboratory, we are bringing world-class solutions to the Zambian market. Demand for our products are expected to remain strong in 2015, supported by continued growth in the construction industry in Zambia and the DRC. New products and solutions are fully contributing to the companies product portfolio. Growing our capacity With two exciting expansion projects in the works at our Ndola and Chilanga plants, we aim to increase production capacity this year. Site preparations for Chilanga have already started and the project is due to come on stream before 2018. This initiative is estimated to more than double the capacity at the Chilanga Plant. At Ndola, our mill capacity is being increased through the Plug & Grind project. RoadCem, WallCrete and PowerCrete. Looking back on 2014, it is clear that we are making great strides towards our ambition of contributing to Building Better Cities. With record revenues and production figures, an unbeatable product range and an unwavering commitment to health and safety, the future looks brighter than ever for Lafarge Zambia! Dorothy Mulwila shares a light moment with a shareholder. Our newest facility, the Mapepe Aggregates Plant. Shareholders register at the welcome desk. 2015 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | PAGE 5 Lafarge in the News innovation PowerCrete grows our product line up In January, a sixth cement product joined the Lafarge family. PowerCrete is designed for underground mining activities and the specialised needs of this vital industry. The product was launched in Kitwe and was attended by the Copperbelt Province Permanent Secretary, Rev Howard Sikwela and our Chief Financial Officer, Chrissie Moloseni, who introduced the product, saying, “Innovative products and solutions are what makes Lafarge Zambia a leader in construction solutions as well as a pioneer in the construction and mining sectors in Zambia.” Copperbelt Province Permanent Secretary Rev Howard Sikwela, who was also in attendance, thanked Lafarge for being a partner in infrastructure development across the country: “Government has and will always consider Lafarge Zambia as a partner fostering infrastructure development throughout the country.” The Company’s objective is to provide Zambia’s mining sector with a top of the range product that has unique and useful features. PowerCrete’s ability to set rapidly improves the speed of ore extraction supported by applications such as backfilling, rock bolting, stopping and shotcreting. PowerCrete is supplied in 25kg waterproof bags that are environmentally friendly and allow greater ease of handling. With a cement for every job, Lafarge Zambia continues to lead the way in innovative and cost-effective specialised products. Guests at the PowerCrete Launch. Employees learning about our latest product. Shotcreting using PowerCrete. Lafarge & Total launch first-of-its-kind container store On the 29th of April, we launched our first dual-branded container in partnership with Total Zambia at Parkway Total filling station along Kafue Road. Total/Lafarge dual branded container. Jointly developed by Lafarge and Total, these innovative container stores are designed to bring our cement products closer to rural communities that are often a long distance from the nearest store. container store, they will also create employment opportunities in areas where jobs are much needed. This shows Lafarge’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurship in the country. In addition to Lafarge cement products, the container stores will also sell Total’s innovative Awango solar lamps, giving 200 000 people in both the urban and rural areas access to a safe, reliable and costeffective source of light. With at least two people managing each We are aiming to launch a further ten containers in the next six months, making cement accessible to all Zambians and demonstrating our ongoing drive to find meaningful solutions to the needs of everyone whose lives we touch. PAGE 8 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | 2015 Launching the demo house - delving into sustainable green homes Housing is one of our country’s greatest challenges, with over a million Zambians in need of a home to call their own. Last year, we embarked on several initiatives to do our part in alleviating this challenge. Through the Sustainable Green Homes project, we’re combining our world-class construction expertise with our commitment to build better cities to create a new kind of home that is cost-effective to build and less harmful to the environment. In partnership with the International Labour Organisation, Zambia Green Jobs Programme, the United Nations and the government of Finland, we successfully constructed a demonstration sustainable green house at our head office at Chilanga earlier this year. The launch of the demonstration house was held at our head office in Chilanga and was officiated by Minister of Local Government and Housing represented by the Ministry’s Deputy Minister, Honourable Danny Chingimbu, MP, and attended by