Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2
UK Commission Chartered Institute
for Employment of Management
and Skills (UKCES) Accountants (CIMA)
The UK Commission for Employment and Skills CIMA is the world’s largest
is a publicly funded, industry-led organisation and leading professional body of management
providing strategic leadership on skills and accountants. Our mission is to help people and
employment issues in the four home nations businesses to succeed in the public and private
of the UK. The UKCES’s mission is to work sectors. CIMA has over 229,000 members
with and through partners to secure a greater and students in 176 countries and works at the
commitment to invest in the skills of people to heart of business in industry, commerce and
drive enterprise, jobs and growth. not-for-profit organisations.
Investors in People
(IIP)
Investors in People is the standard for people
management. Since 1991 Investors in People
has defined what it takes to lead, support
and manage people well for sustainable
results. With a community of over 14,000
organisations across 75 countries, achieving
the Investors in People Standard is the sign
of a great employer, an outperforming place
to work and a clear commitment to success.
3
4
Contents
5
Executive summary
An organisation’s people are its employees, shareholders, Exchange) 100 companies and
unique resource. People can learn, regulators and other to ascertain if the most up-to-
develop and grow – they are interested parties. Additionally, date guidelines have improved
the only part of a business that the rising number of high-profile current practice. After undertaking
can improve itself and they are scandals illustrating poor or a comprehensive review of the
fundamental to creating value in unethical behaviour involving literature relating to HC and its key
organisations. People measures, employees has resulted in greater constituents in any organisation,
and the field of human capital scrutiny of organisations from both an analytical framework was
analytics which looks to measure media and government agencies. developed to allow us to carry
the value of people’s knowledge, In summary, organisations need out a systematic content
skills and abilities, can help to take the issue of HC reporting analysis of key HC terms in the
organisations to understand how seriously and understand that annual reports of the FTSE 100
purposeful workforce investment key stakeholders should be able companies. The key HC elements
can create and preserve this to access true and accurate were grouped under four main
value, and in doing so, improve company information. categories: knowledge, skills and
productivity, employee well-being abilities (KSA), human resource
and commitment, innovation and Purpose and methodology development (HRD), employee
business performance. welfare/stability, and employee
Valuing your Talent is helping equity. To enable us to understand
Recent research from both the
organisations realise the full and calculate any change in how
CIPD (2016a) and the Office for
potential of their workforce HC was reported, we reviewed
National Statistics (ONS 2016)
through understanding and the 2013 and 2015 reports of
indicates an increasingly buoyant
measuring the impact and these companies.
labour market in the UK. For
contribution of people to
example, according to the official Additionally, to further augment
business performance. The
February 2016 statistics from the our understanding of HC
business-led initiative is driving
ONS, unemployment in the UK narrative reporting amongst
a greater appreciation of human
fell by 60,000 between October these companies, we carried out
capital in organisations, and
and December 2015 to 1.69 an analysis of three major media
is enabling organisations to
million. Furthermore, over half of outlets: the BBC website, Financial
better appreciate the value of
the employers in the latest CIPD Times and The Economist. This
their workforce, so as to drive
representative survey, investigating analysis was designed to allow
more sustainable investment
the state of the UK labour market, us to compare and contrast
in people and organisations.
indicated that amongst over 1,000 companies’ annual reports with
An important consumer and
employers, hiring difficulties are media outputs and ascertain if
beneficiary of human capital
becoming more commonplace the companies concerned are
data, alongside business and
and what are termed as ‘hard-to- reporting HC issues accurately,
employees, is the investor
fill’ vacancies are also on the rise in particularly those that might
community, who must appreciate
many economic sectors. be linked to ‘workforce risk’
both present and future human
factors such as poor people
Given this background, it is capital value in their valuations.
management practices, negative
becoming increasingly important
This study was commissioned employee relations incidents,
that organisations understand
to assess the current standard toxic organisational cultures
and report on their human capital
of HC narrative reporting among or inadequate training and
(HC) assets in a transparent
UK FTSE (Financial Times Stock development provision.
way to existing and prospective
6
Figure 1
Change in reporting (2013–15)
across the HC and workforce risk
categories (%)
30
26
25 24
23
Findings Figure 1
Change in reporting (2013–15) 20
The research shows that there across the HC and workforce risk
categories (%) 15
has been an overall increase 15
in the reporting of HC issues, 30
particularly in the area of HRD 26 10
(see Figure 1); however, the item 25 24 6
23
reported upon that showed the 5
largest increase comes under 20
the heading of employee equity, 15 0
15
namely human rights, which had Knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA)
increased by 127%. Within the KSA
10 Human resource development (HRD)
category, the biggest increases 6
over the two time periods were Employee welfare
5
for the key terms of innovation Employee equity
(41%), entrepreneurship (26%) and 0 Workforce risk
flexibility (20%). In the employee
welfare category, the biggest Knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA)
increases were for the key terms Human resource development (HRD)
of ethics (22%) and employee Employee welfare
well-being (21%). Surprisingly, Figure 2
Employee
Increase in HCequity
reporting across sectors (%)
corporate social responsibility
Workforce risk
showed a decline in reporting 50
of –16%. In the employee equity 41
category, equality had increased 40 37
by 34% and diversity by 29%.
Finally, in the workforce risk 30
category, which is made up of key 30
terms from the other categories, 22
19 20
the biggest increases were 18
20
in talent management (43%),
succession planning (32%) and 3
ethics (22%). 10 6
4 5
1
On a sectoral basis, companies
0
working in the areas of property,
recreation and what is categorised Mining Defence Retail Construction
as ‘other’ saw the biggest increase Manufacturing Property ICT Transport
in their HC reporting (see Financial Energy Recreation Other
Figure 2). However, in a large services
number of cases, companies had
actually reduced the number
of references to HC issues (see
Figure 3). Companies also had Decrease
different ways of referring to, and Figure 3
Change in reporting for the companies over the No change
mitigating against, workforce categories from 2013 to 2015 (%) Increase
risk, with the three main areas
80 76 74 76
relevant to HC being health and
safety, ethics and the recruitment 70 65
and retention of key employees. 58
Following the media analysis, it is 60
clear that while some companies’ 50
reports reflected stories appearing 42
in the media, others left out 40 33
important details or did not 30
21 23
report adverse incidents at all. 21
20
When we analysed various
categories in more depth, it is 10 3 3 3
2
0
clear that a number of HC issues 0
attracted particular attention and Knowledge, Human resource Employee Employee Workforce
there are many specific examples skills and development welfare equity risk
of excellent reporting practice: abilities (KSA) (HRD)
7
• In the general category of HRD • There is also clear evidence that councils and enhanced training
we found clear evidence that in terms of the KSA category, and development programmes
organisations are focusing many companies are extremely are designed to investigate
on workforce and succession focused upon understanding the and improve issues related to
planning. There are many capabilities of their workforce equality and diversity.
instances of good practice and frequently illustrate in their
where companies reported reports how their approach to Conclusion and
on the value of successful skills development is connected
talent pipelines. to risk issues such as skills
recommendations
shortages. The reports also This study has shown that both
• In terms of employee welfare
detail mitigation activity against the quantity and quality of HC
there are a number of consistent
these workforce risks. reporting has increased across
elements relating to employee
engagement referred to by • An important issue that the FTSE 100 companies between
companies. Although the emerged under the employee 2013 and 2015, although whether
traditional employee survey equity general category relates this increase may be solely
is still a common occurrence, to human rights. Our study attributed to changes in legislation
alternative methods are being found that some companies is open to question. Moreover,
reported on – for example, clearly understand the vital given these findings, it would
qualitative methods designed importance of looking after seem that FTSE 100 companies
to understand employee employee human rights and are addressing the inadequacies
commitment and motivation adopt a stakeholder approach, regarding HC issues, which
which are being used to which allows them to develop have been voiced in relation to
understand employee voice. policies that are aligned with the the content of annual reports.
needs of employees, suppliers, It is clear from our analysis
• Again under the employee that the majority of FTSE 100
customers, trade unions and
welfare general category, companies are doing more than
activist organisations.
companies attach a high simply fulfilling their statutory
importance to illustrating how • Also under the employee duties in terms of reporting. It
they care for the well-being of equity general category we is also clear from our analysis
their employees. We found clear found numerous instances in that companies are conscious of
evidence of companies going company reports evidencing Financial Reporting Council (FRC
beyond statutory health and formal mechanisms to promote 2014) guidance and corporate
safety requirements in order to diversity. It is clear that governance codes that are drawn
ensure employee welfare. innovations such as diversity up by major institutional investors
(Tricker 2015).
8
However, even though it would With this in mind, the key
appear that there has been an recommendation from the study is
overall increase in HC reporting, it that companies continue to focus
is debatable whether investors and on the reporting of HC issues,
other stakeholders will be able to but adopt broadly consistent
make informed decisions based on terminology to describe the
what are, on the whole, generally human capital items, thereby
positive reports on a variety of HC making universal comparison
issues. Indeed, when we carried easier. However, this does not
out our media analysis, we found mean that they should all use
that although the majority do cite the same wording or take a
incidents that could be labelled ‘boilerplate’ approach to HC
under the workforce risk banner in reporting, which we believe
their reports, some organisations would not adequately reflect the
seem to avoid reporting HC contextual nature of the HC issues
risk incidents that appeared in present in organisations.
the media. We believe that this
Ultimately our findings show
approach is being chosen to
that companies are reporting
minimise the impact of the events
many of the elements and
on the firm’s corporate reputation
metrics in the Valuing your
and share price, and to avoid
Talent framework (CIPD 2016b);
deterring potential investors who
this model may provide a useful
may pay particular attention to
foundation for HC reporting in the
annual reports.
future and may offer a solution to
the challenge of communicating
HC issues that are of considerable
material importance to
organisations today.
9
Valuing your Talent
Valuing your Talent is helping The Valuing your Talent Human capital reporting
organisations realise the full framework
potential of their workforce People measures demonstrate
through understanding and An organisation’s people are how a company’s workforce
measuring the impact and its unique resource. People can generates value and delivers
contribution of people to business learn, develop and grow – they long-term business performance.
performance. The initiative aims are the only part of a business Intangible assets such as human
to encourage employers to that can improve itself and they and intellectual capital now
invest more strategically in their are fundamental to creating constitute a major component
people, and enable investors to value for organisations. People of any organisation’s competitive
recognise human capital as a measures, and the field of advantage. Human capital
fundamental element of business human capital analytics which measurement, management
strategy. Finally, employees will looks to measure the value of and reporting has the potential
benefit from better opportunities people’s knowledge, can help to help investors and other
and greater fulfilment at work. organisations to understand how external stakeholders understand
purposeful workforce investment these resources.
Because people touch every
part of business, Valuing your can create and preserve this A key objective of Valuing
Talent is a collaborative, industry- value, and in doing so, improve your Talent is to help organisations
led movement centred around productivity, employee well-being and investors better understand,
showing the importance of a and commitment, innovation and measure and appreciate through
people approach to leading, business performance. human capital reporting the value
measuring and reporting on The Valuing your Talent of people in organisations today,
organisations today. framework provides a useful and their fundamental materiality
tool for assessing the value of to business success.
The Valuing your Talent
programme partners believe that an organisation’s human capital
‘talent’ should not be reserved activities and processes and
for ‘high flyers’ but instead that demonstrating their relation to
all people have a role to play in the wider business outcomes.
contributing to the success of The effectiveness and maturity of
their organisations, whatever their these activities and processes are
size or sector. The programme important for understanding the
is helping organisations to present and future value of that
realise the full potential of their organisation. For example:
workforce through the use of key
people measures, by improving • Investors are less likely to
insight and decision-making achieve their desired return from
and encouraging more strategic knowledge-based companies
investment in people to achieve with immature but important
sustainable business performance. people-related activities.
Above all, the programme aims • Insurers are less likely to insure
to deliver a fundamental shift in expensive assets in a company,
the mindset of businesses and such as aeroplanes or oil tankers,
investors alike, driving a shared where business-critical people
interest in transforming how measures, such as competencies,
organisations value their people. are immature.
