ESG Report

Our Environmental, Social and Governance policies

We comply with strict health, safety, and environmental regulations when carrying out our projects. That’s how we maintain a safe and sound place of work. Democo Group ensures that its employees comply effectively with all applicable rules. For this purpose, each company has developed quality, safety and environmental policy statements.

Safety

Safety is a top priority in the course of our work. Democo Group is determined to do everything possible to ensure the safety of our people, our supply chain partners, the public, and our projects, and expects its employees to do the same. After all, each accident is one too many. The annual targets for 2023 focus on active chain responsibility and set the goal of being entirely accident-free (AFR=0). In addition to active compliance monitoring and reporting, we run comprehensive campaigns on security awareness and personal responsibility. In 2021, construction company Democo won the Safety Award for its efforts around safety.

Democo Group requires that unsafe work situations and occupational hazards are rectified, which means they need to be reported immediately to the direct supervisor. We carry out annual safety assessments as part of our corporate objectives and our employees’ own objectives, through the performance and assessment cycle. Indeed, the various boards of directors place our safety figures at the top of their agendas.

All companies within Democo Group commit to a Group policy statement regarding quality, safety, health and environment, which is renewed annually. We also carry out safety monitoring using the certified SCC checklist (Safety, Health and Environment Checklist Contractors). The SCC requires all operations staff to have the Basic Safety diploma (“VCA Basic” training) and operational managers to have follow-up training (Safety for Operational Managers, VOL-VCA). The associated certificate is valid for ten years and shows that employees are aware of the applicable safety requirements. We hold regular safety days to promote communication between supervisors and employees.

Prevention and Protection Department

The prevention advisors of the internal prevention and protection department have the following assignments as part of the dynamic risk management system:

  • To carry out risk analyses (hazard identification, results and measures.)
  • To advise and formulate proposals for the global prevention plan and the annual action plan
  • To examine the factors affecting the occurrence of accidents or incidents
  • To assist with investigations following the preparation of incident reports
  • To analyse the causes of occupational illnesses
  • To analyse the causes of psychosocial risks at work
  • To investigate physical and mental strain at work
  • To advise on the organisation of the workplace, workstations, environmental factors and physical, chemical, carcinogenic, and biological agents, work equipment and individual equipment
  • To advise on hygiene in workplaces, kitchens, canteens, changing rooms, sanitary facilities, work and rest areas and other special facilities for workers
Risk Management

Each project is subject to a risk management analysis that considers ESG issues alongside construction and financial elements. ISO standardisation is applied as a guide. Our prevention advisers are responsible for its application and implementation in co-operation with the project teams and other services.

Security

The security of our buildings, sites, materials and the data of our employees and stakeholders is essential to Democo Group, its employees and stakeholders. Our security company, AEW Security, plays a key role in this as part of our group and is one of our regular partners responsible for the security of our buildings and sites. Our sites always have a perimeter fence, with a turnstile gate where we register all those present using the CIAW system and use a badge system. Our offices are only accessible with to people with employee badges or accompanied by an employee.

The overarching IT department deals with IT security, data security and the implementation of GDPR guidelines at all our companies. More about this can be found under “Privacy and Protection”.

Health

Supervisors should be notified of any unhealthy work situations as a priority, so that they can address them immediately. However, we view employee health in the broader context of wellbeing at work. Our HR department has provided appropriate measures and guidelines for all our companies. Reports can always be made internally to a supervisor or HR, or externally through a confidential advisor at IDEWE. The following topics are addressed:

Health & safety
  • Measures and awareness relating to safety and physical integrity
  • Medical examination
  • Training for first aid, firefighting and evacuation
  • DemoGo: calendar with a wide range of sports initiatives
  • Free flu vaccines
  • Fruit baskets in the workplace
  • Anti-alcohol and anti-drugs policy
Hygiene
  • Offices: cleanliness of the working environment / canteen / sanitary facilities
  • Sites: cleanliness of the working environment / dining areas / sanitary facilities
  • Availability of antibacterial hand gels or disinfectants
Psychosocial
  • Modern and well-equipped offices (office and site)
  • Workload management by ensuring work-life balance with home working, overtime policy and after-hours e-mail policy
  • Contribution from Democo Group towards psychological counselling
  • Workshops on wellbeing offered (burn-out prevention, stress management, mental resilience, vitality, etc.)
  • Surveys on psychosocial wellbeing
  • Policy and procedures for bullying, violence and sexual harassment at work
Ergonomics
  • Modern and well-equipped offices (office and site)
  • Workplace improvements
  • Ergonomic office chairs and adjustable desks
  • Training in office ergonomics and workplace ergonomics
  • Safety Days
Environment

At Democo Group, we constantly examine and manage the impact of our activities on the environment to ensure sustainable operations and prevent environmental impacts. We work with our partners to improve the understanding of environmental issues and promote good practices. More about this can be found in the “Sustainability Principles” section.

For the standardisation of our environmental policy and timely reporting of any environmental impact, Democo Group works with the ISO 14001 environmental management system, covering the following aspects:

  • Environmental policy
  • Planning, including environmental risk analysis and environmental plans
  • Implementation and execution
  • Monitoring and corrective action
  • Review

Besides health and safety, other environmental aspects are also covered by the certified SCC checklist (Safety, Health and Environment Checklist Contractors).