government dignitaries and senior officials from the organisations involved in the project. “Our goal is to provide the market in Zambia and surrounding region with affordable housing while making it environmentally friendly and doing it in a sustainable way. Our aim is to build 600 green houses as a pilot project, with 300 units in Lusaka and another 300 in Ndola. The houses will be primarily for employees under the Masukani employee housing programme but some would be offered on a commercial basis to the market.” The demonstration house was built using a technology called expanded polystyrene system, or EPS. This technology is highly durable and much more cost-effective than conventional construction methods. It also offers improved insulation, lowering costs of heating considerably. By taking steps towards more affordable and environmentally friendly homes, we can ensure that all Zambians can own a home and enjoy the economic benefits that come with it. Speaking at the event, Mr Rigaux explained that the launch of the demonstration house was the start of the pilot project to build sustainable and affordable houses in Zambia and the region. The house will be open to the public for viewing from the 27th of May to the 30th of June 2015, so if you are in Chilanga, be sure to come take a look at the future of sustainable housing! The Demo House. Guests at the Demo House Launch. Guests at the Demo House Launch. Andre Mpula and Mwenya Nsakilwa at the Demo House Launch. 2015 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | PAGE 9 Lafarge Foundation Stepping up our commitment to CSR: The Lafarge Foundation Lafarge is more than just a company operating in Zambia. Zambia is our home and has been for over sixty years. We have a commitment towards our people, the environment and the communities who make it possible for us to produce and sell our products. That’s why we have always supported and spearheaded initiatives to ensure their wellbeing. Lafarge Zambia has taken the next step in our commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) by establishing the Lafarge Foundation, a single channel for all our corporate social responsibility programmes in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Lafarge Foundation is an independent organisation governed by a panel comprising Lafarge members as well as external members. It also offers a way for employees to contribute their time and money to one of the causes we support, with every cent donated matched by Lafarge Zambia. The Foundation was launched on the 19th of February this year at an event held at Twangale. The launch was attended by the First Lady of the Republic of Zambia, Mrs Esther Lungu and various government dignitaries and representatives from our communities. The First Lady of the Republic of Zambia Mrs Esther Lungu takes a picture with Lafarge Employees. Speaking at the event, Lafarge Zambia CEO Emmanuel Rigaux announced that Lafarge Zambia is making available a budget of ZMW 2 million over a period of three years to help prepare the Foundation for its work. First Lady Mrs Esther Lungu commended Lafarge for launching this initiative and thanked the Company for its rich track record of supporting communities in Zambia. “Lafarge Zambia is proving to be a partner in Zambia’s development,” she said. At the launch, our CEO and the First Lady presented a 14-seater bus to the Mother of Mercy Hospice of Chilanga. The First Lady also donated ZMW5,000 to be used for the lubricants for the bus and several bags of mealie meal. The Hospice Sister in Charge, Sr. Judy, thanked Lafarge for the donation and said the bus would be put to good use. The First Lady Mrs Esther Lungu and Sr. Judy share a light moment. The Lafarge Foundation’s first initiative will be supporting the USAID’s Saving Mothers, Giving Life project with a donation of 3,000 bags of cement that will be used to build mother shelters in ten districts across Zambia. A representative from the project, Dr Claudia Morrissey Conlon, accepted the donation and thanked Lafarge Zambia for getting involved in this important project. You can expect to hear a lot more about the Lafarge Foundation and how you can get involved in the coming months. We are excited to enter a new chapter in our commitment to CSR that will help us to do more good than ever. PAGE 10 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | 2015 Austin Kaluwe, Job Bwembya and Nelson Bwalya at the Lafarge Foundation Launch in Ndola. Help the environment: Plant a tree Without trees, there would be no life on this planet! The simple act of planting a tree, helps the environment in so many ways. Trees filter pollution from the air, help recycle water, prevent soil loss, create shade, and provide shelter from wind and rain, and food for humans and wildlife. 