Positive working environment
Management approach
We want to be an attractive and fair employer that offers its employees an exciting place to work where they can get involved and contribute their ideas. For this reason, it is important to create a working environment in which employees feel safe and respected, with an inclusive and non-discriminatory culture. We place value on an active social dialogue with employee organisations and regular briefings and informal meetings with our employees, followed by question and answer sessions. We ensure freedom of association, collective bargaining and fair working conditions.
Precautionary actions and measures
An important management tool is the annual appraisal meeting, during which we discuss the appraisal itself, further training and development opportunities, and the employment relationship more generally. We agree on annual targets with most employees and for managers, these are linked to performance related variable remuneration.
Health and safety at the workplace is also a key concern for us. We comply with all laws and regulations that govern occupational health and safety in each country. All of our production sites have appropriate management systems, regulations, policies and procedures specific to their production environments, have a Health and Safety Officer, and conduct regular training sessions as well as internal and external inspections. After any acquisition, we gradually introduce the new site to the standards of Bucher Industries. And, wherever possible, we automate any tasks that involve heightened health and safety risks.
The Code of Conduct sets out the rights and obligations of the employees of Bucher Industries. All employees can expect that the Group companies will always perform their duties as employers in a timely and proper manner. The companies can, in turn, expect their employees to work to the best of their abilities. The common values, principles and standards for dealing with employees are laid down in the Human Rights Statement and an Employee Policy. The divisions themselves are responsible for implementing these values, principles and standards. We are a signatory to the UN Global Compact and endorse its principles on human rights and labour standards.
We ensure that everyone is given equal opportunities. We make decisions regarding recruitment, employment, further training and development, and promotions objectively and base those decisions on qualifications, skills and performance, and attitudes, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, nationality, religion, or physical or mental disabilities. We also encourage the promotion of employees from within our own ranks.
Our online whistleblower system gives employees the opportunity to file complaints. We also investigate anonymous reports.
Information on the financial year 2024
The number of employees was brought into line with the lower capacity utilisation, particularly in Europe and Brazil, which led to a reduction in defined-period and temporary staff as well as regular employees. In addition to natural fluctuation, measures such as reducing overtime and holidays, introducing short-time work and adjusting weekly working hours were taken to ensure the best possible job security. The number of trainees declined slightly, but remained stable as a percentage of the regular employees.
Gender distribution remained virtually unchanged year on year. This was the case for regular employees and senior management, as well as group management and the board of directors. The low proportion of women at Bucher Industries is due to the fact that the recruitment pool for jobs in the engineering industry tends to be male dominated. Bucher Industries works together with educational institutions and other organisations, and is involved in career events to make Bucher Industries and its relevant professions even more attractive to female employees.
The few personnel changes in senior management had no significant impact on the overall picture: two thirds of these managers were promoted to these functions from internal positions.
Bucher Industries conducted employee surveys across various business units. The picture in 2024 was similar to that seen in the surveys of the prior years. The surveys achieved a satisfactory response rate and showed high satisfaction levels, placing in the top third. The findings from the surveys are used to implement targeted and site-specific measures to further increase employee satisfaction.
In 2024, the accident frequency rate (AFR) was eleven occupational accidents (2023: ten occupational accidents) per million standard working hours, resulting in more than one day of absence.
Health and safety training in the reporting period was at the same level as in the prior year. Business units comprising a total of over three quarters of all employees conducted external or internal audits on occupational health and safety. In the reporting period, a total of one third of all employees worked in accordance with occupational health and safety management systems, which are certified according to ISO 45001.
There were no proven cases of discrimination at Bucher Industries during the reporting period. Any cases involving allegations of harassment were investigated, and appropriate action was taken where necessary. In six cases, the allegations were substantiated and led to appropriate personnel consequences.
Various business units conducted a pay equality analysis, covering one third of the employees in total. No unwarranted pay discrepancies were identified.
Qualified employees
Management approach
It is important to us that the personnel and staff we employ for the various roles and duties at the company are optimally qualified for the job. In this way, we are able to improve the Group’s performance while at the same time building a team of motivated employees who form the basis for our culture of trust.
Precautionary actions and measures
We encourage and challenge our employees according to their interests and skills and offer them opportunities to develop within the company, whether through external training and development opportunities or internal development offerings and leadership training. At the group level, there are various training programmes that bring employees from all divisions together. These programmes aim to communicate Bucher Industries’ culture and values and to strengthen cohesion within the Group, in addition to imparting technical content and strengthening employees’ social and personal skills.
Information on the financial year 2024
Investments in employee training and development opportunities continued to be an important issue in the reporting period. The actual number of hours of training completed per regular employee again exceeded the target of 22 hours. In addition to the standardised training programmes, the divisions continued to invest in language courses and leadership training. Other training hours related to the ongoing implementation of new ERP systems.
Human rights
Further information on the human rights due diligence obligations can be found under this link.