LABOUR PRACTICES AND DECENT WORK

Employee engagement and representation

Under Australian law, employee based consultative committees monitor workplace activities. These forums are an important means by which we can engage with employees, understand issues of common concern, and take corrective action as required. There is also a strong culture of informal engagement and issues are often raised and dealt with through these channels. Our staff numbers have continued to grow, despite the uncertain financial conditions currently being experienced around the globe, showing a 10% increase from 1990 to 2182 in 2010, excluding contractors. 

The male/female ratio for the non-contracted workforce is 74% males and 26% female, with a very high percentage of the female workforce participating at high management levels.   

Staff Turnover

Staff turnover has increased over the past two years to 36% when compared to the historical trend of 30%.  This has been mainly attributed to the inevitable restructuring and staff attrition following acquisitions.

Absenteeism

Staff absenteeism has continued the trend to fall as a percentage of the hours worked. Despite the increase in ordinary hours worked, the absentee percentage rate has fallen 13%.  

Training and career development

Our Bidvest Academy was established in 2008 as part of our ongoing commitment to maintaining stability through a well-trained and educated workforce and the creation of a structured career path. Courses have been designed and registered with the national authorities, enabling these courses to be integrated into accredited courses that lead to the achievement of awards and degrees from Australian and New Zealand universities. In 2010, 60 new trainees were enrolled, 98 trainees successfully completed their qualifications and 56 trainees withdrew, giving a total of 302 trainees participating in the programmes. In addition to the certificate courses, some staff members have embarked, or are about to embark, on Advanced Diploma and Diploma courses on offer.

Other legislated training has also been provided with some staff receiving training in areas such as Fire Safety Advisers, Fire Safety & Evacuation, Workplace Health & Safety, Rehabilitation & Return to Work and Fatigue Management for Drivers. Training has also been provided in advanced IT and Customer Care & Service with the staff involved reporting substantial improvements in the way they work and higher levels of customer satisfaction.

Health and Safety

The health and safety of our employees, contractors, suppliers and customers is of the utmost importance to the sustainability of our brand and its reputation. We monitor all incidents and complaints, and respond to these at the highest level in the company.

Bidvest has initiated a certification process for AS/NZS 4801 (Safety Management Systems). Desk audits have commenced and site audits are scheduled to start in August 2010. An internal audit programme has commenced using an intensive audit tool based on AS/NZS 4801.  Audits began in December 2009 and, so far, 17 business units have been audited.  Each business unit is provided with a base score, which will be used to measure progress in the future, and a list of areas where improvements could be made.

Asbestos

Bidvest Australia is continuing its asbestos audit programme to ensure staff are not exposed to any potential risk from exposure to asbestos.  Wherever possible, materials containing asbestos are removed, even though they may not be assessed as posing a risk to health.

Dangerous goods

Bidvest Australia has begun a national audit of facilities to quantify risks from dangerous goods and has developed policies and risk-management identification and problem-resolution procedures to address these issues.

Building Protection

Our ongoing programme of assessing building protection is designed to ensure the buildings and contents, as well as its staff, are protected against any foreseeable occurrence.  Efforts are taken to reduce the risk of fire and to ensure business continuity and provision of services and supply in the event of a disaster occurring.

Legislative Requirements

Bidvest continues to comply with legislative requirements for health and safety. As the legislation changes, Bidvest responds through the development of appropriate actions.  A recent example is the Fatigue Management legislation being extended to drivers of vehicles with a GVM greater than 4.5 tonnes in the State of New South Wales.  Bidvest has developed and introduced a range of assessment tools to provide greater security for our drivers and the wider community.

Claims

The number of claims reached a peak in 2009 and fell back to 2007 levels in 2010. Even more encouraging is that, despite the number of claims approximating the number of claims in 2007, the actual cost of claims in 2010 ($672 000) is only 60% of the cost of claims in 2007($1 131 000).

HUMAN RIGHTS

Bidvest Australia maintains a rigorous programme of anti-discrimination and ethical behaviour as defined in the various Risk Management Statements.  Bidvest Australia continues to comply with all legislative requirements in relation to employment and company practices.

SOCIETY

Ethics, fraud and corruption

Our BidValues statement defines and forms the basis of our organisational structure. The statement outlines our Vision, Philosophies, Strategies, Goals, Aims and KPIs for our Customers, Suppliers, Staff, Community, Government and our Owners. It is our national link to our global philosophy of being “Proudly Bidvest” and also our documented policy on fair dealing and ethical behaviour with all sectors in the supply chain.

Oversight of business ethics and auditing of incidents of fraud and corruption are carried out by both internal and external audit. No fines of significance were incurred for non-compliance with national laws and regulations.

Anti-competitive behaviour

Bidvest Australia is subject to The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), The Fair Trading Act 1987 and other Acts or Parliament. The ACCC has approved all expansion activities undertaken by Bidvest Australia and Bidvest Australia continues to comply with all provisions of the Fair Trading Act. Where required, we submit acquisitions to the ACCC to ensure that we do not create a monopoly situation or an unfair trading advantage.

PRODUCT RESPONSIBILITY

Customer satisfaction

Bidvest Australia prides itself on providing a high standard of customer service.  Our Quality Policy states that we are committed to providing products of the highest quality and, at the same time, providing the best service, which is courteous, on time and complete - every time.

Bidvest Australia measures it customer satisfaction through the retention and growth of its existing customer base and its ability to attract new customers.  This is supported by the feedback capacity included in our website and FindFoodFast or FindHospitalityFast.

Impacts of products and services on customer health

Bidvest Australia has upgraded its quality management system in order to support its strategy of establishing Australia’s first truly national foodservice distribution network, offering a complete range of food and food-related products and services. The system is certified to the latest ISO 9001:2008 standard and addresses Codex HACCP (food safety), OHS, environmental sustainability and corporate governance issues. The Bidvest QMS provides consistency within the division, encouraging efficiencies and savings to enhance the sustainability of Bidvest, its customers and suppliers. Bidvest is currently undergoing certification to international health and safety standards.

Product quality and packaging efficiency

We have always logged and tracked our customers’ products in order to monitor product quality throughout our link in the supply chain. We are now applying dynamic routing (calculated by linear programming software) and tracking technology in real time. This two-year upgrade will enable us to keep constant track of product temperature, as well as non conformance with procedures, such as opening doors, etc.

Excessive packaging material, especially cardboard and plastic, is becoming an increasingly sensitive issue raised by conscious customers. There is pressure on the supply chain to deliver new product and take responsibility for removing the packaging for recycling or re-use. At this point, we are concentrating on measuring the issue and improving awareness levels.

We believe we set the standards for quality in our markets. A recent audit by Hungry Jack’s (Burger King) declared that the Bidvest Quality Management System was the best they had seen.

Customer Privacy

Bidvest Australia Limited respects and upholds the rights of customers to privacy protection and is bound by the Privacy Act (1988), the Privacy Amendment (Privacy Sector) Act 2000 and the National Privacy Principles.  The Privacy Policy has been published to provide a clear and concise outline of how and when personal information is collected, stored, used and disclosed by Bidvest Australia Limited.  The policy, and the Privacy Act, does not apply to employee records held by Bidvest Australia Limited which are covered by other Acts of Parliament.