3. Lay the roots straight down the hole in a natural arrangement. Do not bunch, spiral, double-over or bend roots. Because trees are so important to the wellbeing of any ecosystem, it is essential that we make up for all the trees we lose or use. Tree planting can ensure the successful restoration of a deforested area, ensuring that we use this precious resource in a sustainable way. 6. Cover with soil. Do not bury live branches or foliage, or leave any roots exposed to the air. Anyone can be a tree planter; all you have to do is plant a tree and watch over it as it grows. Because of its long life-span, planting a tree is a great way of marking a special day such as your birthday. Of course, newly planted trees (also known as seedlings) do best when exposed to moderate temperature and rainfall, so climate plays an important role for deciding on the right planting time. How to plant a seedling 1. Dig a hole wide and deep enough to cover the root system. 2. Handle seedlings by the base of the stem, taking care not to bruise the bark. 4. Keep stones and twigs out of the hole (they create air pockets that dry out roots). 5. Plant seedlings slightly above the root collar swelling. 7. Tamp soil firmly with toe (not the heel) to remove air pockets. 8. Create a mulched area around the tree that is 50 percent larger than the spread of the branches and five to 10 centimetres deep. Wood chips or shredded pine or cedar bark are great mulch, as are oak leaves and pine needles. Seedlings need to be looked after for three to five years after planting. Growing trees require nutrients, water, sunlight and room to grow. You can help by watering, weeding, adding compost to the soil and mulch to the tree bases, and by protecting the trees from animals and the weather. Gradually transforming an ugly, barren, un used sprawl of land into a place of beauty is a very enjoyable and rewarding activity, so plant your first tree today and help us green the world! Lafarge Zambia Chairman Mr. Muna Hantuba and Chilanga Constituency member of Parliament Hon. Keith Mukata plant a tree at the Lafarge Stone Laying Ceremony. 2015 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | PAGE 11 Our Family New to the family Mathias Chomba - Sales Administrator Ignatius Mbonshi - Driver Ignatius has over four years of driving experience. Prior to joining Lafarge Zambia, he held the position of Head Driver at Talo Investments. Andreas Phiri Customer Service Agent Andreas has three years customer service and sales experience and before joining the Lafarge family in May this year, he was a Customer Service Agent at Sun Share Investments. Chitowa Roland Simwanza Sales Representative: Northern Region Chitowa has six years of experience in the financial and manufacturing sectors. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics obtained from the University of Zambia. Mayosha Kabunda Customer Relations Executive Mayosha comes to Lafarge after working as a Sales Advisor at First National Bank. She holds a Degree in Public Administration from the University of Zambia. Janet Shamalime Customer Relations Executive – Back Office Janet held the position of Quality Analyst at Tech Mahindra before joining Lafarge in June this year. She holds a Diploma in Journalism, Public Relations and Advertising from Zambia Institute of Mass Communication Educational Trust. PAGE 12 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | 2015 Mathias has over four years of accounting and internal auditing experience. Before joining Lafarge Zambia, Mathias held the position of Accountant – Payroll at NWK Agri Services Zambia. Sibeso Nyambe - Customer Service Agent Sibeso has six years of customer service experience. Before joining Lafarge, she worked as a Quality Associate at Techmahindra. Sibeso holds a Diploma in Journalism and PR from Evelyn Hone College. Kutemba Muchima - Sales Coordinator Kutemba’s career spans seven years in the telecommunications and media sectors. She holds a Diploma in PR and Personnel Administration from Evelyn Hone College and is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at Copperbelt University. Stanley Mwango - Customer Service Agent Stanley has over five years of customer service experience. Before joining Lafarge, he was a Quality Consultant at Techmahindra. Stanley holds an Advanced Diploma in Information Systems and Computer Programming from the National Institute for Public Administration. Timothy Banda - Sourcing Specialist Timothy has sourcing, purchasing and logistics experience with a career spanning over ten years. He holds a Bachelor (Hons) degree in Business Purchasing and Supply Chain Management from Greenwich University. Faith Namooba Mulenga Customer Relations Team Leader – Back Office Faith joined us in June this year after working as a receptionist at Simeza Sangwa and Associates. She holds a Diploma in Business Administration from Zambia Accountancy and Business Management Centre. Simulation of the Big Chilanga Project. Our Family Lafarge Zambia cleans house In January this year, we uncovered irregular activities on some of our customers’ accounts. A number of employees have been linked to these irregularities and action has been taken. Any business is susceptible to inappropriate business conduct by employees, which is why we