Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate Social
Responsibility
I Caring about community, people and the environment
Stobart Group Limited Registered in Guernsey, registered number 39117.
Old Bank Chambers, La Grande Rue, St Martin’s, Guernsey, Channel Islands GY4 6RT.
stobartgroup.com
©2013 Stobart Group. Designed/produced by Carne Whitney 01228 596 895 www.carnewhitney.com. Photography mulhollandmedia.co.uk
Printed on environmentally friendly paper.
Environmental Responsibility
Business Integrity
Current Achievements
Current Achievements
■ Highly efficient utilisation of the road haulage fleet
■ Emissions data integrity and management displaying
significant reduction in CO2e per £m turnover
■ Energy efficiency projects for Group buildings
■ Dual fuel research and development
■ Increased recycling at all major UK sites
■ Public reporting improvement plan
■ Improve CDP reporting
Future Goals
■ Setting of Group-wide emissions reduction targets
■ Climate change action plan
Future Goals
■ Carbon Trust Standard certification
■ Inclusion in the FTSE4Good series of companies that meet
globally recognised corporate responsibility standards
■ Increase the representation of women on the Board of
Directors in line with Lord Davies’ report
Introduction I Ben Whawell, CFO
Stobart Group is a diverse and innovative business
specialising in the logistics industry with successful
divisions operating in the civil engineering, estates
management, airport operation and biomass
industries. Across the Group we recognise
the importance Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) and are committed to conducting our
business in a way that achieves sustainable
growth and fulfils all legal and moral obligations.
Following on from the adoption of our Group CSR strategy last year, this year we have taken
a much more proactive approach to our CSR strategy. Having already integrated CSR into
our long-term strategic approach for the business; reducing waste, improving the welfare of
staff and engaging local communities; we have committed to a work programme that drives
the changes necessary to bring to life the policy and visualise its meaning for every Stobart
stakeholder.
Stobart People
Community
Current Achievements
Current Activity
■ Well established programme of employee training and
development, supported by a dedicated training facility
■ Employee health and wellbeing workgroup
■ Employee engagement in business planning through
the ‘Your Say’ employee survey and action plan
■ Revision and extension of the Group’s existing charity
and sponsorship policy
■ Establishment of an employee donation scheme
Future Goals
■ Further increase employee engagement
■ Development of the Group’s ‘Project Affinity’ customer
engagement tool
■ Implementation of new performance appraisal
management system
Future Goals
■ Development of positive external partnerships
with local and national charities
■ Introduction of a volunteer hours donation scheme
■ Nomination of a dedicated community champion
at every Stobart Group site
The Stobart Group Corporate Social Responsibility Work Programme: By mapping our current activity we are
able to provide a visual display of our initiatives benchmarked against industry standards. The future goals indicate
Stobart Group’s positive plans for further improvement across all four areas of our Corporate Social Responsibility.
We believe that by taking this proactive approach we can deliver strategy within the remit of
CSR and what it means to our business. As a group operating in diverse industries the direct
implication of CSR has a different meaning for each of our five operating divisions. The subject
of CSR can often be confusing to many and is seen as a business minefield with no clear path
to follow. Changes to legislation for FTSE listed businesses, such as the mandatory reporting
of GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emissions announced at Rio20, are beginning to provide guidance,
but there are still many areas of CSR that are not so clear. Stobart Group firmly believes that
innovation is the key to delivering a successful business model. We have applied this ethos
to our CSR strategy, ensuring that we adhere to legal and moral obligations whilst ensuring
the solution fits our business model and core aim of driving shareholder value through all of
our Divisions.
Having clearly defined the work programme required to deliver the strategy, we have created
a three year plan that provides the framework and structure necessary to fit our diverse
business model. We are currently one year into this plan and are already seeing substantial
benefits and improved levels of reporting.
Throughout the Group we know that we have been carrying out CSR initiatives and delivering
cost-effective solutions to our customers for many years, as well as making considerable
donations to a number of charities and encouraging our employees to engage with local
communities. This year we have implemented a structured reporting process that continues
to encourage this activity by offering support and guidance from a dedicated CSR officer.
Having appointed the CSR Committee in 2012, regular meetings are taking place covering a
wide range of topics, but most importantly focussing on the production of the work programme
and agreement on our CSR strategy going forward. A constant theme within the framework is
the enhancement of our brand and investigation of the way in which CSR can add depth to
the core values that have made the Stobart name such a firm favourite, enabling us to apply
our brand power whilst delivering corporate success.
Stobart Group Corporate Social Responsibility
1
The CSR Committee
How the Committee Operates
Stobart Group’s Corporate Social Responsibility Committee (CSRC)
was constructed upon adoption of the Group CSR Policy last year.
The Stobart brand is extremely important to us and in an effort to
emphasise the weight a brand carries, we have created a logo that is
featured in all CSR communications that provides an instant visual aid
and also assists with internal reporting.