• Bankers similarly are unlikely
to extend significant credit to
organisations where important
activities are immature, resulting
in a greater risk that the loan
will not be repaid.
• Regulators need to
understand that an
organisation’s important
activities are mature prior to
granting the organisation
permission to build a
new resource, such as
a nuclear reactor.
10
Human capital reporting: where are we today?
At the most fundamental level the initiatives and frameworks have workforce’s productivity (NAPF
role of the accountant is to record, been proposed – for example, 2015). The National Association of
measure and report the assets the former Department of Pension Funds (now the Pensions
of a company. However, in an Trade and Industry’s work on and Lifetime Savings Association)
increasingly complex and turbulent Accounting for People (2003a, report (2015) goes on to state
environment, there needs to be a 2003b). Without a method for ‘that a well engaged, stable and
realisation that more needs to be capturing these intangible assets, trained workforce which operates
done to enable an organisation measuring and then monitoring within a supportive environment
to understand the value of its them to determine whether there is one which is likely to be more
most valuable asset, human are annual improvements, there committed and productive and,
capital (HC) – the intangible is always the danger that they in turn, be more likely to drive
assets of employee knowledge, may be ignored and thereby long-term business success’.
skills and abilities. The market companies will not be effectively Therefore, ‘issues related to the
value of leading organisations using their various resources, management of the workforce are
has for several decades been both tangible and intangible, to deserving of more transparency
far higher than the value of their add value. This task is one that by companies and attention by
tangible assets (for example can be undertaken if a team of investors’ (p2). Moreover, the CIPD
land, buildings, fixtures and relevant stakeholders comprising (2015) highlights the importance
fittings) and this has led to calls management accountants, human of a more ethical approach to HR
for HC to be included on balance resource (HR) professionals and practices, dealing with issues such
sheets to give a more accurate senior management ensure that as corporate social responsibility
impression of organisation efforts are made to account for (CSR) and sustainability,
value. Summing up the issue, intangible assets. illustrating that as well as driving
Seetharaman et al (2002) noted productivity, investors should
As well as the case for valuing and
that the greatest challenge also focus on ethical aspects of
accounting for HC assets, there
facing the accounting profession business, including the health
is also an argument that without
is gaining an understanding of and well-being of the workforce.
sufficient corporate reporting on
the huge difference between a Therefore, it is essential that
how workforces are managed,
company’s balance sheet and its companies include these areas in
investors and other stakeholders
market valuation. Authors such their annual reports.
do not see the full picture of a
as Campbell and Slack (2008)
company’s operations and cannot However, as the NAPF report
have been largely negative when
therefore make comparisons (2015) concludes, ‘The fundamental
considering how HC and risk
and form an opinion as to how issue at present is that where
narrative is treated in annual
organisations are maximising their information is provided it too often
reports and note that the norm
is largely for ‘boiler-plating’
Integrated reporting: reporting on strategy, governance,
to persist. They summarise by
performance and prospects
stating that organisations have
failed to rise to the challenge of Integrated reporting, or <IR>, is a process founded by the
taking into account their readers’ International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) which utilises
information needs when preparing integrated thinking to develop a periodic integrated report
and drafting annual reports. by an organisation about value creation over time and related
This scenario represents a key communications regarding aspects of value creation. An integrated
challenge for companies who report is a concise communication about how an organisation’s
need to fully understand and strategy, governance, performance and prospects, in the context of
report upon the core value of the its external environment, lead to the creation of value in the short,
company. Furthermore, as the medium and long term. The IIRC’s vision is to align capital allocation
economy of the developed world and corporate behaviour to wider goals of financial stability and
has evolved from an industrial sustainable development through the cycle of integrated reporting
base to one of service and and thinking. To facilitate this vision, the International <IR> Framework
knowledge-based industries (such has been created; it includes principles-based guidance and content
as finance services, hi-tech and elements to govern and explain the information within an integrated
pharmaceuticals), an increasing report.
number of organisations will
The <IR> Framework was released following extensive consultation
depend on HC assets to add value
and testing by businesses and investors in all regions of the world,
to their services, as opposed to
including the 140 businesses and investors from 26 countries that
physical assets such as machinery.
participated in the IIRC Pilot Programme. This inclusive, market-led
Despite a widespread recognition approach meant that the Framework was developed by business as
that we are now in an information a response to the new wider value creation model businesses have in
age, there is still no accepted the twenty-first century. More information about integrated reporting,
method of measuring HC, integrated thinking and the Integrated Reporting Framework can be
although a number of suggested found at www.integratedreporting.org
11
provides only a few pieces of the Given the above commentary, this need to be able to understand
jigsaw thus not allowing the full research aims to assess the current the relationship between HC and
picture to be seen. Furthermore, standard of HC reporting among how value is captured in order to
data is too often inconsistent thus the FTSE (Financial Times Stock ascertain whether the organisation
not enabling investors to make Exchange) 100 companies and to or the individual employee gains
comparisons between companies ascertain if the most up-to-date from HC.
within sectors.’ This point is further guidelines have improved current
highlighted by Bassi et al (2015), practice. Standards of reporting: the
who, in undertaking an analysis
of 62 integrated reports from a
current policy context
Defining the intangible
broad range of industries, found In the UK there have been a
that there was a clear movement
capitals
number of attempts to improve
towards integrated reports, with The term HC was defined by the narrative reporting of
80% of reports analysed including Becker (1993) as ‘the knowledge, companies so that the users
a dedicated ‘people section’. The information, ideas, skills, and of their accounts obtain a
authors also noted that there is health of individuals’ (p3), where more complete picture of the
little consistency with various it was considered to consist of organisation. In 2002, the
nomenclature used for these a number of elements, which Labour Government of the
sections, ranging from ‘our people,’ for the purpose of this report time stated that the Operating
‘investing in employees’, ‘winning have been grouped under four and Financial Review (which
with people’, or even, ‘human main headings: knowledge, skills included HC elements) would
capital report’ or ‘labour practices’. and abilities; human resource become a legal requirement
When considering the content and development; welfare; and equity. for all public companies, before
quality of these ‘people sections’, These groupings are proposed changing their stance in 2005
Bassi et al (2015) found high levels as a way to better appreciate the (see Rowbottom and Schroeder
of variation; for example, one of type and quality of information 2014). Subsequently, because of
the companies in their analysis being disclosed. the Companies Act 2006, listed
– Enel – allocated 13 pages of companies were to provide an
A great deal of multidisciplinary
information to employee issues and enhanced business review, which
research has been conducted
data, while many others had very included information relating to
into HC (see Nyberg and Wright
brief sections, often limited to one the environment, employees and
2015), with one particular area
or two pages. The authors found social and community issues.
of interest being how to value
that there was often quite high- However, this Act was amended
it, or at the very least account
level material relating to HR, such so that from the 1 October 2013
for it in a narrative format. The
as people strategy goals, as well there are new regulations covering
interest in the area of what was
as information on familiar issues a company’s strategic report
termed intellectual capital that
such as engagement, leadership, and directors’ report. In 2014
grew in the 1990s and 2000s led
investment in training, talent the Financial Reporting Council
to a number of suggestions as
development, labour turnover and (FRC) developed guidelines for
to how HC could be valued (see
absenteeism. In their analysis, Bassi companies with regard to these
Wall et al 2003), following the
et al (2015) concluded that when regulations that stated (p24):
unsuccessful attempt of Flamholtz
tangible examples are provided, (1972) and other writers to place ‘To the extent necessary
they offer useful information for employees on the balance sheet for an understanding of the
those stakeholders considering during the 1970s. However, while development, performance or
how the organisation’s HC creates some of the methods suggested position of the entity’s business,
value. Ultimately, though, these might have been used for the strategic report should
authors concluded that within internal valuations or trying to include information about:
their sample the wide variations ascertain the value of a particular
in HC reporting illustrate that a. environmental matters
employee to an organisation, the
organisations are clearly: (including the impact of the
eventual calculations were rarely
business of the entity on the
‘…still early in grappling with the reported to the general public.
environment);
issue of consistency of definition The exception was a number
and measurement. … We are of Swedish firms who devised b.the entity’s employees; and
seeing an era of experimentation, various frameworks for measuring
c. social, community and human
which is helpful because it intellectual capital, such as
rights issues.
provides many examples of what Skandia, Ericsson and Celemi (see
your organization might do and Wall et al 2003), and displayed The information should include
what your organization might these in their annual reports. a description of any relevant
want to avoid doing’ (p73). Nevertheless, such reporting is policies in respect of those
important, as according to Molloy matters and the effectiveness
and Barney (2015), organisations of those policies.’
12
Research strategy and data analysis
13
To conduct the analysis each be deemed to have fully reported intellectual capital reporting
FTSE 100 firm’s name was the event in the annual reports. studies (see for example Whiting
searched via Google followed For example, in an employee and Miller 2008). Therefore,
by the name of the media outlet. bribery case, the firm may briefly content analysis was used to
Three reputable media outlets state in the report that the firm examine the annual reports
were searched, namely the BBC was under investigation by the for evidence of HC reporting
website, the Financial Times and Serious Fraud Office (SFO), but over the two time periods.
The Economist. The Google search give no details as to the bribery
The HC information collected
periods were also restricted by allegations or the fate of the
from the review of annual
year so as to align the media employees involved. Finally, the
reports was coded separately
articles with the correct annual ‘not reported’ category highlights
for two consecutive years
report. In most cases, the Google that firms did not report the media
(2012/13 and 2014/15).
results were limited to 2012 and event in any form.
Each HC line item was recorded
2014 or 2013 and 2015 using the
by line count under the HC
Google ‘customised search’ tool. Analytical model
category. The line count for each
This method was chosen to assess An analytical model was designed
HC line item was aggregated
the impact of the new FRC rules for data analysis, which is shown
for the total sample of the
on HC reporting and allowed for in Table 1. As can be seen,
FTSE 100 companies in order
a broad review of every article four ‘higher-level’ HC factors
to analyse the change in HC
relating to FTSE 100 firms for are displayed. After an initial
reporting over the two time
that specific year. Finally, the pilot analysis of several reports
periods under review. This
researcher conducted a fourth and discussions amongst the
approach allowed us to compare
search using the term ‘employee’ researchers and Valuing your
the changes in HC reporting
after the initial searches were Talent partners, a more detailed
across different sectors of the
completed to ensure all HC risk model was produced which lists
FTSE 100 companies. Of the four
incidents were accounted for. the key HC elements under
available methods of counting
each ‘higher-level’ HC factor
The results of the media search units (that is, word or phrase,
(see Table 2 on page 15).
and report analysis were then theme, character and set of
divided into three categories: interactions), the ‘word unit’
‘reported’, ‘partially reported’ Conducting the content method was chosen because
and ‘not reported’. The ‘reported’ analysis it was easily identifiable in the
category deals with firms who annual reports. In the word count
were transparent about the Content analysis, a form of category, the line (sentence) count
events reported in the media. textual analysis, was employed was chosen as the context unit
This means the firm fully reported for this research as it enables instead of the word, paragraph or
the event in their annual report, both qualitative and quantitative page, partly because sentences
giving specific details, and in data to be assigned to predefined are more easily identifiable wholes,
some cases reporting on new categories and analysed to and partly to ensure that units
policies put in place to mitigate identify patterns in the information were measured in such a way
this type of risk in the future. The reported (De Silva et al 2014). as to precisely establish their
‘partially reported’ category deals It is a well-established, multi- meaning. Sentences are also
with firms which left out specific purpose research method and given preference in the case of
keywords or details, deliberately or has been utilised in numerous written communication if it is
otherwise, and therefore could not voluntary reporting and straightforward to infer meaning
14
(Gray et al 1995). The content Table 2: Detailed analytical model for each company
analysis stage of the research Company Sector Stock Exchange
was also used to identify best-case Standard
exemplars of HC reporting among Industrial
the FTSE 100 companies. These Classification
were developed into case studies (SIC)
to provide important insights into 2012/13 2014/15
how HC could be best reported. Human capital items No. of sentences No. of sentences % change
It should be noted that Knowledge, skills and
while the vast majority of the abilities (KSA)
companies used the annual Commitment
report format as recommended
by the UK Companies Act 2006, Entrepreneurship
two companies used a different Expertise
layout. Firstly, the Carnival Flexibility
Corporation used a 10-K form,
while Royal Dutch Shell used the Leadership
20-F form. The former is used Motivation
by a foreign company that issues Innovation
securities in the United States
Total
(US) and is a requirement of that
country’s Securities and Exchange Human resource
Commission, while the latter is the development (HRD)
form that all US companies are Apprenticeships
required to file. Career development
As can be appreciated from Graduates
the introduction, devising a Internships
truly comprehensive list of HC
components and associated Succession planning
workforce risk factors is Talent management
extremely difficult, but it is felt Training
that the elements as defined
in the analytical model help to Total
clarify what may be considered Employee welfare
to be the main aspects that Corporate social responsibility
companies will practically
Engagement
include in their annual reports.