employ two processes to deal with these situations. The first is our Company Disciplinary Code, which ensures that the matter is given a thorough and fair hearing. Should a particular case be deemed to be breaking the law, a criminal investigation may also be launched through the police. We call on everyone to work together as a team, because it’s only through unity and strength that great things can be achieved. It is said that the difference between success and failure is a great team, and teamwork begins by building trust. Business expert Patrick Lencioni said, “The only way to build trust is to overcome our need for invulnerability.” Issues like these grow over time due to oversight and neglect, so we urge you to speak up if you notice a problem or any suspicious activity. Be that proactive person who stops the problem from getting out of hand! Lafarge Lusaka Marathon 2015 a runaway success On the 18th of April this year, over 800 professional and amateur athletes set off from Levy Junction Shopping Mall in Lusaka to compete in the Lafarge Lusaka Marathon. Organised by Lafarge Zambia in partnership with Zambia Amateur Athletics Association (ZAAA), the Lafarge Lusaka Marathon is aimed at promoting wellness in the workplace and in the community. The proceeds from the event went towards supporting health care initiatives such as the Mother of Mercy Hospice in Chilanga, Arthur Davison Children Hospital in Ndola, among others. To ensure that all levels of fitness were catered for, participants could choose between the Over 800 athletes participated in the event. 42.2km marathon, a 10km road race and a 5km family walk. The event was attended by Sports, Youth and Child Development Minister Hon. Vincent Mwale, who commended Lafarge for transforming amateur athletics into a worldwide platform that Zambia’s talented youths could participate in. of our wellness programme and our corporate social responsibility initiative. It will continue to have a positive impact on our communities.” Our very own Nwazi Nyrienda ran a Lafarge record breaking time of 4hrs 15min. Well done Nwazi, you have truly made us proud! Our CEO, Emmanuel Rigaux, reaffirmed our commitment to promoting the spirit of health and wellbeing in the country, saying: “The Lafarge Lusaka Marathon remains a major part Congratulations to everyone who participated in this year’s marathon. We hope to see you next year. To those who didn’t participate this time, we hope that you are inspired and excited to take part next time! Lafarge Marathon winner Matthews Mutanya presented with an award by the First Lady. Nwazi Nyirenda receiving her prize after she came 3rd in the 42.192 km race. PAGE 14 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | 2015 Ready Set, Go! Participants at the Lafarge Marathon. Participants at the Lafarge Marathon show off their medals. 2015 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | PAGE 15 LafargeHolcim Update LafargeHolcim leadership for East Africa and Indian Ocean The operating model of LafargeHolcim will create a lean organisation with regional management, empowered countries, and Group functions ensuring overall performance and coherence. Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East & Africa and North America will form the five regions of the new Group. Below is the organogram for East Africa and Indian Ocean leadership. The appointments will become effective at the closing of the merger, expected to take place on the15th of July 2015. Eric Olsen, LafargeHolcim CEO Saâd Sebbar, Executive committee member responsible for Middle East & Africa. Dominique Drouet, Area Manager East Africa & Indian Ocean. Bruno Pescheux, CEO Kenya. Vincent Bouckaert, CEO Indian Ocean Cluster, comprising Reunion, Mauritius, Madagascar, Mayotte/Comoro Islands, Seychelles and Maldives. Catherine Langreney, CEO TanzaniaMalawi. Daniel Pettersson, CEO Uganda. LafargeHolcim will be the most advanced and powerful construction materials company, present on every continent. PAGE 16 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | 2015 Emmanuel Rigaux, CEO Zambia. Amal Tantawi, CEO Zimbabwe. Staff during the leadership journey launch. PROJECTS His Grace the Archbishop Telesphone Mpundu conducts a blessing at the Big Chilanga Foundation stone laying ceremony as Fr. Rodgers Matanda assists. Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu blesses Big Chilanga Project At the end of May this year, we laid the foundation stone of a new line at our Chilanga plant. Expected to be complete in 18 months, the new line is part of our major capacity expansion project, Big Chilanga. This long-term project will greatly expand Chilanga’s production capacity, making it the biggest cement plant in the Southern Africa region by the end of 2017 with an annual cement production capacity of 2.5 million tonnes. The event was officiated by Republican President Edgar Lungu, who called on companies to invest in Zambia and work with the Government of the day to bring development to all corners of the country. The foundation stone was blessed by His Grace Telesphore George Mpundu, the Archbishop of Lusaka. He prayed that the construction takes place smoothly and that God would look after the men and women that would be undertaking this project. Speaking at the event, Lafarge CEO Emmanuel Rigaux said that our company’s priority is to invest not just in equipment and production capacities but also in people. For this reason, our Shared Service Centre and training centre was commissioned as part of the Big Chilanga project. PAGE 18 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | 2015 Big Chilanga will also create many opportunities for local people, who will work alongside the specialised team of contractors to build the plant. A technical and vocational school is also planned, where local Zambian youths will be trained and involved in the project to help develop skills in the area of plant erection and other technical skills. In recent years, the Zambian cement industry has seen many new entrants, making it ever more important for Lafarge Zambia to remain competitive through expanded capacity and cost-effective operations. Big Chilanga is set to break records in the region and ensure that we remain Zambia’s leading provider of manufacturing products and solutions. David and Chembe at the Foundation stone laying ceremony. Stakeholders listening to the health and Safety brief at the Foundation stone laying ceremony. Mr and Mrs Bruneli listening to Muya Kaoma at the Foundation stone laying ceremony. 2015 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | PAGE 19 PROJECTS Lafarge Leadership Journey launched Plant supervisors represent an important force at Lafarge. They are the crucial interface between the employees and contractors in the plant and the managers at Lafarge. Although they usually have more technical experience than the employees they supervise, they may not have a lot of leadership experience. To give our plant supervisors the skills they need, we recently launched the Lafarge Leadership Journey. Consisting of 23 modules, the Leadership Journey is a certification programme designed to instil plant supervisors with the leadership skills they need to create a safer working environment, improve productivity and motivate their employees. The Leadership Journey beings with a pre-assessment of all participants, followed by classroom learning and discussions. All 86 supervisors at our Ndola and Chillanga plants have completed the first module of the programme, which includes 16 hours of classroombased theory. Another important aspect of the programme is one-on-one and group coaching, with 236 hours of coaching already completed by the participating supervisors. Through the Lafarge Leadership Journey book club, the participants are assigned books that will further improve their leadership skills. By the end of the journey, our supervisors will be better equipped to support management and contribute to the safety and the productivity of their plant. Employees at leadership journey launch. Ndola Plug & Grind project With market demand growing rapidly in Zambia and the region, one of our key focus areas in 2015 is to expand our production facilities to ensure that we can meet this demand. The Ndola Plug & Grind project is part of a major expansion project at our Ndola Plant, involving upgrading the plant’s finish grinding facilities. Ndola Plug & Grind Project. With a grinding capacity of 100,000 tons per year, the proposed project will be a complete portable grinding solution consisting of several functional units preassembled on built-in transportable containers, which will be located next to the existing cement mills. The facility will be equipped with a pneumatic transport system to convey product to the existing silos at the packing plant. PAGE 20 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | 2015 Covering an area the size of a basketball court, the facility will be highly compact. Any dust generated from the process equipment will be captured using the most advanced technology and be returned to the process. State-of-the-art air pollution control will ensure that the facility’s impact on the environment is minimised. As we ramp up to record production levels through investments like this one, exciting times are ahead at Ndola! Part of the Plug & Grind plant. Plug & Grind plant in operation. Panels inside the Plug & Grind plant that will be installed at Ndola plant. 