This year the Committee has kick-started our strategy and created
a transparent work programme that visualises a three year plan
detailing current activity levels and future plans covering all aspects
of CSR for the Group. The committee is chaired by the Chief
Financial Officer, who has main Board level responsibility for CSR,
and includes senior executives within the Group with specific areas
of expertise and responsibility ensuring that all divisions and
employees are represented.
By colour coding the four areas we have highlighted under our CSR
agenda; Environmental Responsibility, Business Integrity, Community
and Stobart People, we have created a user friendly approach that
ensures the CSRC are tackling issues and developing initiatives in
each area.
This colour coded system has also been implemented in benchmarking exercises, enabling the Group to concentrate its efforts in
line with similar businesses and competitors. We have found this has
also provided guidance into the balance of activities undertaken in
each area and has helped us to prioritise the initiatives chosen.
The CSRC meets every three months alternately at the Group’s major
sites, Carlisle, Appleton and Widnes. Attendance stands at 100% of
committee members at each of the three meetings held during the
2012-2013 Financial Year.
Ben Whawell
Chief Financial Officer
Kate Willard
Corporate Affairs Director
Neil Marston
Health & Safety Head
Phil Spittle
Fleet Compliance Head
Richard Laycock
Group Financial Controller
George Floyd
Business Systems Head
Collette Butterworth
CSR & Funding Officer
A Qualified Chartered
Accountant, Ben spent nine
years at Grant Thornton
before joining Eddie Stobart
in 2004, overseeing the
merger with Westbury
Property Fund forming
Stobart Group in 2007. He
has played a key role in
several successful
acquisitions, that have seen
the business triple in size
over the last five years.
Ben received the North West
Financial Director of the Year
Award in 2009 and the Large
Company Finance Director
of the Year Award in 2012.
With a background in
economic regeneration and
European affairs, Kate
Willard joined Stobart Group
six years ago working across
divisions to secure funding,
implement corporate
governance and help all of
our of people achieve their
full potential. Kate is also
leading the national industry
skills collaboration, Smart
Business Academy, on
behalf of the Group. Kate is
a Non Executive Director of
both Liverpool City Region
LEP and Cumbria NHS
Foundation Trust and is a
Churchill Fellow and FRSA.
A Qualified Chartered Health
and Safety Professional, Neil
joined the business in 2002,
adopting a common sense
approach in managing the
health & safety of all staff
within the Group.
In 2010 Neil launched the
Stop Think Act campaign
which was aimed at
improving the health and
safety performance
throughout the business. As
a result of the successful
Stop Think Act campaign Neil
received on behalf of Eddie
Stobart the award for Best
H&S Achievement in
Transport and Logistics at the
SHP IOSH Awards in 2011.
Phil has had a lifelong career
in transport and distribution,
in both hire & reward and
own-account operations.
In addition to traditional fleet
management services, Phil’s
focus is on emission
reduction and sustainable
distribution. He is also active
in delivering carbon reduction
through new technologies
and alternative fuels through
collaboration with vehicle
manufacturers, fuel suppliers
and industry groups.
Phil is a Board member of
the Low Carbon Vehicle
Partnership and a Freight
Transport Association
Council Member.
Richard has managed the
Group’s Finance function
through the last five years,
including close involvement
in several major acquisitions
and meeting the needs of an
increasingly diverse group.
His team manages the
financial information and key
performance indicators for
the Group monthly and
through to the Annual
Report, keeping the Board
and stakeholders up-to-date.
Trained at Arthur Andersen,
Richard brings over 15
years’ practice experience in
previous roles and is now an
ICAEW Fellow.
George joined the company
in 2010 as Head of Business
Systems, Process Quality
and Internal Comms. Prior to
this he spent 33 years in the
Civil Engineering Industry
where he was responsible
for leadership in developing
controls to meet business,
contractual, legislative and
quality needs.
Since joining the Company
he has led several projects
and guided the Group in
strengthening its
management systems;
obtaining ISO9001 and
British Retail Consortium
(BRC) accreditations across
the divisions.
A graduate of Stobart’s own
internal Management
Development Programme,
Collette was one half of the
project group responsible for
the development and
implementation of Stobart
Group’s CSR policy.
A natural progression into
her current role now sees
Collette responsible for
environmental reporting and
she is the main point of
contact for all Corporate
Social Responsibility-related
activity within the Group.
Stakeholder Engagement: We are fully committed to engaging all our stakeholders, including
shareholders, customers and employees, as well as local, national and international communities.
Shareholders:
Employees:
■
Individual dialogue with institutional shareholders carried out by the Chairman,
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer
■
The ‘Your Say’ employee satisfaction survey was circulated to every employee
within the Group
■
Annual and biannual results presentations
■
■
Board members have periodic meetings with institutional investors and analysts
‘The Gateway’ internal intranet online communication tool is available to every
employee
■
Shareholder enquiries are dealt with by the Company Secretary and his team
■
‘Stobart News’ employee magazine is circulated to every employee.