Ethics
Health and safety
Employee relations
Employee turnover
Employee well-being
Total
Employee equity
Diversity
Equality
Human rights
Employee rewards
Total
15
Findings
14
21
23
16
as CSR, employee engagement 65 companies increased their Figure 6
or employee turnover. Moreover, reporting of KSA. As before, Change in reporting (2013–15)
more effort had been made to the employee welfare indicators across the HC and workforce risk
categories (%)
illustrate in the annual reports how appear to be the most noteworthy,
the companies were active in areas and although the majority of 30
26
linked to development and equity. companies did increase their 24
reporting of issues in this category, 25 23
In terms of other general findings,
the overall sentence count in
it is important to note that Figure 20
relation to these factors decreased
7 shows the percentage change 15
in 42 of the FTSE 100 companies. 15
in reporting for the companies
over the categories from 2013 to In terms of report size, our
2015. By illustrating the number data showed that the average 10
6
of companies which reported percentage increase over the two
5
a decrease, no change or an time periods in page numbers
increase in the reporting of HC across all the company reports
0
items, it can be appreciated that was 16%. Furthermore, the average
overall the vast majority of the percentage change in reporting Knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA)
FTSE 100 leading companies of the HC items over the two Human resource development (HRD)
increased their reporting. The time periods for all the company
Employee welfare
majority of companies increased reports was 34%, showing that
Employee equity
their reporting over all categories, despite the average increase in
with 76 increasing their reporting page numbers, there was an even Workforce risk
of HRD, employee equity and more significant increase in the
workforce risk factors, while reporting of HC items.
21
17
Table 4: Company categorisation Figure 8
according to sector Increase in HC reporting across sectors (%)
Sectors Numbers 50
Manufacturing 21 41
40 37
Financial services 20
Retail 10 30
30
Other 9 22
19 20
Recreation 8 20 18
Mining 7
Energy 6 10 6
4 5
3
Property 6 1
0
ICT 5
Mining Defence Retail Construction
Construction 4
Manufacturing Property ICT Transport
Defence 2
Financial Energy Recreation Other
Transport 2 services
Total 100
18
Figure 9 Figure 10 Figure 11
Change in HC reporting – property Change in HC reporting Changes across KSA category (%)
sector (%) – ‘other’ sector (%)
80 60 50
55
41
70 65 50 40
60 56
40 37 30 26
50 34
32 21
29 20
40 37 30 20
13 13
30 28
20 10
19
20 -8
10 0
10
0 0 -10
Knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) Knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) Commitment
Human resource development (HRD) Human resource development (HRD) Entrepreneurship
Employee welfare Employee welfare Expertise
Employee equity Employee equity Flexibility
Workforce risk Workforce risk Leadership
Motivation
Innovation
organisation. However, this does differentiator to be that abilities Table 6: Summary of changes across
not mean the employee will know can be viewed as being more KSA category
how to apply this process. Skills innate, as opposed to skills, 2013 2015
are developed through training which are developed over time.
Knowledge, Sentence Sentence
or experience, and refer to the Table 5 offers some clarification skills and count count
application of knowledge. An on the issue of KSA. abilities (KSA)
employee will demonstrate skills in
Table 6 shows the actual number Commitment 311 351
appropriately applying the process
of sentences which were found Entrepreneurship 70 88
when dealing with complex
for each of the seven KSA terms
disciplinary workforce problems or
for both time periods. Moreover,
issues. Skills are usually something Expertise 1,912 2,166
Figure 11 illustrates the changes
that have to be learned, developed Flexibility 25 30
across the two time periods and
or acquired. When skills are
shows how there has been a total Leadership 1,073 1,298
developed knowledge is being
positive change of 16% in the
transferred. Abilities are linked to
reporting of the KSA items. As Motivation 77 71
the qualities needed to be able to
can be appreciated from Figure
do something effectively. There
11, in some instances, such as Innovation 54 76
are definitional complications in
entrepreneurship (26%), flexibility
understanding the differences Total (16% 3,522 4,080
(20%) and innovation (41%), the
between skills and abilities, but increase)
changes were significant.
in this research we consider the
19
Box 1: Innovation at Aberdeen Asset Management Box 1 shows how Aberdeen
Asset Management have
Aberdeen Asset Management established an Innovation encouraged greater innovation
Committee in 2014 to encourage members of staff to share their
through the establishment of
ideas of where the organisation can grow and provide input to the
existing corporate culture. The group is keen to continue planning new board practices.
for the longer term through the use of technology and the ideas Box 2 shows how Babcock
and inspirations of its younger employees. Julie Chakraverty, an
Engineering are using the
independent non-executive director, chairs the committee and is
joined by Andrew Laing, the deputy chief executive, Kerry Christie, expertise, knowledge and skills
the global head of human resources, and a further nine colleagues, of its workforce to leverage its
principally from the staff on the emerging talent programme. full potential.
Operating under defined terms of reference, the committee has
the following principal responsibilities:
• agree what aspects of innovation are important for Aberdeen
Asset Management
• encourage staff to offer their ‘blue sky thinking’
• focus on exploring and prioritising new ideas.
Since its inception, the committee members have been
allocated work streams in order to identify where they are
currently innovative and where improvements are needed.
Innovation is devised over five- and ten-year time horizons, and
is considered in terms of creating impact. The group also
considers IT is an enabler or a barrier and innovation as a route
to developing new opportunities.
Aberdeen Asset Management agreed that the Innovation
Committee become a formal committee of the board from
1 December 2014.
20
Figures 12 and 13 show the Figure 12 Figure 13
relative importance of each item in The relative importance of each KSA The relative importance of each KSA
the KSA category in the two time item for 2013 (%) item for 2013 (%)
periods involved. As the figures Commitment Commitment
show, employee expertise at 54% Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship
and 53% dominates the KSA
Expertise Expertise
category, and leadership at 30%
and 32% is a further important Flexibility Flexibility
item in this category. The rest of Leadership Leadership
the KSA items are, in comparison, Motivation Motivation
of relatively minor importance. Innovation Innovation
It is worth stressing that there
was little or no change in the 2 2 2 2
reporting in relation to any of 2 2
these KSA items over the two
9 8
time periods studied.
When we looked at the issues
connected to KSA and how 30 32
companies in various sectors
reported items in this category,
we found that companies in
the recreation and ‘other’ sectors 54 53
had the biggest increases
in reporting over the two 1
1
time periods (see Figure 14).
Interestingly, in the construction
sector there was a clear drop
in reporting, with 11% fewer
references made to KSA between
the two reporting periods. Figure 14
Change for HC reporting across sectors for KSA (%)
60 55
50
50
40
30
18
20 14 15
11 9 19 11
10
0 0 -11
0
-10
-20
Mining Defence Retail Construction
Manufacturing Property ICT Transport
Financial Energy Recreation Other
services
21
Human resource 100 companies in this sample. Table 7: Summary of changes
development (HRD) The talent management item across HRD category
As well as recruiting externally showed a significant change 2013 2015
from the open labour market, the of 42% over the two time periods.
key method for an organisation Moreover, the apprenticeships, HRD Sentence Sentence
to develop the most important career development, internships count count
KSA, which enables individuals and succession planning Apprenticeships 171 225
to perform current and future items show positive increases
jobs, is through offering planned in reporting. Career 89 123
learning and development development
Figures 16 and 17 show the
activities and opportunities. By Graduates 204 232
relative importance of each item
utilising HRD in a strategic way,
in the KSA category in the two Internships 38 53
organisations are able to ensure
time periods involved. As the
that change is properly initiated Succession 880 1,160
figures show, training is by far
and managed and continual planning
the most important HRD item,
innovation may happen. Moreover, Talent 880 1,249
showing a relative importance of
to be effective in fully developing management
41% and 37%. Moreover, talent
individuals, groups and ultimately
management and succession Training 1,571 1,785
the organisation, HRD activities
planning are also important
should be well integrated and Total: (26% 3,833 4,827
items in HRD. The rest of the
designed to address tactical short- increase)
HRD items are of relatively minor
term skills requirements as well as
importance in comparison with the
more strategic longer-term career As would be expected, a
other items. As with the previous
development for employees. number of interesting exemplars
general category of KSA, in terms
emerged in relation to the HRD
Table 7 and Figure 15 show the of HRD items there were only very
category from the FTSE 100
changes across the two time slight changes in the proportion
companies studied. One of these,
periods in terms of both the of reporting of the HRD items
related to talent management,
number of sentences found over the two time periods studied,
illustrates how Barclays Bank
containing HRD terms and the although clearly the count for each
recently implemented a new talent
positive change of 26% in the item did increase between these
management programme
reporting of HRD items across the two periods.
(see Box 3).
Figure 15 Figure 16
Changes across HRD category (%) The relative importance of each HRD
item for 2013 (%)
50
Apprenticeships
42 Career development
38 39
40 Graduates
32 32 Internships
30 Succession planning
Talent management
20 Training
14 14
2
10
1
5 5
0
Apprenticeships
Career development
41
Graduates 23
Internships
Succession planning
Talent management 23
Training
22
Box 3: Talent management – Barclays Bank
It was highlighted in Barclays’ 2014 annual report that the
firm has a comprehensive talent management programme in
place. More specifically, the firm has focused on three aspects of
talent management:
• investment and retention of existing talent
• the development and succession of female talent
• pipeline development for the next generation of future talent, for
example graduate recruitment.
In terms of reporting talent management, the report
describes in detail the firm’s various talent management
programmes. For example, in one part of the report, there
is a description of a programme called ‘internals first’, which
focuses on the development and succession of existing talent
rather than looking to the external market. The firm also has
sections highlighting the importance of talent assessment and
apprenticeship schemes for attracting new employees, and a
segment on female succession and diversity. Finally, the firm also
has a written section on risk, and specifically acknowledges the
risk of key talent leaving the organisation. The report also presents
solutions or ‘actions’ to be taken to avoid this risk, that is, role-
based pay to retain senior employees.
Aside from the written sections that directly refer to the firm’s talent
management programmes, the 2014 report also includes metrics to
measure talent within Barclays. These include tables (or scorecards)
highlighting the percentage of women in senior leadership
positions (female talent), the staff turnover and resignation rate
during the year (talent retention) and, finally, the number of UK
apprenticeships (upcoming talent). The report is also heavily reliant
on the use of graphs and diagrams to report these metrics.
Figure 17
The relative importance of each HRD
item for 2015 (%)
Apprenticeships
Career development
Graduates
Internships
Succession planning
Talent management
Training
1
5 5
37
24
26
23
Box 4: Employee succession – TUI Travel
In 2014 TUI Travel launched a new programme focusing on succession planning within the organisation. In contrast to TUI’s 2012 annual report,
the 2014 TUI annual report not only focuses on executive and board-level succession, but also outlines succession plans for individuals in
management, assistant management and sales advisory roles. In other words, the firm’s succession plans are much more inclusive and highlight
that all employees have a career path within the organisation. For example, it was highlighted in the report that the firm has launched the
Institute of Leadership Management Qualifications Level 2 and 3 and currently has 82 colleagues on the programme. The aim of this programme
is to develop and prepare employees (sales advisers, assistant managers) for potential succession in the future. The 2014 report also contains a
section which describes the succession policies in place for younger employees or graduates. This programme is called the ‘navigator
programme’. The aim is to ensure that future managers are given development opportunities early in their careers.
