Promote employees’ integration and their skills and competencies, by developing national and international programs that find the best ways to advance their welfare and ensure their health and safety.
“Barilla People” represent our most important resource. Every day 9,500 people work in our
organisations throughout the world (the 6,500 Lieken employees have not been counted as
this company is not currently included in the report).
The growth and success of our business is dependent on its people.Today we still quote the words of Pietro Barilla: “People prevail above everything. Without them you cannot contemplate carrying out a plan, whatever it’s nature. Only through collaborations - with specialists in every field - a plan may be executed and finalised”.
The awareness that Barilla People are its main resource represents a major commitment and responsibility for us.This corresponds to continuous investment in their wellbeing and development. We have always aimed at human resources excellence, at every level. We are convinced that only through continued improvement in the working and leadership skills of Barilla People we can acquire effective strength and distinctive characteristics and guarantee business success on an international scale.
Leadership development, talent scouting, training, assessment and career development represent a systematic and integrated commitment, through which the Human Resources department supports the organisation in achieving its objective of maximising the true assets of the company.
THE BARILLA LEADERSHIP MODEL
The new Barilla Leadership Model was launched in 2008. We have an extensive cultural and
human heritage that is demonstrated through the actions of Barilla People on whom our
success and growth depend. Our distinguishing values are intellectual curiosity, passion,
trust, integrity and courage.
The Leadership Model, which is anchored on Barilla’s culture and values and inspires to the business strategy, groups the distinctive corporate conduct of Barilla People.Taking into consideration the various roles within the company, we have analysed this conduct into three categories: Groupwide, Management and Visionary. This model is incremental.
Groupwide comprises the basic leadership skills for new employees and professionals. Management encompasses the leadership skills required for those in roles of average complexity, who manage one or more individuals, or those in highly specialised roles. Visionary consists of the leadership skills for those who hold highly-complex corporate
positions. Taking inspiration from the new Barilla Leadership Model, we have created
a skills development model.
This is a manual aimed at all personnel that includes useful and innovative recommendations: ideas from the world of cinema, suggested reading, useful websites, guided discussion aids and courses of action to facilitate continued selfimprovement.
TALENT SCOUTING
Our aim is to attract and develop individuals with leadership talent who can make a difference and lead change. We promote growth from within the enterprise. The main path of entry to the company is through internship, a 6 month training programme with the objective of acquiring extensive experience in a specific business area.
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
All of our managers take part in an annual Performance Management process, the starting
point being the overall business objectives that are analysed into individual objectives
assigned from the Managing Director downwards based on the strategic aims for the year.
Managers and employees meet during the year to compare objectives, leadership and working skills. A technical and managerial training plan is defined that accompanies the growth of individuals in the various roles to ensure they are equipped to take on more responsibility.
In order to achieve growth within the company, career development is managed by the
Human Resources department and driven by top management. The professional path entails
the progressive development of the skills required to achieve growth in a particular business
area, encouraging cross-department experience and, given increased Group expansion,
international secondments.
TRAINING
The Barilla Laboratory for Food Culture (LAB) was incorporated into the Human Resources
function in 2006 with the purpose of managing all corporate training activities in
conjunction with the system to develop business skills.
The LAB is a training centre with a highly multidisciplinary approach that aims to raise the technical and leadership profiles of our employees but also assist in interpreting the food world with a critical and innovative eye. Seminars and meetings open to all employees covering a range of topics were held every month in 2008 with the participation of qualified experts across widespread subject areas, some far from the food world.
Our national and international training programmes, aimed at all employee levels and
covering both managerial and technical aspects, are updated continuously.
A corporate awareness process is undertaken with particular focus on corporate identity,the business processes and key specialist areas and individual leadership development. In
Italy, 32% of managers and 42% of middle management attended at least one training
programme in 2008. One-off courses and initiatives are also organised to develop the skills
necessary to lead the business towards its current and future objectives.
Barilla America was awarded the Corporate University Best in Class (CUBIC) in October 2008, taking third place among the most promising Learning Centres.
Expenditure on training activities in Italy amounted to Euro 1.7 million.
CARING FOR OUR PEOPLE
We have always been committed to caring for our people. A Supplementary Health Fund was established in our Parma headquarters in 1947. This is an apportioned fund, financed by both the company and employees to cover the medical expenses of employees and their families.