Regional Drivers’ Representatives’ meetings are held monthly with Depot
Managers, ensuring every driver is represented
■
National Drivers’ Representatives’ meetings are held biannually with the Chief
Operating Officer and Managing Director, ensuring every driver is represented
Customers:
■
■
■
2
Monthly operational review meetings with Account Managers
Quarterly review meetings to align customer strategy and Stobart Group strategy
to enhance service delivery involving the Senior Team and Account Managers.
Bespoke equipment and facility construction tailored to customer operational fit
involving the Senior Team, Account Managers, Stobart Infrastructure & Civil
Engineering Division
Biannual internal Account Manager Strategy Days comprising Managing
Directors, Senior Team and Account Managers and including Director level
delivery of business overview and shared best practice providing two way
customer feedback
■
Integrated team building by shared presence at staff development events for the
Senior Team and Account Managers
■
Sharing cost efficiencies through the in-house ‘Time Based Planning’
management tool, comprising Senior Planning Team and Account Managers
Stobart Group Corporate Social Responsibility
Communities:
■
A comprehensive list of contact details are provided on the Stobart Group
website, providing easy public access for a wide range of enquiries, questions
and requests
■
Educational projects, such as Working with Schools programme and Work
Experience opportunities
■
Employee fundraising covering local charitable activity
■
Local SME’s working alongside small local businesses to deliver our business
model
Environmental Responsibility I Looking after the Planet
In this section we will cover all aspects of our environmental impact
including; emissions, external verification and standards achieved,
environmental efficiency projects and initiatives and how we engage
our employees in delivering our environmental goals.
In formulating commitments on environmental responsibility Stobart
Group engages with a broad spectrum of stakeholders ranging from
independent consultants to Defra and CDP (formerly the Carbon
Disclosure Project). Working in close partnership with customers to
deliver a cost-effective solution is a key factor in the Group’s success.
However, underpinning cost factors, the Company drives to identify
and deliver environmentally responsible solutions throughout the
multi-modal logistics offering. A typical example of this environmental
approach is the modal shift of Tesco freight from road to rail by
Stobart Rail. This process delivers considerable reductions in CO2
emissions, whilst also removing over 12 million lorry miles off the UK’s
congested roads in this year alone.
One of the single largest challenges we face as a logistics provider
is the emissions that result from our activities. Transport forms
approximately 95% of the Group’s operations and, with a 3,000strong fleet of trucks, we simply cannot avoid being a large-scale
consumer of fuel. With this in mind, the CSR Committee have
endorsed a range of projects to tackle the issue which are detailed
later in this section.
Emissions
Emissions data has been prepared using the ‘operational control’
guidance issued by The Greenhouse Gas Protocol and Defra. Under
this approach the Company is considered responsible for the dayto-day operations of the assets and resource consumption that the
business has effective operational control over.
Having set the boundaries of measured emissions, the Committee
has identified significant indirect Scope 3 emissions and plan to
implement more robust capture of this data as part of our CSR work
programme in years two and three.
Following exhaustive research into the most appropriate significant
threshold for Stobart Group, the CSR Committee are currently
working on developing a relevant recalculation policy for emissions
data. Once these steps have been completed, the Committee will
then tackle the challenge of setting a reduction target.
External Verification
Carbon footprint verification by the Carbon Trust Standard has been
achieved for the previous three years data covering all Scope 1 and 2
Stobart Group emissions as detailed below. Having already achieved
carbon footprint verification with the Carbon Trust Standard, Stobart
Group aims to work towards achieving Carbon Trust Certification in
2014 to further develop our carbon management strategy and
implement a hands-on approach across our five Divisions.
Eddie Stobart Limited has an extensive environmental management
system (EMS) in place that has been produced in line with ISO14001
standards with a plan in place to work towards accreditation.The Eddie
Stobart Limited Fleet Department equates to approximately 0.8% of all
employees, covers all aspects of fleet administrative processes, impacts
largely on the efficiency and development of our fleet utilisation and
reporting and is ISO14001 accredited. Stobart Rail Limited, our
Infrastructure & Civil Engineering business, which is ISO14001 accredited,
equates to approximately 1.9% of annual turnover.
Group Emissions Data
CO2e - 2009 Base Year (tonnes)
Scope 1
Scope 2
Tonnes per £m Turnover
CO2e - 2013 Current Year (tonnes)
Scope 1
Scope 2
Tonnes per £m Turnover
UK
Ireland
International
Group Total
235,300
8,470
2,830
16
7,270
4
245,400
8,490
589
UK
Ireland
International
Group Total
256,077
10,910
17,640
210
6,660
1
280,377
11,121
472
Emissions data presented for 2013 has been verified by the Carbon Trust Standard.
Stobart Group Corporate Social Responsibility
3
Energy Efficiency I Minimising Waste
Faced with the challenge of achieving an ambitious emissions reduction
target in a business that relies on fuel consumption to carry out its activities,
Stobart Group has developed an energy efficiency pilot project that will deliver
short-term CO2 savings until a broader business decision is taken in relation
to the Group’s 3,000-strong fleet of trucks and the emissions they release.