The second half of the report contains a principle risk table and outlines potential succession management issues and corresponding risk
mitigation actions. For example, the firm acknowledges the risk of executives or board directors leaving the company. To combat this, the risk
management table mentions an emergency succession programme. The report highlights that the firm intends to keep succession plans for all
critical roles and, in particular, emergency successors for all source market and sector board roles. The report also highlights that these plans
are reviewed every six months. In essence, the firm has a succession contingency plan to ensure the organisation is not disrupted by a senior
executive or director leaving the organisation. The report also briefly mentions that the firm measures and monitors its ‘employed vs.
contracted ratio’ (a key risk indicator) to ensure the firm develops internal talent and has realistic successors to executive posts. The report also
outlines the percentage of female representation among the board’s membership, highlighting that women also have a career path to the upper
echelons of the organisation.
Finally, the report outlines the firm’s intention to revamp its approach for the succession of non-executive directors by ensuring the succession
planning process is more structured and transparent. Again, this is evidence that TUI is aiming to make the succession planning process more
inclusive and this is reflected throughout the 2014 report.
Another example is presented Employee stability and welfare Table 8 and Figure 19 show the
by TUI Travel, which explores the A key aspect of this study is changes across the two time
concept of succession planning understanding how organisations periods and display how there has
(see Box 4). report upon workforce risk and, been a positive change of 9% in
with this in mind, the issue of the reporting of employee welfare.
When the reporting of this
welfare/stability was a central Ethics (22%) and employee well-
factor was investigated across
element in the analytical model. being (21%) showed the strongest
the different sectors, the results
In order for any organisation to increases in reporting. Corporate
indicated that the defence and
enhance its HC, it needs to ensure social responsibility showed a
property sectors have increased
that employees are treated well decline in reporting of –16%.
the reporting of this HC factor the
and employee welfare is being
most (see Figure 18). Although
enhanced. Organisations should
there were no decreases in HRD
be aware of the importance of
reporting in any sector, mining and
looking after employees and be
energy companies in the FTSE 100
in a position to report on the
showed very modest rises in HRD
benefits that accrue as a result of
reporting across the two periods.
the welfare policies and practices
which are in place. As well as
illustrating how they comply with
legal requirements, organisations
should demonstrate how their
employee welfare practices show
employees how they are valued.
24
Table 8: Summary of changes across Figure 18
employee welfare category HC reporting change across sectors for HRD (%)
2013 2015 60 56
54
Employee Sentence Sentence
50
welfare count count
40
Corporate social 969 815 40
responsibility 35
32
30 29
Employee 974 1,083 30 26 27
engagement
20
Ethics 908 1,105 20
Figure 19
Percentage changes across
employee welfare category (%)
25 22 21
20
15 14
11
10 9
7
5
0
-5
-10
-15
-16
-20
25
Figures 20 and 21 show the their annual reports. For 42% of Figure 20
relative importance of each item the firms, the CSR report was The relative importance of each
in the employee welfare category longer in 2015, while in 39% of employee welfare item for 2013 (%)
in the two time periods involved. cases the report was shorter when
Corporate social responsibility
Ethics and employee well-being compared with the earlier report.
increased in relative importance In the remaining 19% of cases, the Employee engagement
over the two time periods, reports were roughly about the Ethics
while the health and safety item same length. Also, around 35% of Health and safety
maintained its level of importance. the firms preferred a corporate Employee relations
The remaining items were of sustainability report rather than a Employee turnover
relatively minor importance in CSR report. In some cases (5%),
Employee well-being
relation to the items already organisations published a separate
referred to. CSR report on the firm’s website in 2 3
4
addition to written sections within
As can be appreciated from the
the annual reports; however, this
above statistics, the fact that CSR
percentage could be greater as
references declined between the 23
some firms may not have reported
two reporting periods provided
the existence of the separate
something of an anomaly in
document in their annual reports. 23
comparison with results for the
Finally, some organisations
other elements. Based on the
(5%) had integrated CSR and 23
findings from the CSR analysis
sustainability issues into the firms’
of the annual reports, we could
operating strategy sections, rather
not find any key differences with 22
than having a separate report or
regard to CSR reporting across
section with CSR or sustainability
both time periods. Roughly 95%
headings.
of firms favoured a separate/
specialised CSR report within There are a number of interesting
examples in the employee welfare
category from the FTSE 100
companies studied. For example,
Fresnillo displayed a very robust
ethics strategy (see Box 5 on
page 27).
26
Figure 21
Box 5: Business ethics – Fresnillo
The relative importance of each
employee welfare item for 2015 (%) Fresnillo is a mining firm which integrates business ethics into all aspects of its operations.
While the 2012 annual report makes very few references to business ethics, the 2014 report
Corporate social responsibility illustrates that Fresnillo has established a robust ethics framework and seeks to further
Employee engagement develop this framework moving forward. A substantial section of the 2014 annual report
takes the form of a balanced scorecard. In other words, the firm sets out its corporate
Ethics objectives, reviews performance against these objectives and sets new objectives for the
Health and safety forthcoming year. Fresnillo also has followed this approach for outlining the firm’s business
Employee relations ethics and integrity policies.
Employee turnover The employee ethics section in the 2014 report highlights that Fresnillo has implemented
an ethics and integrity programme that is based upon UK best practices. According to
Employee well-being
the report, the revamped ethics programme incorporates the group’s values and code
2 4 of conduct, and supports decision-making at all levels of the organisation. As part of this
4
programme, all executives, senior and middle managers, employees and key contractors
have participated in ethics training workshops. The report also records the percentage of
employees who attended the ethics workshops. The workshops are designed to engage
18 Fresnillo employees to do the right thing by using the ‘behavioural compass’, which seeks
to aid employees with decision-making. The goal of the workshops is to mitigate the risk
of employee misconduct and to challenge Fresnillo’s employees to do the right thing, even
23 when employees are not under direct supervision. Furthermore, the firm now aims to
integrate ethics and integrity considerations into the criteria used in the key HR processes
of hiring, promotions and performance reviews. In other words, employee behaviour will
24
become a consideration when candidates are considered for promotions. Finally, as part of
a new business ethics objective, Fresnillo hopes to expand its ethics programme to include
25 union employees and contractors in 2015.
In contrast to other FTSE 100 organisations, Fresnillo not only outlines the process for
investigating code of conduct or ethics breaches, but the firm also records and classifies
the different types of conduct breaches the firm experienced during the year. This level of
transparency is rarely seen within organisations’ annual reports. Furthermore, Fresnillo uses
pie charts in the 2014 report to break down the different types of ethics cases/breaches,
such as bribery and fraud. Hence, the firm also quantifies the number of ethics breaches
in the annual report. For example, the 2014 report highlights that the Honour Commission
received 38 reports of unethical behaviour. Of these, 36 were received via the ‘Fresnillo Plays
Fair’ whistleblowing line, one by safe mail, and another communicated directly. The reports
were grouped into 21 cases for investigation once duplicates were eliminated; one case was
deemed trivial and ruled out, and of the remaining 20 cases investigated, 12 were resolved
and eight remain under investigation. The annual report also highlights that employee
sanctions were levied in seven cases, while four required reinforcements of controls. In one
case, the Commission did not find conclusive evidence of unethical behaviour.
The quantification of ethical breaches in the annual report not only allows the firm to
compare the number of ethics breaches each year, but also creates the potential for
developing an ethics breach ratio. Additionally, Fresnillo uses the firm’s annual engagement
survey to measure and quantify employee trust levels. The firm refers to this initiative as the
‘trust index’. This includes survey items relating to equality, pride, employee camaraderie,
sustainability and firm ethics. Finally, Fresnillo also records the percentage of greenhouse gas
emissions using both ratios (emission intensity) and graphical diagrams. As evidenced in this
report, Fresnillo is an organisation that has not only embraced the concept of business ethics,
but has also started communicating it effectively through its corporate report.
27
Box 6: Employee engagement – Coca-Cola
Employee engagement is a workplace approach which aims to set the right conditions
for all members of an organisation to give their best each day and be committed to the
organisation’s goals and values, and be motivated to contribute to organisational success, all
with an enhanced sense of their own well-being.
Coca-Cola’s annual report One firm which stands out above the rest of the organisations in terms of employee
contained a significant section engagement is Coca-Cola. The 2012 Coca-Cola annual report did not make a single
reference to employee engagement or employee surveys. However, the 2014 report not only
devoted to their employee
discusses Coca-Cola’s revamped employee survey programme, the report also illustrates
engagement activities. In their 2014 how Coca-Cola is taking employee engagement to the next level by focusing on what is
report they considered employee known as ‘sustainable engagement’. The report highlights that in 2014, Coca-Cola joined the
engagement as a core driver of sustainable engagement survey and benchmarking pool of consulting firm Towers Watson.
value, and presented it as such This allowed Coca-Cola to compare its employee engagement initiatives with that of other
through the narrative and data organisations. This expanded Coca-Cola’s perspective of employee engagement, by focusing
which was shared (see Box 6). not only on employee connections and commitment but also concentrating on enabling and
energising the firm’s employees. Hence, there is a strong focus on employee motivation and
The health and safety practices of well-being (physical and mental) as a basis for achieving sustained employee engagement in
Diageo, another drinks company, the 2014 report.
are also of interest (see Box 7). As a result of this benchmarking scheme, Coca-Cola has now redefined its employee
Not surprisingly, given the general engagement approach and this is emphasised throughout the report. For example, there
is an entire section in the report dedicated to outlining the new engagement survey
results which indicated that overall
methodology which modifies and expands existing survey categories to include motivation
there was a very small (6%) rise and well-being metrics (for example ‘engaged/enabled/energised’). Coca-Cola’s new
in employee welfare reporting, engagement approach now involves measuring critical contributing factors such as employee
when we performed a sector connection and motivation, the internal environment as an enabler of high performance,
analysis on this category, five of diversity and inclusion, well-being and employee value proposition – in other words, ensuring
the twelve showed a decrease employee performance is sustained in the long run rather than just focusing on short-term
(see Figure 22). Most markedly, goals.
the construction and transport In addition to outlining the new survey approach, the 2014 report also includes employee
sectors both registered a 21% drop metrics/ratios which are related to employee engagement. These include: average sick days/
in welfare reporting. Continuing employees (absenteeism), training hours/full-time employees (dedication and skill), the
a theme from other HC factors percentage of employees represented by a trade union (employee relations), the percentage
(that is, HRD), companies in the of employees in an appraisal process (employee feedback) as well as the sustainable
employee engagement index referred to in the previous paragraph.
property sector appeared to
have increased their reporting of Finally, Coca-Cola has outlined its employee engagement action plan in a detailed table in
employee welfare issues, as did the report. The report provides insights into how Coca-Cola engages with its employees.
companies in the ‘other’ sector. Some initiatives include having a health, safety and sustainability communications
programme, encouraging active employee lifestyle projects, giving quarterly CEO business
updates to employees, holding annual leadership conferences, and maintaining an employee
works council and whistleblower hotline, to name but a few.
The 2014 report not only outlines Coca-Cola’s employee engagement action plan, but also
presents the results of the firm’s sustainable engagement survey in graphical form, including
bar charts and index tables. The report also highlights that participation rates for the 2014
engagement survey increased 5% compared with 2013 to include 95% of all employees. The
report emphasises that this score compares favourably with Coca-Cola’s industry peers,
underlining the observation that Coca-Cola is an exemplar of employee engagement.