2015 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | PAGE 21 PROJECTS Lafarge Zambia scores a first in Sub-Saharan Africa In May we launched our Shared Service Centre (SSC) and Training Centre (TC), which will deliver services to Chilanga, Ndola and Mapepe Aggregate plants from one central location. There are currently 14 SSCs in the Lafarge group, with Zambia’s SSC being the first of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa. The SSC is a customer-oriented business model driven by continued process improvement through the delivery of best services at least cost. The centre was launched on the 8th of May at our head office in Chilanga. The launch was officiated by Deputy Minister of Justice and Chilanga Area Member of Parliament Hon. Keith Mukata, along with Lafarge Zambia’s CEO Emmanuel Rigaux and CFO Chrissie Moloseni. At the event, Chrissie Moloseni detailed the advantages of the centre, saying: “The new building will accommodate a talented workforce under one roof in a beautiful, compact and modern setup in order to promote efficiency, improve service delivery and transparency.” She further said that the shared service model of operations would help promote end-to-end process flows with no bottlenecks and would also promote a service culture that enhances customer satisfaction for both internal and external customers. The launch of the SSC and training centre is set to take our internal and external customer experience to new heights. Help us make the SSC a success by doing your part to deliver the best possible service to our customers. Guests tour the SSC during the launch. Chibale and Jack pose for a photo during the launch. PAGE 22 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | 2015 Sharon Kabwe and Luck Chongwe at the SSC Launch. Rusununguko Matawire, Chipo Nkata and Juliet Kapata at the SSC Launch. Customers CLUB Lafarge VIP Resellers Club: Rewarding our top resellers Lafarge Zambia strives to produce the best construction products on the market. We rely on our resellers, from the biggest to the smallest, to ensure that these products are available to our end-customers and that they are wellinformed about which product to use for which application. They are a highly valued part of our supply chain. To ensure that our top resellers get the resources, support and recognition they need to help strengthen our partnership, we launched the Lafarge VIP Resellers Club with the message ‘supercharge your business’. Membership of The Lafarge VIP Club is by invitation only, based on sales volumes, brand loyalty and exceptional customer service. Members are tiered according to three categories and will be awarded accordingly; silver, gold and platinum. The club offers a range of benefits to our top resellers, including priority delivery, exclusive previews of new products, monthly instore promotions, branding, brochures and other Lafarge marketing materials, as well as monthly newsletters. At the same time, the VIP Club gives us the opportunity to get valuable feedback on our service and performance from the resellers who deal directly with our end customers, enabling us to be more competitive in the market by learning from our resellers’ experience. Every quarter, we will invite some of our VIP Club members to a focus group with our senior management so that we can address issues and supercharge our service to them. All VIP Club members will also be asked to rate our performance on a monthly basis. At the end of the year, VIP Club members will be invited to a gala event where new members will be welcomed and top-performing members rewarded, including the highest volume award, the highest growth award and the advocacy award. As the proverb goes, “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” By working closely together with our resellers, we can forge a powerful partnership that will contribute to our company’s growth and performance. PAGE 24 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | 2015 VIP club rewarding our top resellers. Guests at the VIP launch. Guests at the VIP launch. Guests at the VIP launch. Guests at the VIP launch. Lafarge Zambia employees at the VIP launch. Guests and sales reps at the VIP launch. DRC sales rep Albert Tshikala at the VIP launch. Guests at the VIP launch. 2015 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | PAGE 25 Health and Safety Month Health and Safety Month: Committed, open and uncompromising Since 2009, we have dedicated one month every year toward renewing and strengthening our focus on Health and Safety. This year, our Health and Safety Month kicked off on the 11th of May with the theme of being committed, being open and being uncompromising. Health and Safety Month comprises a range of activities and events, including training programmes, games, family days, competitions and sports activities. This year, two Health and Safety days were held on the 29th of May at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, and on the 5th of June at the Chilanga Golf Course. These days offer an opportunity for everyone at Lafarge to make a step change in their safety behaviour. You can read more about the activities that took place on these days further on in this edition of Tukule. There is a close link between safety and health. Every person that comes for work in Lafarge must be fit, properly trained and motivated to perform better and more safely than the previous day. Our sponsorship of the Lafarge Lusaka Marathon is one way we promote health through physical activity. We have also made improvements to the canteen food at both Ndola and Chilanga to enhance the nutritional value and make healthy meals more affordable. Contractor employees working within our sites can also enjoy food from our canteen. With a vast amount of experience and learnings about Health and Safety, we can confidently say that it is now firmly embedded in our culture. However, it is a journey that will never end. We urge all employees to continue to prioritise Health and Safety. Only through hard work and commitment can real change be felt! Health and Safety Month Activities (Lusaka) Tyre safety inspection AEoL= Approaching End of Sale Life As part of our safety month activities, the IT department undertook a tyre safety inspection on staff and Lafarge vehicles at our head office. 