The ‘Driving Down Energy Consumption’ project was established as
a direct result of a CSR Committee brainstorming session that was
initially centred on establishing an emissions reduction target. The
CSR Committee agreed unanimously that, in order to set a
meaningful target for the Group and its stakeholders that also
challenged consumption levels, serious scrutiny of our fleet operation
was required. Importantly Stobart Group’s Transport & Distribution
division already consistently outperforms its competitors in fleet
utilisation, so the next steps which need to be considered were the
potential positive outcomes of the ‘Dual Fuel Pathfinders’ project.
CSR Committee members, Neil Marston; who will sponsor the
project; and Collette Butterworth; who will manage the Driving Down
Energy Consumption project; have engaged customers, employees
and external stakeholders in this process to create a pilot project that
encompasses lighting and heating efficiencies, as well as behavioural
changes. Research into the various energy usages across the
business will deliver vital data and assist with the making of informed
decisions on the reduction target and the solutions required to
achieve them. The management of this data will then be centralised,
making it much easier to maintain and utilise going forward. Other
project outcomes include; employee engagement, improved
stakeholder relations and creation of ‘best fit’ models that can be
disseminated across the Group for sites large and small.
Driving behavioural change in any organisation is a challenge for
everyone involved; we believe that our employees hold the key, after
all who is better placed to understand what really works operationally
at a site than the people who work there day-in and day-out? As part
of the overall project scope of ‘Driving Down Energy Consumption’
four mini projects teams have been created to foster behavioural
change in a way that adds a fun element, helping employees to get
on board by engaging them and exciting them about this initiative.
A launch event is planned for the new financial year. Employees
will be invited to come along and find out what we are trying to
achieve, and to sign-up for involvement in this scheme. Stobart
Group will accommodate time out for these employees to work on
the project teams detailed below over a twelve month period, with
the aim of delivering a genuine best fit solution for behavioural
change in our business.
Dual Fuel Pathfinders
Stobart Transport & Distribution division’s Eddie Stobart business has
been testing a small fleet of Volvo dual fuel vehicles on delivery
operations for selected clients. The dual fuel units utilise Liquefied
Natural Gas (LNG) to replace up to 70% of the diesel consumption.
The award-winning programme uses standard Volvo engines
incorporating a specialist dual fuel management system.
In the event of the vehicle running out of LNG, the engine has the
ability to automatically switch to diesel mode.
Getting with the Programme
4
Employee Engagement
Team Columbo
The Power Rangers
Batteries Not Included
Tree Huggers
Just like the great investigator
himself, Team Columbo will be
responsible for all research and
development related to the CO2
footprint and will investigate the
potential cost savings that energy
efficient lighting and heating
solutions may offer our sites.
Even the ‘mighty morphing’
Power Rangers need to rest, so
this team will carry out research
and development into poweringdown during operational rest
periods and roll out an action
plan to implement best practice.
Not everything can be powered by
plugging into the mains, so this team
will audit the equipment that is battery
powered. They will then provide a cost
benefit analysis of implementation of
rechargeable batteries and chargers
versus a recycling option for
disposable batteries.
SAVE OUR FORESTS!
Stobart Group Corporate Social Responsibility
Our team of ‘tree huggers’ will
implement the use of recycled paper,
investigate how to promote best
practice in printing and research how
best to maximise this behaviour
change to fit our operation.
Stobart Group Corporate Social Responsibility
5
Energy Efficiency I Minimising Waste
Despite the environmental benefits that this new technology offers,
expansion of the dual fuel vehicle fleet demands considerable
investment; not only in the vehicles themselves, but also in specialist
LNG refueling facilities. Currently there are only a small number of LNG
fuelling sites in the UK, significantly limiting the range of dual fuel
vehicles and curtailing the potential carbon savings as a result.
Stobart Group and BOC, the UK’s largest provider of compressed
and liquefied gas, have been selected by the Government to receive
funding to help stimulate the market for environmentally-friendly dual
fuel trucks. The funding provided by the Technology Strategy Board
(TSB) will be matched by an investment from Eddie Stobart, enabling
the expansion of its Volvo dual fuel fleet and allowing BOC to install
an LNG refueling station serving both Group and third party vehicles
at one of Eddie Stobart’s major transport hubs.
The trial aims to test the potential for substitution of up to 70% of the
diesel by LNG. This in turn will reduce carbon emissions by as much
as 15%. The new system also promises to avoid the potentially
substantial loss of gas vented by conventional systems during
refueling. The stringent field testing of the new vehicles and refuelling
technology forms an integrated part of developments that will enable
refinement of the technology, providing significant new opportunities
to help drive sustainability forward in the logistics sector. Results of
the testing will inform a business decision that we hope will ultimately
dramatically reduce fleet emissions and change the face of
sustainable logistics for Eddie Stobart.