Figure 22
HC reporting change across sectors for employee welfare
28 29
30
25
20
15 13
10
10 6
5 3
-2 -6 -5 1 -21 -21
0
-5
-10
-15
-20
-25
Mining Defence Retail Construction
Manufacturing Property ICT Transport
Financial Energy Recreation Other
services
28
Box 7: Health and safety – Diageo
The Diageo 2013 annual report makes only a single reference to workplace health and safety.
Conversely, the 2015 report portrays an image of a company which has not only embraced
employee health and safety but has prioritised it as a critical issue in the day-to-day running
of the organisation. The 2015 report illustrates that Diageo has made significant progress
not only in implementing health and safety policies and setting safety targets, but also in
ensuring that the entire organisation is aligned under this new health and safety culture. The
2015 report highlights that Diageo operates a ‘global zero harm’ initiative, which is designed
to ensure all employees return home safe each day no matter where in the world the Diageo
employee is based. For example, the firm continues to strongly promote its responsible
driving programmes amongst employees. The programme highlights that health and safety is
not just a priority in the workplace, but also outside the workplace.
Diageo also openly reports on workplace accidents in the 2015 report. Moreover, Diageo
ensures that each workplace accident is investigated and policies are put in place to prevent
such accidents in the future. This is achieved through Diageo’s Severe and Fatal Incident
Prevention (SFIP) programme, which is specifically designed to identify and eliminate, or
control, severe and fatal risks in the firm’s operations. SFIP has significantly reduced the
number of serious accidents since the programme’s inception.
The company also actively measures and analyses its health and safety performance.
For example, Diageo reports the results of the lost-time accident (LTA) ratio in the 2015
annual report. Lost-time injury frequency rates can be defined by the number of lost-time
injuries within a given accounting period relative to the total number of hours worked in the
same accounting period. The company also sets rigorous health and safety goals and these
are outlined in the 2015 report. For example, the firm set a global target to deliver less than
one lost-time accident (LTA) per 1,000 people by 2015. Although the firm may not always
meet these rigorous targets year on year, the company is always looking at new ways to
improve its LTA performance. For instance, the 2015 report highlights that by analysing the
results of LTA ratios across the organisation, Diageo discovered that LTAs now occur more
frequently at offices than at other sites, such as breweries. Consequently, the 2015 report
highlights that the firm is introducing new procedures to ensure employee safety in offices,
which is being addressed through risk management committees. In terms of reporting health
and safety performance, Diageo presents its lost-time accident performance in tables and
bar charts throughout the report. Furthermore, each chart is broken down by region (that
is, US, Europe, Africa), underlining the global scale and co-ordination of Diageo’s health
and safety policies.
Finally, the firm is continually innovating and finding new ways of embedding safety into
the core of the business. For instance, the firm is building and engineering its products with
the safety of employees, contractors and suppliers in mind, thereby not only ensuring the
sustainability of the workforce but also the industry as a whole.
29
Employee equity Table 9 and Figure 23 show the Figures 24 and 25 show the
If employees feel that they changes across the two time relative importance of each item
are being treated in a fair and periods, illustrating that there has in the employee equity category
equitable way and have equal been a positive change of 25% in in the two time periods involved.
access to opportunities, they the reporting of employee equity. Employee rewards decreased in
are more likely to seek to grow The human rights item showed a importance relative to the other
and develop their KSA and very significant change of 127%, items from 42% in 2013 to 34% in
display their commitment to the while diversity and equality show 2015, while diversity maintained
organisation. Organisations have positive changes. In contrast, a strong position over both time
a duty of care to their workforce employee rewards showed no periods. Although human rights
and must therefore ensure they significant change in reporting. increased in relative importance,
are transparent in how they treat it was still significantly less
their staff. Employees should be important from a reporting
furnished with information about perspective than employee
what benefits and rewards (not rewards and diversity. The same
just monetary) they will receive, as is true for equality.
well as understand the potential
As with the other main categories
consequences of behaviour that is
there are a number of interesting
not aligned with company culture,
examples in the employee equity
policy or practices.
category from the FTSE 100
companies studied. These are
equality at the Royal Bank of
Scotland and Legal & General,
human rights at BT and diversity
at Royal Mail.
0 42
45
0
Diversity
Equality
Human rights 8 5
Employee rewards
30
Box 8: Equality – Royal Bank of Scotland and Legal & General
Two firms which are leading the way in reporting workplace equality are Royal Bank of Scotland and financial firm Legal & General.
Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS)
RBS is a firm which is celebrated for its approach to workplace equality and this stems from the firm’s workplace equality programme. As a starting
point, RBS aims to create a level playing field for all employees. This means encouraging a culture of inclusion and encouraging both gender and
ethnic equality. To aid in the progression of this goal, the 2014 report highlights that RBS started rolling out a bank-wide unconscious bias learning
programme for all the firm’s employees. According to the 2014 RBS annual report, the aim of this programme is to eliminate bias and discrimination
in the workplace and to ensure employees are on a level playing field in terms of recruitment and promotion. The 2014 report also records the
number of females in the general workforce as well as in management and board positions. This information is also represented graphically in the
report using pie charts. Finally, the 2012 annual report also highlights that RBS supports disabled individuals in this regard by ensuring disabled
individuals have equal opportunities in recruitment, employment, promotion and training.
In addition to outlining the firm’s equality policies and programmes in various written sections, the 2014 annual report also highlights RBS’s
numerous awards and accolades for workplace equality. For instance, the report highlights that RBS was recognised for its work on equality,
diversity and inclusion by retaining its platinum ranking from ‘Opportunity Now’ (gender) for the second year running. In 2014, RBS also increased
it ranking from Silver to Gold in the
‘Race for Opportunity’ ethnic equality rankings. What’s more, RBS retained its position in
The Times ‘Top 50 Employers for Women’ for the eighth consecutive year and improved upon its ranking in the Stonewall ‘Workplace Equality
Index’ of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality measures. By promoting the firm’s awards in the annual report, it gives the reader the
impression that this is an organisation which is an exemplar of workplace equality.
Figure 25 Figure 26
The relative importance of each The change in employee equity reporting across all sectors (%)
employee equity item for 2015 (%)
60 53 55
Diversity
50
Equality
37 37
Human rights 40 34 34
31 31
Employee rewards 30 26
20
10 5
0
-2
34 -10
47 -20 -20
31
Box 9: Human rights – British Telecommunications (BT)
As demonstrated by the content analysis, organisations are now viewing human rights as an
important corporate issue, with many firms now beginning to introduce human rights policies
for the very first time. While the 2013 annual report highlighted that BT had human rights
An organisation which policies in place for its suppliers, the 2015 annual report outlines a much more comprehensive
communicated consistently about and inclusive framework. The 2015 report concentrates on three aspects of human rights.
These include the human rights of employees within BT, workers in BT’s supply chain, and BT’s
their human rights activity was
customers. The 2015 report highlights that in the previous accounting year the firm reviewed
British Telecommunications. In and revamped its human rights framework. To achieve this goal the firm undertook a unique
their report they considered the approach in developing its human rights policies. For example, the report highlights that
impact of their activity across BT assessed their operations in the UK against stakeholder expectations on how businesses
their various stakeholder groups, should respect human rights. This approach enabled BT to develop policies in conjunction
and invested in developing human with those who will be most affected by the firm’s human rights policies, that is, employees,
rights policies which accounted for suppliers, consumers, trade unions and activist groups. Furthermore, these parties have unique
individuals across the breadth and expertise on aspects of human rights policies that otherwise may have been overlooked
by BT. For instance, the 2015 report states that the firm consults with two accredited trade
depth of their supply chain.
unions. Moreover, as human rights policies can be difficult to define and implement, the report
Box 9 details this further. highlights the firm sought valuable advice both from a leading law firm and a global, non-profit
Considering employee equity human rights consultancy.
across sectors resulted in some The 2014 review of the firm’s human rights policies also showed that BT has strong processes
interesting results (see Figure 26). to manage human rights impacts arising with employees, such as a highly developed diversity
Companies from three sectors and employee well-being programme. These aspects of human rights are also embedded
(mining, defence and energy) in BT’s operating philosophy – ‘The Way We Work’ – which is outlined in the 2015 report.
According to the report, the philosophy sets out the firm’s commitment to respecting human
showed declines in HC reporting
rights and how the firm expects employees to behave. Moreover, the report underlines that
relating to employee equity, BT, as a telecommunications firm, is particularly affected by the human rights to privacy and
with defence showing a sizeable freedom of expression. These values are also embedded within the firm’s operating philosophy
20% decline from 2013 to 2015. and human rights framework. The report also highlights in the human rights segment of the
In terms of increased reporting, annual report that the company also has human rights policies for employees based on security,
companies from retail and anti-corruption and bribery, diversity, inclusion, health, safety and well-being. The aim is to help
construction showed increases of mitigate risks while also ensuring employees’ human rights are respected. The report also briefly
over 50% in equity reporting, while mentions that the company founded a human rights steering group in 2015 to oversee the
implementation of the aforementioned human rights initiatives and to improve and advance the
manufacturing also displayed a
firm’s human rights policies in the future.
sizeable gain of 41% over the
two time periods. Finally, the company also acknowledges the risk imposed by breaches of human rights in the
firm’s supply chain. This is highlighted in a detailed risk management and mitigation table in
the second half of the report. The company underlines the importance of protecting BT’s brand
Box 10 (page 33) explores Royal
from events in the supply chain, such as corrupt practices, the sourcing of conflict minerals or
Mail’s approach to reporting on possible human rights abuse. To measure this risk, the report presents tables which classify
diversity in the workplace. In their suppliers as high, medium or low risk in terms of human rights breaches or other types of
2014 report they consider the breaches, for example safety. BT also presents tables in the report to highlight the number of
broader types of diversity, beyond on-site supplier assessments each year and the percentage of follow-up assessments within
boardroom diversity, which they three months for those deemed medium/high risk. The report shows that the number of
reported on in 2012, and included follow-up assessments was 96% in 2015, down 1% from 2014 (97%), hence the report highlights
other types which they deemed that the firm missed its follow-up supplier assessment target for 2015. This level of reporting
transparency is quite rare for FTSE 100 firms. Furthermore, the report also recorded supplier
to be of value to consumers of
assessment objectives for 2016 (as part of a balanced scorecard assessment) by stating that
the report. the firm aims to achieve 100% follow-up for medium-/high-risk suppliers in 2016. In summary,
BT is an organisation which views human rights not just as a critical corporate issue but also
as a critical social issue.
32
Table 10: Summary of changes across workforce risk category
2013 2015
33
Figures 28 and 29 show the Figure 28 Figure 29
relative importance of each item The relative importance of each The relative importance of each
in the workforce risk category in workforce risk item for 2013 (%) workforce risk item for 2015 (%)
the two time periods involved. As
Succession planning Succession planning
can be seen, reporting on talent
management and succession Talent management Talent management
planning has increased, ethics, Ethics Ethics
employee relations and employee Health and safety Health and safety
turnover have remained the same Employee relations Employee relations
(although the latter two have very Employee turnover Employee turnover
low levels of reporting) and health
and safety has decreased. 4 2
4 2
Figure 30 shows the sectoral
reporting on workforce risk. As
can be seen, there have been 23
sizeable increases in the property 24
and transport sectors, but minimal 25 21
changes in the mining, defence
and energy sectors, with no
change in the construction sector.
23
Our analysis of the data uncovered 23 26
a number of interesting issues 23
amongst the FTSE 100 companies
with regard to risk reporting and
several of these are now outlined.