The Fund is governed by a board of directors that consists of both employees and members appointed by top management. An expansion plan to cover all employees in Italy commenced in 2008 based on the terms of the 2007 Group Supplementary Agreement. The number of employees who will benefit from this fund will increase from 2,000 to 4,800.
This represents the first, important step in a wider plan to relaunch welfare over the coming years. Expenditure on these activities amounted to approximately 4% of total employee costs in 2008. 67% of employees in Italy are covered by the supplementary pension plan
(Alifond).
DIVERSITY
The inclusion of different gender, cultures, ideas and ages is, and will become, an increasingly important business requirement and in future will represent a managerial philosophy. The company’s Code of Ethics that was drawn up in 2005 and issued to all employees, examines and underlines the importance of equal opportunities. Increasingly more women are being employed in managerial positions.
Currently 25% of managers in Italy are female. A higher number of women also means satisfying different needs. For this purpose, we have introduced flexible working conditions in order to facilitate the reconciliation of work and private life. This comprises part time contracts and flexible working hours that are available in most countries.
In Italy we introduced part time before relevant legislation existed and 4% of total employees are part time. In the United States we offer the possibility to take a half-day off each week, working 9 hours per day in the remaining 4 days. In Sweden, parents with young children may arrive later and leave earlier, making up working hours from home. In Italy, we contribute to nursery and infant school fees.
To promote education, we have a scholarship scheme in place for the children of employees in Italy to study abroad for an entire school year. Cultural diversity is also taking on increasing importance within the Group. Our factory in Castiglione delle Stiviere employs 35 different nationalities. We will continue our efforts to identify new forms of diversity management.
TRADE UNION RELATIONS
Over the years we have developed an effective communications system with both local and
national Trade Unions, based on dialogue and comparison aimed at achieving and maintaining corporate growth and competitiveness, while at the same time obtaining the right balance between the needs of the business and those of our employees.
On a European level we have been working with the European Business Council (CAE - Comitato Aziendale Europeo), which meets annually and provides an information and consulting forum between the business and workers’ representatives in the various countries in which we own production facilities.
This mutual quest to reach an agreement is confirmed by the fact that in Italy only 40 cases of litigation were recorded in 2008 out of a total 4,715 employees.
39% of total employees in Italy are trade union members.
SAFETY AT WORK
Whatever the circumstances, any accident represents the failure of one or more organisational processes linked to safety at work. We have implemented three specific steps in this area:
• diagnosis of the prevention culture, in order to understand the importance given to
prevention by managers, the causes of accidents, the accident circumstances, prevention
support given by the company, the relationship and integration between prevention and
the other organisational functions;
• training for trainers, to equip them with the skills required to hold courses on the most
effective safety prevention measures;
• workers staff training, whereby all individuals responsible were involved in discussing their
active role in order to guarantee safety at work.
BARILLA ENVIRONMENT AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
In 2008 the Barilla Environmental, Health and Safety Integrated Management System Model was implemented, according to the requirements of both ISO 14001 (Environment) and the British Standard Occupational Health and Safety Management System 18001 (Health & Safety). All managerial and organisational tools developed during these years have been incorporated in the system in order to guarantee the correct and continuous application of the prevention programmes and to ensure health and safety at work.
CERTIFICATIONS
At the end of 2008 four of our manufacturing facilities had been certified by Det Norske
Veritas in compliance with British Standard 18001. These are the biscuit factory in Castiglione delle Stiviere (Italy) and the three pasta making factories: Foggia (Italy), Thiva (Greece) and Bolu (Turkey). This certification will be extended to all of our bakeries and pasta making factories over the next few years. Environmental and safety audits are performed at all of our production sites every year. 70 audits were performed in Italy and overseas in 2008.
THE RESULTS OF PREVENTION
In the second half of 2008 the number of accidents involving employees fell by 17% compared to the previous year with a 15% drop in the Frequency Index (FI). The Gravity Index remained stable in 2008 but fell significantly in 2009.
THE RESULTS OF PREVENTION
In the second half of 2008 the number of accidents involving employees fell by 17%
compared to the previous year with a 15% drop in the Frequency Index (FI).
The Gravity Index remained stable in 2008 but fell significantly in 2009.