Ongoing Achievements
Stobart’s Transport & Distribution division is the sole driver for the
efficiency of our fleet and our excellent utilisation statistics. As a
founding member of the Freight Transport Association’s Logistics
Carbon Reduction Scheme (LCRS) we are committed to reducing
carbon emissions throughout our operations in line with the FTA’s
targets for 2015. At any one time around 86% of Stobart vehicles on
the road are carrying a load, compared to an industry average of
71.3% as reported by the FTA. The additional 14.7% utilisation
equates to a saving in excess of 38 million miles, or 56,000 tonnes
of CO2. For every 1% of increased Eddie Stobart fleet utilisation,
carbon emissions are reduced by around 3,000 tonnes.
Stobart’s ‘Driving Fuel Efficiency’ initiative is playing a key role in helping
to reduce Stobart Group’s carbon footprint. Unlike most Safe and Fuel
Efficient Driving programmes (SAFED), which merely rely on a ‘pat on
the head’ to encourage best practice, Stobart’s cash incentive ensures
drivers are genuinely rewarded for their positive contribution to the
environment and the cost savings that fuel efficiency delivers. The
system, which is based on on-board telematics, records and transmits
four key causes of raised fuel consumption in real-time. Drivers directly
benefit from their own driving efficiency, with bonuses paid on a sliding
scale that reflects best practice.
In 2012 the Group entered into a contract with Biffa waste that set a
target of 50% reduction in waste to landfill in the first year. We are
pleased to report that this has equated to over 1,088 tonnes of waste
being recycled that would have previously been destined for landfill
in this year alone.
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Stobart Group Corporate Social Responsibility
London Southend Airport has implemented a number of
environmental initiatives. These include shorter air journey times to
mainland Europe through closer proximity and quicker landing
times, opening of a dedicated airport train station that encourages
passengers to leave cars at home, rainwater harvesting, solar
powered LED runway lighting, an air source heat pump, motion
activated lighting and use of extensive glazing to reduce need for
artificial lighting.
The Group’s rail freight operation which now comprises five UK train
services each day and continues to make a major contribution to
reducing carbon emissions, pollution and road traffic. Increased
train lengths on the Barking to Magor services have also increased
capacity. This significant modal shift has taken over 12 million lorry
miles off our roads and reduced CO2 emissions by more than
15,000 tonnes.
Stobart Biomass is at the leading edge of the sourcing and distribution
of renewable biomass fuels, a key contributor towards meeting the
UK’s drive for more sustainable power generation.
This operating division has performed well in 2013, transporting
some 650,000 tonnes of fuel to renewable power generation plants.
Much of the raw materials processed into biofuel would have been
destined for landfill.
The Group has also recently secured planning permission for a
20MW biomass plant to supply heat and power to its Mersey
Multimodal Gateway site in Widnes.
Business Integrity I Transparency
Welcome to the Business Integrity element of Stobart Group’s Corporate
Social Responsibility Report. In this section we will detail our approach to
business integrity and the way in which it underpins the Group’s values of
transparency, mutual dependency, collaboration, professional application,
innovation and sustainable profit growth.
The Group’s CSR Committee (CSRC) has concentrated its efforts on
increasing public reporting for 2013 by implementing an internal
structure that has enabled the centralisation of data, providing a main
point of contact for all CSR-related enquiries and interaction through
the appointment of the Group CSR Officer.
Stobart Group has long been at the forefront of new developments
and legislative changes and is committed to ensuring this cascades
throughout our complex and diverse Group. By appointing a central
contact, the CSRC has been able to create a structured improvement
plan to increase public reporting that will begin to take shape late in
2013 which will consider long-term goals for inclusion in the Group’s
numerous sustainability and best practice indices.
Stobart Group is committed to the implementation of policies that
provide the framework for our business integrity and values. These
are fully detailed on the company website and include Stobart Group
Quality, Whistle Blowing, Ethics and Anti-Bribery & Corruption.
Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy
Stobart Group is committed to detailed, robust and compliant
governance. We ensure that we are at the forefront of excellent
practice across all levels of statutory, regulatory and legislative
compliance through the Company Secretary and his team and our
broader industry intelligence. We understand that this approach
brings real benefits to our business and ensures that our
operations, services and people are safe, sound and highly
professional at all times.
Carbon Disclosure Project
2013 will see Stobart Group’s CDP disclosure brought in-house for
the first year since its original inclusion. As part of the strategic plan
put into place by the CSR Committee and appointment of the
Group’s CSR Officer, Stobart Group now has a central point of
contact for reporting and strategy management.
The Group anticipates a considerable improvement in this year’s
rating from CDP and has plans in place to continue the development
journey that CDP inclusion and reporting naturally cultivates.
Representation of Women at Board Level
Following the publication of Lord Davies’ report on Women on
Boards, the Board of Stobart Group approved the following interim
statement at their meeting of 13 October 2011; “The Board of Stobart
Group welcomes Lord Davies’ report. Whilst, as a Board, we will
continue to appoint on merit, we recognise the real importance and
significance of taking gender and broader issues of diversity into
account in these decision making procedures and will continue to
do so. We will ensure that the findings of this report are fed into the
current review of succession planning across the Group’s operations
and at all levels of seniority.”