Figure 30
The percentage change in workforce risk reporting across all sectors (%)
80
70 65
62
60
50
37
40 33
31
30
22 22
18
20
10 7 4
3
0
0
Mining Defence Retail Construction
Manufacturing Property ICT Transport
Financial Energy Recreation Other
services
34
Risk reporting in Antofagasta annual report for fatalities during 2014, which is
more detail 2014. This company is involved in stated to be ‘not acceptable’.
the mining of copper. It should be
A company operating outside of
Health and safety noted that Table 11 attempts to
these more dangerous sectors
While this factor was clearly of replicate, as accurately as possible,
also reported extensively upon
vital importance to companies the style used in the annual report.
health and safety risks, but from
operating in industries such Considering in detail the health the perspective of their customers.
as mining and quarrying, and safety performance figures Intu Properties provides buildings
manufacturing and construction, for this company, it is revealed for retailers and Table 12 comes
companies working in other that it had a lost-time injury from their 2014 annual report.
areas also included it in the frequency rate of 1.9, that is,
risk management sections of However, despite stating that the
1.9 accidents with lost time per
their annual reports. A typical change in the level of this risk has
million hours worked in 2014.
example of the entry from a increased, no injuries or accidents
This was an improvement on the
company working in what would were reported.
previous three years; however,
be considered to be a more the company also had five
dangerous area comes from the
35
Business integrity and ethics training’; and ethical trading, Later in this report it is stated
Given the increasing prominence which is ‘a measure of our supply that, ‘No material breaches of our
attached to the issue of corporate chain review; with specific focus business conduct/code of ethics
ethical behaviour and the fact on Human Rights’. For the first policy were recorded in 2014.
that the reputation of the business of these a score of 4.33 out of However, some minor incidents
could be severely damaged if the 5 was achieved, which was an relating to employee conduct,
personnel of a company fail to improvement on the year before, such as theft or misuse of the
follow ethical codes or standards where the score attained was Group’s property, did occur and
of behaviour, it was not surprising 4.29. The second measure had were dealt with during the normal
to see employee ethical behaviour a score of 96% follow-up within course of business using Group
highlighted by a number of three months, which was slightly human resource (‘HR’) policies
companies. Table 13 comes from below the score of 97% from the and procedures. Nine (2013:
the 2015 annual report of BT and, year before. However, no figure seven) calls/letters were received
as can be seen, goes beyond the was given for any whistleblowing through our confidential whistle
conduct of employees to consider activities, such as the number of blowing process, “Speak Up”,
the conduct of suppliers and their times the ‘Speak Up’ confidential none of which raised any issues of
agents, resellers and distributors. hotline was used. It should be material concern.’ It should also
It should be noted the layout in noted that not all companies used be noted that Rolls-Royce, in their
Table 13 differs from that of the the term ethics when discussing 2014 annual report, used the term
annual report, where it appears in related risks; for example Bunzl, ‘compliance’ when describing a
a landscape format. which operates mainly in the similar risk, while Hikma, which
transportation and storage sector, operates in the professional,
BT have two performance
placed more of an emphasis scientific and technical activities
measurements related to ethics:
on laws and regulations in their sector, uses the term ‘conduct’.
ethical performance, which
2014 annual report, as can be
is described as ‘a measure of
appreciated from Table 14.
our employees’ awareness and
Recruitment and retention As can be seen, in the mitigating do report on those directors, both
of key employees activities M&S refer to employee executive and non-executive, who
Although not as readily identifiable engagement, training and reward are either retiring or resigning from
as a risk factor compared with when referring to adapting to the board. Inmarsat, a company
issues connected to health and market changes, and succession working in the information and
safety and employee ethical planning and reward when communication sector, see a
behaviour, the area of recruitment referring to staff retention. failure to advance technically,
and retention of key employees Interestingly, M&S do not report as well as uncompetitive
carries risks in relation to how well on employee turnover; however, remuneration, as a reason why
a company can manage its HC. the 2015 report does refer to one they may not retain key personnel.
Recruitment and retention links board member resigning and The extract in Table 17 comes from
to several of the search terms, another retiring. Another retail their 2014 annual report.
such as employee engagement, company, NEXT, used slightly
As can be seen, as well as
reward, succession planning, different terminology but made
focusing on technical innovation,
talent management, training and broadly similar points, as the
this company also focuses on
turnover, and was referred to by extract from their 2015 annual
reward and talent management
a large number of the sampled report shows (see Table 16).
programmes in order to mitigate
companies. An interesting extract
In this case the risk is mitigated against this risk. This company is
comes from the 2015 annual
by reward, succession planning another that does not report on
report for M&S, as they also have
and talent management. NEXT do employee turnover but does refer
a risk entitled ‘Our People’ as
not report on employee turnover to retirements and resignations
well as the more common ‘Staff
either; however, as with M&S, they from its board.
Retention’ (see Table 15).
37
Table 15: Marks & Spencer ‘Our People’ example
Risk Description Mitigating activities
OUR PEOPLE As our evolution to a truly international, • Robust employee engagement process.
Our organisational culture multi-channel retailer continues, it is • Alignment of employee development programmes with business
and structure limit our essential that our organisational set-up strategy.
ability to adapt to market allows us to respond to market changes • Fast decision-making enabled through the removal of structural
changes with pace and competition with pace. complexity.
• Employee reward based on performance in line with our values of
Inspiration, Innovation, Integrity and In Touch.
STAFF RETENTION From our expert food technologists • Succession planning in place for key roles and senior leaders.
Failure to retain key and product developers to our recently • Performance management process and bonus scheme structure
people due to offers from strengthened GM design teams, focused on rewarding high performers.
competitors or loss of our people are in demand from our
confidence in the business competitors.
MITIGATION
Our business has a new energy to focus on technological innovation which creates an
exciting environment in which to work. We have also put in place manager and leadership
development programmes and continue to benchmark compensation to ensure our staff are
remunerated fairly, reflecting the roles they perform.
38
Media analysis findings The findings from the media or have paid fines. However, the
search indicate that the majority reports leave out key details and
The aim of the media search of HC incidents reported in the keywords such as ‘bribery’. In
is to assess whether FTSE 100 media were either fully or partially other words, these firms may have
firms are providing a thorough reported in the annual reports. been censoring elements of the
and honest overview of the risks However, it is that which is omitted cases in their annual reports to
they encounter or are merely which is particularly interesting: avoid damaging their reputation
fulfilling the minimum reporting approximately one-third of all HC in the eyes of potential investors.
requirements in their annual incidents were not reported in It also may be the case that some
company reports. To achieve this annual reports. firms did not report regulatory or
objective, a media search was ethical breaches until they were
undertaken using online business In the next section we explore
convicted by a court of law.
and media news outlets: namely each HC risk indicator in detail.
the BBC website, the Financial Additionally, very few firms
Times (FT) and The Economist, Employee ethics reported on the fate of the
with the aim of examining Most employee ethics incidents employees involved – that is,
whether incidents reported in which were recorded in the dismissals, fines, sanctions.
media websites are actually being annual reports concern large- Additionally the risk mitigation
reported in the FTSE 100 firm’s scale scandals. For example, in policies these firms put in place
annual reports – for example the Rolls-Royce whistleblower are questionable, as GSK and
employee ethics breaches, case, the firm fully reported both Rolls-Royce were again involved
employee relations (industrial bribery incidents and outlined in bribery cases in Asia in 2014.
action). It was felt this approach preventive measures to mitigate However, in this instance, GSK
could give insights as to whether future risk. Despite this, however, fully reported the incident. Finally,
FTSE 100 firms are providing Rolls-Royce was embroiled in the type of employee ethics cases
an accurate and transparent another fraud case in 2014. which tended not to be reported
picture of corporate risk and HC Other firms such as GSK and involved isolated codes of conduct
or, conversely, if they are simply Smith & Nephew only partially or regulatory breaches – for
offering a censored snapshot of reported fraud and bribery example, an employee involved
their corporate risk profiles. cases. For example, in 2012, both in an insider trading probe or an
organisations briefly mention employee breaching the firm’s
The overall findings from the media they were under investigation by code of conduct on social media.
analysis are shown in Table 18. the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) In total, there were four cases of
an employee being involved in, or
Table 18: Media analysis – overall results charged with, insider trading in
the media outlets and none of the
Risk incidents Total Reported Partially Not reported cases were recorded in the reports.
incidents reported
Employee ethics 47 20 10 17 The sector analysis illustrated that
banking firms such as Barclays,
Employee health and 21 12 2 7 Lloyds, Standard Chartered and
safety
RBS had all fully, or partially,
Employee relations 7 2 1 4 reported ethics breaches and
Employee talent 4 2 1 1 instances of fraud, that is, money
laundering or mis-selling of PPI
Employee engagement 3 2 1 – products. This may be due to
Employee well-being 3 3 – – the observation that banks have
Employee turnover 5 3 2 – increased transparency after the
recent financial crisis and PPI
Employee succession 2 1 – 1
scandals. The only bank not to
Employee diversity 8 5 – 3 follow this trend was HSBC.
CSR 8 4 1 3 Finally, some firms had more
Risk total 108 54 18 36 employee ethics cases than
Other HC incidents others, possibly due to the nature
of the business. For instance, G4S,
New technology 10 5 2 3
a security firm, had a plethora
Employee job cuts 10 5 3 2 of ethics cases in 2012 and 2014.
Reward/pay 12 6 4 2 Furthermore, the firm did not
report some serious breaches
Living Wage 5 2 2 1
of conduct.
Mismanagement 4 0 3 1
Total 149 72 32 45
39
Health and safety risk Employee relations risk as skill shortages or access to
Health and safety risk followed a There were three cases of talent. Nevertheless, there were
similar trend to that of ethics and workplace strikes in the media a small number of cases where
misconduct risk. For instance, search which are considered media articles made reference to
only large-scale incidents had a under the employee relations risk talent and skill shortages. Firstly,
tendency to be reported while category. Two of the strikes were in an FT article, it was highlighted
smaller isolated incidents were fully reported, while one case was that 3I’s managing director was
omitted. Furthermore, firms were not reported at all. Interestingly, leaving the firm. It was also noted
often inclined to record employee it was the mining firms, Anglo in this article that the company
injuries or safety breaches as America and BHP Billiton, which had difficulties retaining talent.
a statistic, rather than giving fully reported the strike action, However, this was not reported
a qualitative summary of an while consumer goods producer in the annual report as there was
employee injury or breach Unilever did not report industrial no mention of talent retention
of conduct. action over pensions. This may difficulties. Conversely, in another
be due to the fact that the case, a BBC article suggested
In terms of the types of large-
mining industry may have more that engineering firm GKN was at
scale breaches being reported,
transparent and developed risk risk because of a talent shortage
there were some examples of full
policies in place for the reporting in the engineering sector. In this
disclosures of information. For
of industrial action because of case, however, GKN identified
example, Carnival, in their report
the hazardous nature of the work the risk and highlighted that the
following the Costa Concordia
involved and the frequency of firm is strongly focusing on the
cruise liner tragedy, received
industrial action. Other aspects recruitment and development of
widespread media attention and
of industrial relations reported young engineering talent to avoid
thus fully reported the impact of
in the media included job cuts the risk of a skills shortage. It was
the incident in the firm’s annual
and resulting trade union action. also highlighted that the company
reports. The 2012 Carnival report
In the four cases of trade union is expanding its recruitment of
also outlined a detailed risk
involvement in relation to job cuts, apprentices and has nearly 900
prevention plan which stated that
three firms did not acknowledge globally, an increase of around
employees would undergo training
the involvement of trade unions 20% during 2014. A third case,
on a simulator in the Netherlands
in the reports. However, one involving Burberry, described how
to improve bridge communication
firm, HSBC, stated that they the company’s chairman defended
and safety. In terms of isolated
recognise, and work with, the the CEO’s large salary as the firm
health and safety incidents, the
trade union UNITE. Clearly the was performing well and was
reporting procedures varied. For
acknowledgement of trade thriving under the CEO’s approach
example, Babcock PLC recorded
unions is an important aspect to creativity. As such, the BBC
employee accidents as a statistic,
of reporting firms can look to article highlighted that Burberry
whereas Rolls-Royce tended
improve on in the future, as these would continue paying his large
to give a brief summary of an
bodies, as stakeholders, can also salary in an effort to keep the CEO
employee safety breach. In most
be helpful in avoiding strikes and at the company, as he could be
cases, firms tended to favour
walkouts and mitigating risks poached by rival firms in Europe.
the statistical approach – for
involving working conditions. This was also reported in the
example injury rates, downtime
annual report. Finally, there were
– possibly because it avoids the
Employee talent risk cases where firms announced they
firm having to report specific
In terms of employee talent were paying the Living Wage in
details which may harm the firm’s
risk, the online media outlets order to keep employees at the
reputation. The media search also
such as the BBC and FT did not company (for example IHG).
illustrated that other firms were
frequently report on issues such
applying strong health and safety
risk prevention measures. For
example, the Royal Mail report
highlights that dog attacks on
postal staff were at unacceptably
high levels. The report highlights
that to combat this Royal Mail
spent £100,000 on awareness
campaigns, as well as giving out
90,000 ‘posting pegs’ that protect
employee fingers when pushing
letters through a letterbox.