6 Tyres are made of rubber, which degrades with age. This means that tyres older than six years are no longer safe to use. A total of 41 vehicles had their tyres inspected for dates of manufacture and classified into green, yellow and red zones. The results showed that 36 vehicles’ tyres were less than four years old and thus in the green zone. A further five vehicles’ tyres were four to six years old and approaching the end of their safe life, which puts them in the yellow zone. Finally, the team found six vehicles in the red zone. These vehicles’ tyres are older than six years and should be replaced immediately. We are currently engaging the employees with vehicles in the red zone to ensure that these vehicles are safe to drive. PAGE 26 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | 2015 5 Safe Zone 0-4yrs AEoSL 4-6yrs Expired >6yrs 36 Supply Chain Team – “Selfie for Safety” Competition! Win n er in W r ne Breathing activity Our IT department participated in some breathing exercises to help relieve stress. while breathing in and it should go in while you’re breathing out. The rest of your body should not move. Do this for no more than one minute. Slow, deep breathing is a powerful anti-stress technique. When you bring air down into the lower portion of the lungs, your heart rate slows, blood pressure decreases, muscles relax, anxiety eases and your mind calms, ensuring that you can do any task with confidence and complete focus. Next, follow these four steps and repeat for three rounds. This exercise is easy to do anywhere and anytime you feel stressed: To start, place both your hand palms on the chest and take deep, fast breaths at the speed of 36 breaths per minute. Your chest should go out 1. Breathe in for 5 seconds. 2. Hold for 5 seconds. 3. Breathe out for 5 seconds. 4. Hold for 5 seconds. 2015 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | PAGE 27 Health and Safety Month Health and Safety Month Activities (Ndola) Ndola FReSH Campaign To encourage employees to exercise and enjoy all the associated benefits, a few of our Ndola employees participated in a 9km fun run from Levy Mwanawasa Stadium towards Kitwe. Thank you to everyone who came to the stadium and participated in this fun run. We are planning on arranging many more activities like this one. Ndola plant celebrates Health and Safety Day in a sporty fashion. Ndola plant team poses for a group photo after a 9km fun run. Ndola Health and Safety Communication Session Earlier this year, Lafarge Ndola conducted a Health and Safety Communication session for employees and contractors. At the session, facilitator Rifan Kapungwe led a presentation of the plant’s Health and Safety performance and asked for feedback from employees on how we can make Ndola a safer place to work. Ndola’s near-miss closure rate for April 2015 was 79%, down 4% compared to the previous month. While the closure rate of near-misses was lower in April, it is still a vast improvement from 23% in January this year. In the communication session, Rifan emphasised the needs to focus on improving this number to 90% for May. At the time of this session, Ndola had assessed three out of six core process risks. Core process risks are learnings from serious incidents at Lafarge facilities. The plant plans to complete the next three assessments by the end of the second quarter. Rifan also shared some of the steps that have been taken in Health and Safety at the plant, including installation of TVs in the canteen running Health and Safety videos. Finally, he listed opportunities for improvement in the plant, including housekeeping, dust, respiratory infections and improving the closure rate of closing up drowning hazards in the area. PAGE 28 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | 2015 Employees listening to the Health & Safety Presentation. Cisanga Mwanza and Sarah Banda at the Health and Safety Day. Employees and Family members participating in a physical exercise at the Health and Safety Day. Joel,Kalisha,Musonda, Joshi, Gift and Mwendabai after the Health and safety tyre inspection exercise. Ndola employees in the town hall meeting. Universal fitness team join JK on stage at the Health & Safety Day. Joseph Itamba giving a safety talk. Family members at the Health and Safety Day. Ndola peer educators during road shows. 2015 | LAFARGE ZAMBIA TUKULE MAGAZINE | PAGE 29