The Future
Having already achieved carbon footprint verification by the Carbon
Trust Standard, Stobart Group aim to work towards achieving Carbon
Trust Certification in 2014, providing a basis from which we can further
develop our carbon management strategy and implement a hands-on
approach across the five operational divisions.
By 2015 Stobart Group aims to be included within the FTSE4Good
index and is in the process of mapping its strategic activity and policy
development to align with the required aspects of this globally
recognised best practice climate change criteria listing.
Stobart Group Corporate Social Responsibility
7
Community I Working with our Neighbours
In this section we will talk about the donations we make to charities, not only
at a Group level, but we’ll also discuss some of the fantastic local initiatives
we encourage our employees to become engaged with.
Stobart Group’s CSRC are revolutionising the way we manage our
charitable activity and community engagement.
This new process and policy implementation will deliver a transparent
operation for all involved that embraces meaningful relationships with
charity partners and is solely focused around employee engagement
initiatives for all our staff. Further development of this is currently
underway and once the final policy and process is released there will
be a publication made on the company website.
We know that we do a great deal of work with charities and a number
of great causes that are close to the hearts of many of our employees
and senior executives. We believe that by implementing a policy that
is centred around our employees we can not only continue this great
work but also provide our employees with a structured engagement
programme that will raise funds and, equally as important, raise
awareness of issues that could affect any of our staff at any time.
Time is Precious
Our employees have been involved in a wide variety of fundraising
events and activities this year and have logged over 1,000 hours
so far in their local communities.
All of these hours have been donated to very worthwhile causes; for
example Royal British Legion, Cancer Research UK, Children In Need
and have covered a number of activities and events, such as Clay
Pigeon Shooting, Macmillan Coffee Morning and Red Nose Day.
Volunteer Hours Donation Scheme
We are currently in the process of piloting a volunteer hours donation
scheme to engage our employees with their local communities and
are working closely with Halton Borough Council to deliver this.
Due to the operational peaks and troughs naturally associated with
our logistics business model, we have chosen to donate some of
our ‘down time’ to worthwhile causes and local council led
initiatives. This project will provide a structured environment for our
employees to engage in with the pilot committing 270 hours which
equates to a cash equivalent donation of over £4,000.
Working with Schools
As part of Stobart Group’s internal Management Development
Programmes all participants are required to take part in the
Stobart’s ‘Working with Schools’ initiative. There are four elements
to this initiative: Road Safety Campaigns in conjunction with ‘Brake’,
‘Young Enterprise’ mentoring, Stobart depot visits and ‘Inspiring the
Future’ career talks.
Since September 2012 104 employees have engaged with schools
through these programmes donating a total of 400 hours. This
hugely successful and popular initiative has brought benefits to the
individual working on the project as it allows them to put into
practice the skills that they have acquired throughout the course of
the Management Development Programme.
To further assist and support education we have also developed a
teacher resource section on our website. This provides teachers
with lesson plans and accompanying resources covering many
areas of the curriculum including Literacy and Numeracy.
“The work we are doing with Stobart Group, led by Collette Butterworth and Peter McCann, is adding significant value
to communities in Halton and to our colleagues from Stobart, who are giving their time and expertise free of charge
to improve the lives of Halton people. This is yet another example of our strong private/public partnership between
Halton and Stobart Group.”
David W. Parr LLB, Chief Executive, Halton Borough Council
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Stobart Group Corporate Social Responsibility
Stobart Group Corporate Social Responsibility
9
Charitable Work I Helping Those Who Help Others
Stobart Group’s 2012-13 charity of the year was Cancer Research UK.
December 2012’s Emerald and Ivy Ball held in London saw the Group
make a donation of £150k to this fantastic entirely public-funded charity
which is working to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.
Win-Win!
Injured Jockeys Fund
Stobart has successfully developed a number of positive
partnerships and has cemented its bond with the public through a
series of effective brand building exercises.
Stobart Group sponsorship is enabling the Professional Jockeys
Association to re-introduce Career Ending Insurance (CEI) for its
members. Stobart is matching funding for the CEI scheme poundfor-pound with the jockeys themselves.
The ‘Eddie Stobart: Trucks and Trailers’ television documentary on
Channel Five has been highly successful, whilst the Professional
Jockeys Association ‘Injured Jockeys Fund’ which provides safety
net insurance against career-ending injuries sees ‘Stobart’ emblazed
on jockeys’ breeches.
These partnerships undoubtedly deliver positive brand exposure for
the Group, however we have also made a conscious effort to utilise
these relationships as a vehicle for successful fundraising and
heightened awareness for our partner organisations at the same time.
Eddie Stobart Truckers and ‘Help for Heroes’
Autumn 2012 saw the Eddie Stobart drivers swap their steering
wheels for microphones with the recording of a special Christmas
single in support of the ‘Help for Heroes’ charity. A group of ten
drivers, including many well-known faces from Channel Five’s hit
‘Eddie Stobart: Trucks and Trailers’ TV documentary, spent two days
recording the track at the world-famous Sarm Studios in London.