40
While the news outlets did not Employee turnover risk Employee diversity
report frequently on talent issues, The majority of media incidents In most cases, media incidents
many of the firms have a talent risk relating to employee turnover relating to employee diversity
framework in their annual reports. referred to executives’ attrition. were reported in the annual
However, very few firms actually In most cases, firms would record reports. The majority of media
state they have problems retaining executives or managing director search articles referred to gender
talent. Instead, firms will report attrition in their annual reports. diversity, be it on the board of
that they are recruiting new talent In some cases, executives would directors or amongst the wider
or apprentices. simply retire. In cases where workforce. Furthermore, items
there was a hostile exit through relating to gender diversity were
Employee engagement and a ‘boardroom coup’ or dismissal mainly reported in the annual
well-being risk (that is, Aztrazenca), the incident reports. In terms of ethnic
Employee engagement and was simply reported as the CEO diversity, there was one case
well-being are aspects of HC relinquishing responsibilities and where a firm, Marks & Spencer
which did not receive much the full details were not reported. (M&S), had to re-evaluate its
media coverage. However, when There were very few news items diversity policies after a Muslim
employee engagement and well- which related to employee employee refused to sell alcohol
being were referenced in the turnover. However, some firms in to a consumer as he stated it was
media, the annual reports largely the annual reports had ratios for against his religion. This incident
reported the items because of the measuring turnover rates at board was not reported in M&S’s annual
positive nature of the incident. and operational level (for example reports. Hence, while positive
For example, Admiral Group’s Anglo American) and had talent diversity incidents are largely
CEO outlined the firm’s exemplary retention policies in place. reported, the negative incidents
employee engagement and well- may not always be recorded.
being model in a BBC article. Employee succession risk As there was a lack of diversity
The model was subsequently Alongside employee turnover, conduct breaches in the media
reported in the firm’s annual employee succession is also an search, this observation could not
report. In another BBC article, important HC risk factor. Despite be investigated further.
it was highlighted that National this, however, the media outlets
Grid, the power company, had of the BBC, the FT and The Corporate social responsibility
revamped its occupational health Economist had few articles relating (CSR)
provision to include mental to employee succession. An FT The majority of corporate social
health policies. The firm’s health report on Coca-Coca highlighted responsibility items that were
framework moved from being ‘a that the firm intends to create reported in the news outlets
crisis management process’ to enlarged roles for two executives were recorded in the annual
become a ‘proactive service [to] who are seen as successors to reports. For example, the
access advice much earlier around the CEO. However, this is not Carphone Warehouse annual
things like debt, relationships, mentioned in the annual report. report highlights that employees
and child support and career On the other hand, a second run sessions for older people on
coaching’. This new mental health employee succession case how to best use technology. In a
initiative was also outlined in involving the CEO of Diageo was second case, it was reported in the
the annual reports. Instances of recorded in the annual reports BBC that Inmarsat was allowing
poor employee engagement or where it was highlighted that an airlines to avail of its airline
well-being procedures were not internal executive was essentially tracking service free of charge.
frequently reported in the media, being prepared as a successor to This incident was also reported in
and when they were, they were the outgoing CEO. As highlighted the firm’s annual reports. On the
not recorded in the annual reports. in the report on the firm other hand, CSR breaches were
For example, in relation to the G4S exemplars, the best firms have often not reported. For example,
Olympics security debacle, the succession programmes in place mining company Glencore was
BBC highlighted that employees to avoid the risk of not having linked to an environmental breach
were unsure of when to turn up for appropriate leadership to fill the and child labour by the BBC;
the event and communication with void of an outgoing executive. however, this was not reported in
employees was not up to scratch. the firm’s annual report.
As a result, employees did not feel
The next section provides a
engaged in the process. These
brief summary on the remaining
failures in employee engagement
HC items.
policies were not reported.
41
Other human capital items Implications of media a full account of HC incidents
In terms of technology risk, it was search findings reported in the media and were
found that a lot of firms in the The third party media search of excluding specific details from the
media search were subject to data news outlets allowed for a robust reports. There were also cases
breaches and hacking scandals. In and objective examination as to in which firms did not report HC
the three cases of data leaks, firms whether firms are conveying a events in any shape or form. Based
did not report the breach in their true and accurate picture of the upon this analysis we can only
annual reports. M&S was the only risks they face in their annual conclude that some organisations
exception to this trend, as the firm reports. As organisations are able were avoiding reporting HC risk
partially reported initial difficulties to control the content in their incidents in their annual reports
with the firm’s website. However, annual reports, the media search so as to keep their corporate
the firm did not fully report the gives a more transparent and reputation intact and to avoid
event. Interestingly, the majority of diverse perspective of the type deterring potential investors
FTSE 100 firms have technology of HC risks facing organisations. who may closely analyse
risk frameworks in place, so it was Furthermore, the media search the annual reports.
interesting to find that firms were can give insights into which
In the case of ethical breaches,
not reporting the breaches. This types of HC items are being
it was shown that larger
may point to the idea that firms reported, excluded or censored.
organisation-wide incidents
do not wish to deter potential Additionally, the researcher can
tended to be reported. Conversely,
investors or negatively impact also draw inferences as to whether
smaller isolated ethical breaches
share price. In terms of the the annual reports are being
involving individual employees
introduction of new technology, tailored for a specific audience,
(for example insider trading or
the annual reports almost always that is, if the annual reports are
employee behaviour breaches)
recorded the installation of new using selective language or are
tended not to be reported. It
equipment. Interestingly, however, focused on covering certain
was also shown that, in some
the reports did not discuss the media events (that is, talent
cases, firms were selective about
implications of the new technology development) at the expense of
the language and content they
on HC – for example, the safety others. As the organisations are
reported within the annual reports.
or flexibility benefits or adverse public limited companies listed
For example, firms tended to
effects, such as potential job cuts. on the London Stock Exchange,
briefly state that they were under
In summary, firms could improve there is a risk firms will promote
investigation by the Serious
their risk reporting in the area or censor certain types of HC in
Fraud Office in the litigation
of technology. order to appear more attractive to
sections rather than
investors and also limit the impact
Employee pay and rewards go into specific
of HC scandals on share price.
were generally reported as details on
well as the introduction of the Looking back over the findings, bribery
National Living Wage. However, it is clear that the majority of HC
in cases of mismanagement, that risk items reported in the media
is, the loss of business contracts, were reported, or at least partially
the incidents were only partially reported, in the annual reports. In
reported. For example, security addition, firms also had detailed
firm G4S lost its prison contract risk mitigation actions outlined
because of poor performance, in the annual reports. On the
yet the incident was reported other hand, there were instances
as a change in policy by where firms were acting in an
the Government. opportunistic manner as some
organisations were not giving
42
allegations. Again, the aim of this organisation, stakeholders negative instances or medium/
tactic may be to limit the impact and investors. small-scale CSR breaches
of the event on share price. In tended to be largely neglected
In terms of employee relations
addition, organisations which in the annual reports. In terms of
incidents, firms tended to report
are deemed to have misconduct attracting new employees, the HC
industrial/strike action; however,
and corruption issues may be issue of well-being is becoming
very few firms acknowledged
viewed as an entity which lacks of critical importance to modern-
the role of trade unions in their
leadership and control, and day employees. As such, issues
annual reports. Clearly, from a
therefore deemed as a risky surrounding well-being in the
corporate risk perspective, the
investment by potential investors. media were largely reported in
acknowledgement of trade unions
the annual reports. Investors
Firms in general tended to record as stakeholders (and mediators)
will also seek organisations
health and safety breaches as in the annual report is an area of
which have robust diversity and
a statistic, rather than give a reporting transparency FTSE 100
CSR profiles so as to limit risk.
qualitative commentary on specific firms can improve on in the future.
Accordingly, this may be why
incidents. Again, this enables the
When considering talent organisations tended to report
firms to exclude key details about
management the analysis positive CSR actions while
the breach. Conversely, in terms
illustrated that very few firms neglecting reporting on CSR
of large-scale breaches which
actually reported that they have breaches in their annual reports.
are widely reported in the media,
problems retaining talent. Instead,
organisations have no choice In terms of sector analysis, the
firms tended to report that they
but to report the items or the banking sector tended to be
are seeking to recruit talent or
omission will look unprofessional largely up front by reporting
apprentices. Again, this refers
and dishonest to investors. Also, misconduct breaches, for example
back to the selective language
widely publicised breaches in laundering or the mis-selling of
issue within the annual reports.
the media will generally filter products or services. This may be
Firms may not have wanted
through to the financial markets because of the widespread and
to be viewed as lacking in the
and impact share price. Hence, by public nature of these incidents.
areas of organisational talent or
reporting large-scale incidents in However, it could also be because
workforce sustainability, as these
the annual report, organisations of the observation that banks are
relate to the future prospects
have little to lose. Finally, almost aiming to improve transparency
of the organisation, which is of
all organisations had a health and towards both public and investors
great importance to investors.
safety risk mitigation section in after the economic downturn
Interestingly, firms also made
their annual reports, which and recurring banking scandals.
use of employee case studies in
underlines the focus Similarly, mining firms tended
the annual reports, possibly to
on corporate risk to fully report industrial action,
demonstrate the firm’s talent in
and its critical whereas other organisations did
action and also perhaps to attract
importance not even acknowledge trade
more high-potential employees
to the unions. Granted, the mining
to the organisation. Again, the
industry may have a greater
target audience of the annual
propensity for strike action
reports seems to be both investors
because of the dangerous nature
and potential employees.
of the work; however, the fact
Broader concepts of well-being, the strikes were fully reported
diversity and CSR tended to strengthens the credibility of
be reported when positive (for the firm’s annual reports.
example well-being initiatives,
philanthropy), whereas
43
Key findings and conclusions
44
Workforce capability (expertise, appropriately. BT was also FTSE 100 companies) female
knowledge and skills) proactive in measuring risk in representation at board level.
A number of the companies were its supply chain in the area of
In addition there was clear
careful to highlight how their human rights by classifying
evidence of companies having
approach to skills development suppliers as high, medium or
workplace equality programmes
is linked to workforce risk. For low risk in terms of human
in place to encourage a culture
example, Babcock (Box 2) rights breaches. This framework
of inclusion and promoting both
operates in an environment where influenced the level of monitoring
gender and ethnic equality. For
specialist engineering knowledge required for each supplier, and
example, RBS (Box 8) reported
and skills are scarce and in its highlighted suppliers that required
external recognition for its work
report illustrated how prioritising immediate corrective action.
on equality, diversity and inclusion
the selection and development of
where it retained its platinum
the next generation of employees Diversity and equality
ranking from ‘Opportunity Now’
to mitigate the risk of future skills We found evidence that
(gender) for a second year
shortages is vitally important. Part companies had formal
running. Moreover, RBS retained
of this strategy involves recording mechanisms in place to ensure
its position in The Times ‘Top
and comparing graduate and diversity is being promoted. For
50 Employers for Women’ for
apprentice intakes for each example, Royal Mail (Box 10) had
the eighth consecutive year
accounting year. Moreover, established a diversity council
and improved upon its ranking
Babcock employed a senior to promote a culture of diversity
in the Stonewall ‘Workplace
management retention ratio to and inclusion in the organisation.