The Company has long had a close affinity with the armed forces,
with numerous Eddie Stobart drivers coming from a military
background; indeed two of the singers on the Stobart Christmas
single, Matt Ekins and Lee Dowling, actually served together in
Bosnia in the Royal Logistics Corp.
There were a whopping 14,898 downloads up to December 2012
raising just short of £11,000.
The Injured Jockeys Fund came about following the horrendous
accidents suffered by Tim Brookshaw, and four months later Paddy
Farrell in the 1964 Grand National. Both falls resulted in severe
paralysis and immediately ended two careers. To-date the fund has
helped over a thousand jockeys and remains true to its founding
principal of helping injured jockeys whenever needed.
Furthermore, the Injured Jockeys Fund has played a valuable role
in heightening awareness of the risks of competitive riding. As a
result the racing authorities have implemented numerous safety
initiatives that are improving protection for professional riders.
Carlisle Youth Zone
Having spent their youth in Cumbria, Stobart Group Chief
Operating Officer, William Stobart and Chief Executive Officer,
Andrew Tinkler donate their personal time as Board Members of
the Carlisle Youth Zone.
Cumbria is the birthplace of our iconic Eddie Stobart name and as
a Group we give back to our home community in many ways. One
of which is our annual donation to Carlisle Youth Zone where
Stobart Group matches funds raised by the Youth Zone up to a
maximum of £50,000. The Youth Zone represents a modern,
engaging, exciting and relevant take on the youth clubs of the past.
It serves the social, recreational and emotional needs of young
people of the area whenever their schools are closed.
“The Stobart Enterprise Room has always been one of the most utilised spaces in the building for the young people
who attend the Youth Zone. The invaluable contribution that Stobart Group makes to change the lives and welfare of
these children means that we can supply media equipment, with qualified Youth Workers in a safe environment. New
to 2013; year three of the agreement will see the Enterprise Room change to the Stobart Media Suite as requested
by the members. They have recognised an entrepreneurial opportunity to develop a Youth Zone Newsletter – which
will be designed and printed for monthly distribution. The additional graphics board and facility to create their own
on-line streaming will further develop their skills set shaping their creativity.”
Clair Fidler, Commercial Manager, Carlisle Youth Zone.
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Stobart Group Corporate Social Responsibility
Stobart Group Corporate Social Responsibility
11
Warehousing BTEC
People I Building a Positive Working Environment
This section is dedicated to the way in which we bring to life the statement
made by Chief Executive Officer Andrew Tinkler “Stobart Group’s success
is in our ability to make sure we have the right people in the right
roles, with the right resources at the right time to deliver consistently high
performance for our customers and the Group”.
Stobart Group offers a variety of training and development to our
employees from delivery of qualifications, training courses and
structured development programmes to bespoke best fit approaches
encompassing all aspects that are individually catered to individual
delegates.
The execution of these courses and programmes demands a variety
of resources across the Group, ranging from the Eddie Stobart
Training Academy and Stobart Rail’s Training Suite to the work of the
3P (People, Performance, Progress) team. We also work closely as
a Group with external training providers and associations.
Ensuring our employees have all the tools to not only do their job but
develop their careers is essential to us and providing a healthy and
safe working environment plays a large part. We actively encourage
all of our employees to engage with internal health and safety
schemes which has helped us deliver award winning results.
The Eddie Stobart Training Academy
Now into its third year, this bespoke facility continues to develop an
impressive reputation as a flagship training centre within the
Transport and Logistics industry. Driver training is managed and
delivered at the Academy, with all new Eddie Stobart drivers
attending a two day induction course upon joining the Company.
Health & Safety
The safety of our employees is paramount concern, and providing a
healthy and safe workplace remains top of the business’ agenda at
all times.
This year welcomed the implementation of the Group’s new Drugs &
Alcohol policy which has been developed in partnership with leading
testing provider, Concateno. The new policy helps provide employees
with a safe and healthy working environment, free from the risks
posed by the misuse of alcohol or drugs within the workplace.
Over 170 Operational Managers are now trained to the benchmark
IOSH (the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health) ‘Managing
Safely’ standard, further bolstering the Group’s robust record in
reporting, recording and investigating accidents, incidents and
near-misses.
During the year, the award-winning ‘Stop, Think, Act!’ campaign
was extended to encompass vehicle incident trends within Stobart
Transport & Distribution. This was particularly centred on reminding
Eddie Stobart drivers of the special risks around the operation of
large good vehicles, trailers, reversing and the use of equipment.
Stobart Group health and safety audits were also revised and
refreshed during 2012-13. The new audit process is carried out at
least once a year at every Stobart site.
All non-driving staff attend an Employee Induction at the Academy,
which also houses technical training covering a broad spectrum of
courses ranging from IT training to ‘Train the Trainer’ courses.
“The talent in Stobart Group is exceptional and the Leadership Development Programme is one of the (if not THE) best
talent identification and development programmes I have witnessed in my experience of organisation development. The
LDP is more than a training programme, it is a strategic commitment from the business to find and liberate talent. Stobart
Group recognise that it is great people that build great businesses and their investment and activity in this area is worldclass. The programme is high impact and involves not only the delegates and expert tutors, but also the Executive Team
of the business. This offers the opportunities for the leaders of today to engage with, and work with, the leaders of tomorrow;
a critical success factor in my opinion. It is evident that the LDP has a very high profile across the organisation, which in
turn raises the aspiration level of all staff as well as underpin the positive ‘Stobart Can-Do’ culture. It is refreshing to see a
business in Logistics offer staff such clear progression pathways and who invest so heavily in people development.”
David Harper, Chairman, HarperCo and Talent Training
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Stobart Group Corporate Social Responsibility
2012-2013 saw the Group embark upon a journey with our
warehousing staff to deliver a Warehousing BTEC qualification in
association with Talent Training. The course comprises workshops,
observations and guided discussions, with 93 candidates achieving
Level Two and Three qualifications.
“The attitudes of the candidates were fantastic – they all had such
a positive outlook and all really wanted to succeed. Many
candidates commented on the fact that at times, they do not
challenge why they do certain things in certain ways; but the
workshops really made them think about their role and the impact
they have on the business. The shift supervisors would also go
above and beyond their call of duty to help us (Training Advisors)
and candidates. I have thoroughly enjoyed delivering the
programme, it has been a real pleasure to work with such brilliant
people. Since we launched the programme, there have been many
colleagues asking to enrol onto the next intake due to the positive
experience of their peers.”
Sue Barker, Training Advisor Talent Training
3P’s emerging leaders share their success
“I am proud to have been one of the first Stobart
Group 3P programme graduates from 2010-2011.
It was both educational and inspiring, giving me
fantastic exposure to the Group, filling me with
confidence and the core skills to build a successful
career. As a result for the past two years I have been
responsible for a team of Account Managers,
currently delivering the strategy and customer
responsibility for the Soft Drinks unit within Transport
& Distribution.”
Paul Twining, Strategy Development Manager,
Soft Drinks Division, Stobart Transport & Distribution
“When I joined Stobart Group I knew that this was the
company that I wanted to commit to and grow my
career with, and I saw the 3P programme as a great
opportunity to further my development. One of my
aims was to increase my confidence when
presenting; just a year later I was presenting to 250
people on the Stobart Brand. The 3P programme
supported me through leading my first team, setting
and managing budgets, and negotiation – all skills
that helped me progress into my current role.”
Rachael Roberts, Strategy Accounts Manager,
High Volume Division, Stobart Transport & Distribution
3P - People, Performance, Progress
‘3P’ is the vehicle we use to identify and nurture our talented
emerging leaders of the future. The People, Performance, Progress
suite of programmes is open to anyone in the business who has
the desire, drive and commitment to continuously grow and
develop within the Group. This suite of learning and development
programmes is the key to driving business activities forward, as
well as forming a cornerstone of the Group’s succession planning.
Every programme has been developed to ensure that delegates
develop in line with their individual needs and learning styles, as
well as the Group’s strategy. 3P programmes have been designed
with our strategy in mind; listening and responding to the on-going
needs and aspirations of the business. Using our own experienced
trainers who understand and share our mission to deliver these
programmes in-house, enables delegates to effectively apply
learning back into the workplace. The formal training courses are
interactive, with focus placed on sharing of learning drawn from
work experiences. Training materials are dyslexia friendly and we
now have seven work-based dyslexia assessors working
throughout the Group to support our employees.
We have used the tiered approach to management training to create
three programmes that facilitate training and development to all
levels of Stobart Group’s Supervisors, Managers and emerging
Leaders. The ‘Leadership Development Programme’ is a flagship
programme that has been designed to identify, nurture and develop
our emerging leaders.
“Following graduation from the 3P programme I have
been able to put into practice the skills gained in my
new role as Stobart Estates Manager. The
programme provided me with the opportunity to
assess my own personal areas of strength and those
requiring development. This has enabled me to put
an effective plan in place to ensure my personal
career goals are met whilst being driven by achieving
results for Stobart Group.”
Allan Tindall, Estates Manager,
Stobart Estates
“The 3P programme exceeded my expectations and
afforded me access to courses that were beneficial in
both theoretical and practical content. The subjects
were delivered by enthusiastic and motivational tutors
and were easily translated into my everyday working
life. Overall the programme was very enjoyable and I
fully believe it provided me with the opportunity for
career advancement within the Group.”
Stephanie Dey, General Manager,
Stobart Ireland, Stobart Transport & Distribution
‘Introduction to Leadership’ has been developed to provide
training opportunities for existing managers who wish to improve
and enhance their existing leadership skills, whilst ‘Introduction
to Management’ is ideal for employees who are new to
management and wish to improve their managerial skills.
Stobart Group Corporate Social Responsibility
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