Equality Index’ (LGBT). An
measure the percentage of senior This company also provided a
important aspect of equality
managers at the beginning of high level of transparency in this
programmes highlighted by some
the financial year still employed area by providing diversity tables,
of the companies is training and
by the group at the end of the breaking down the number of
redeployment. For example,
year. We also found extensive female employees in operational,
Legal & General (Box 8) provided
evidence of companies reporting administrative, management
redeployment opportunities
how they need to retain and and leadership roles. Moreover,
for disabled employees,
develop existing technical and the annual report highlighted
and tailored training,
management expertise. its above-average (in terms of
where appropriate,
for individuals
Human rights
with disabilities.
Some companies adopted a
stakeholder approach to human
rights, which allows them to
develop policies that are aligned
with the needs of employees,
suppliers, customers, trade unions
and human rights activists. For
example, BT (Box 9) reported that
they sought advice from external
organisations, including law
firms and non-profit, human
rights consultancies,
to ensure human
rights policies were
being implemented
45
Evidence of companies than others is that CSR showed a incidents or excluding
addressing inadequacies in decline in reporting of 16%. In an specific details from
attempt to explain this decrease the reports; moreover,
HC reporting we looked at potential other there were also cases
The findings have shown that avenues that companies might where firms did not
FTSE 100 companies are attaching use to report upon CSR activities. report HC events at all. It
more importance to HC issues, One possible explanation for this can only be concluded that some
and our findings would suggest decrease is linked to the fact that organisations were avoiding
that although there is a variety some organisations appear to reporting HC risk incidents that
of ways of communicating publish a separate CSR report appeared in the media so as
with stakeholders, the annual on their website in addition to to minimise the impact of the
report is still clearly viewed as written sections within the annual events on the firm’s corporate
a vital document. Given the reports. Moreover, the number reputation and share price and
headline figures shown above, it doing this could be greater as to avoid deterring potential
would seem that the FTSE 100 some firms may not have reported investors who may closely
companies are addressing the the existence of the separate analyse the annual reports.
inadequacies that several authors document in their annual reports.
have voiced regarding the content More specifically, when we Increasing relevance of
of annual reports. For example, performed a more in-depth HC reporting to potential
as far back as 1999, Pijper argued analysis of general categories we employees
that ‘accounts leave the reader found that there were noticeable
with many important unanswered increases in reporting surrounding During the analysis stage of the
questions, and it is clear that in the area of human rights (an research it was clear that the
the future companies will have to overall increase across the financial statements still form a
pay more attention to the narrative companies of 127%). This is one significant part of the content
side of the annual report in order of the elements which can clearly of the reports, which underlines
to ensure that it complements and be linked to the amendment their importance for the variety of
explains the numbers’ (p75). in the FRC legislation, while stakeholders, including customers,
other increases such as those in suppliers and lenders, who use
Increasing recognition of diversity reporting (29%) and them. However, it could also be
FRC Guidelines equality (34%) could also be argued that potential employees
linked to other guidance, such as may also use the annual reports
From our analysis it is clear the Davies Report (2011), which as part of their data-gathering
that the majority of FTSE 100 recommended increasing the process before deciding which
companies are doing more than number of female board members, companies and positions to apply
simply fulfilling their statutory and the various UK Corporate for. Clearly, such stakeholders will
duties in terms of reporting. It is Governance Codes (see Tricker be interested in the HC indicators
also apparent that companies are 2015) which have advocated highlighted in the reports and
conscious of FRC (2014) guidance increased narrative reporting. companies should make the most
and corporate governance codes of this to highlight particular
that are drawn up by major Predominance of positive issues. For example, if the HRD
institutional investors (Tricker category is highlighted, given
HC reporting prospective employees’ likely
2015). These codes often include
requirements for companies to Based upon the media analysis, interest in employability issues, it is
have enhanced communication as a key finding is that companies, not surprising that in this research
well as more effective relationships perhaps unsurprisingly, tend to we found large increases over the
with their employees, suppliers use their reports to highlight period in relation to key terms
and customers, and to behave positive features and initiatives, such as talent management (42%),
ethically with regards to the and are less forthcoming about internship opportunities (39%)
environment and society as a negative incidents. However, and career development (38%).
whole. Although the general when we delved into this issue Relatedly, given the motivations
category of employee welfare more deeply by analysing media of other key stakeholders, it is not
showed the lowest overall increase reports over the period, it is surprising that certain key terms
in terms of reporting (6%), some clear that the majority of HC risk within the KSA category, such as
key terms relating to aspects such items were reported, or at least innovation (41%), entrepreneurship
as ethics (22%) and employee partially reported. On the other (26%) and flexibility (20%), saw
well-being (21%) did increase hand, there were clear instances increases in reporting references
substantially. A finding that where firms were acting in an over the two time periods.
perhaps explains why reporting opportunistic manner and not
in this category increased less reporting the full extent of
46
Evidence of inconsistencies Talent framework. In summary, One further benefit of conducting
in HC reporting therefore, the progress noted in a media search, which was not
this report is certainly a step in outlined earlier, is that it allows
In line with previous research the right direction and companies for the identification of HC items
by the Valuing your Talent should be encouraged to continue that the annual reports may have
programme, there is a lack of enhancing their HC reporting. ignored, such as the impact of new
consistency in the way HC is technology on HC (for example
reported, and no company had a Areas for further research flexibility, safety, redeployment,
single, common approach. Some redundancy). In other words,
companies provided sparse levels This research has provided some the media search ‘completes
of reporting of HC; for example, important insights into the HC the picture’ in terms of HC
NEXT gave little attention to reporting practices of FTSE 100 reporting. Therefore, in terms of
HC items in their reporting, and companies, and in particular, has future research, additional media
there were instances of subjective identified instances of excellence outlets such as XpertHR could be
qualitative data, which also in HC reporting. The research has examined as this website provides
reflects the inconsistent approach also highlighted inconsistencies information on cases brought
of companies reporting HC. and weaknesses in HC reporting. before employment tribunals. Such
Although some companies were Further research is required to cases can highlight issues which
including metrics to report on enhance our understanding of are not reported in traditional
HC items, there were instances why there are inconsistencies media outlets. Furthermore, the
of other companies providing in HC reporting across different media search could be useful in
little or no HC items. Indeed, we companies. Therefore, in-depth conducting quantitative event
found little evidence of companies case study analysis of FTSE studies, that is, looking at the
adhering to the following 100 companies that are both impact of HC incidents reported in
philosophy of HC reporting: strong and weak in HC reporting the media on share price.
should be undertaken to identify
‘Organisations should report a enablers and barriers to effective
narrative with some common Acknowledgements
HC reporting. A further strand
underlying metrics that gives should also involve interviewing This research was conducted by
insight on the makeup of users of reports, such as investors, Dr Martin McCracken, Professor
the current organisation and to appreciate which data is Ronan McIvor and Mr Tony Wall of
workforce (headcount and considered material, and the way Ulster University Business School.
demographic type data, labour in which HC data is being used to The research team would also
costs), how it is changing (for inform investment decisions. like to thank Dr Raymond Treacy
example, recruitment, retention for his contribution in relation to
rates), how it is developing The research here also highlights
annual report analysis.
(for example, investments in differences across sectors in HC
training, progression rates), and reporting, and differing levels of
some insight on the cultural and emphasis across certain HC items.
organisational dynamic which Further research should therefore
engagement can be an indicator seek to better understand the
of’ (Hesketh 2014). reasons for differences in HC
reporting across sectors.
The findings have clearly shown Applying the Valuing
that there is a need for a common your Talent framework
approach to HC reporting, with as a template for
companies using the same terms HC reporting via
to describe the same issue. an action research
However, this does not mean approach would
that they should all use the same allow the framework
wording or take a ‘boilerplate’ to be adapted
approach to HC reporting. The and improved
Valuing your Talent framework for application
(CIPD 2016b) is a useful basis for in a range of
HC reporting and the framework organisational
employed in this research was settings.
developed from it. Moreover,
the findings have shown that
companies are reporting many
of the elements and metrics that
are included in the Valuing your
47
References
BASSI, L., CREELMAN, D. and DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND NYBERG, A.J. and WRIGHT, P.M.
LAMBERT, A. (2015) Advancing INDUSTRY. (2003a) Accounting (2015) 50 years of human capital
the HR profession: consistent for people – report of the research: assessing what we know,
standards in reporting sustainable Task Force on Human Capital exploring where we go. Academy
human capital outcomes. People- Management. London: DTI. of Management Perspectives.
Strategy Journal. Vol 38, No 2. Vol 29, No 3. pp287–95.
DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND
pp71–5.
INDUSTRY. (2003b) Accounting OFFICE FOR NATIONAL
BECKER, G. (1993) Human for people – a consultation paper. STATISTICS. (2016) Labour market
capital: a theoretical and empirical London: DTI. statistics, February 2016. London:
analysis with special reference ONS. Available at: http://www.ons.
DE SILVA, T.A., STRATFORD, M.
to education. 3rd ed. Chicago: gov.uk/ons/rel/lms/labour-market-
and CLARK, M. (2014) Intellectual
University of Chicago Press. statistics/february-2016/index.html
capital reporting: a longitudinal
[Accessed 12 April 2016].
BERNSTEIN, A. and BEEFERMAN, study of New Zealand companies.
L. (2015) The materiality of human Journal of Intellectual Capital. Vol PIJPER, T. (1999) More questions
capital to corporate financial 15, No 1. pp157–72. than answers. Accountancy.
performance. Boston: Harvard Vol 123, No 1266. p75.
FINANCIAL REPORTING
University Press.
COUNCIL. (2014) Guidance on the ROWBOTTOM, N. and
CAMPBELL, D. and SLACK, strategic report. London: FRC. SCHROEDER, M.A.S. (2014)
R. (2008) Narrative reporting: The rise and fall of the UK
FLAMHOLTZ, E.G. (1972) Toward a
analysts’ perceptions of its value operating and financial
theory of human resource value in
and relevance. Research Report review’. Accounting, Auditing &
formal organisations. Accounting
104. London: ACCA. Accountability Journal. Vol 27, No
Review. Vol 47, No 4. pp666–78.
4. pp655–85.
CHARTERED INSTITUTE
GRAY, R., KOUHY, R. and LAVERS,
OF PERSONNEL AND SEETHARAMAN, A., BIN ZAINI
S. (1995) Methodological themes:
DEVELOPMENT. (2015) From best SOORIA, H.H. and SARAVANAN,
constructing a research database
to good practice HR: developing A.S. (2002) Intellectual capital
of social and environmental
principles for the profession. accounting and reporting in the
reporting by UK companies.
London: CIPD. Available at: http:// knowledge economy. Journal of
Accounting, Auditing and
www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/ Intellectual Capital. Vol 3, No 2.
Accountability Journal. Vol 8,
research/best-good-practice-hr- pp128–48.
No 2. pp78–101.
developing-principles-profession.
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
aspx# [Accessed 17 May 2016]. HESKETH, A. (2014) Managing
INSIGHT. (2013) Resource based
the value of your talent: a new
CHARTERED INSTITUTE view. Available at: https://www.
framework for human capital
OF PERSONNEL AND strategicmanagementinsight.com/
measurement. Research report.
DEVELOPMENT. (2016a) topics/resource-based-view.html
London: CIPD. Available at: www.
Labour market outlook: views [Accessed 12 April 2016].
valuingyourtalent.com [Accessed
from employers, winter 2015–16.
12 April 2016]. TRICKER, B. (2015) Corporate
London: CIPD. Available at:
governance: principles, policies
http://www.cipd.co.uk/binaries/ INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTING
and practices. 3rd ed. Oxford:
labour-market-outlook_2016- STANDARDS BOARD. (2010) The
Oxford University Press.
winter-2015-16.pdf [Accessed conceptual framework for financial
13 May 2016]. reporting. London: IASB. WALL, A.P., KIRK R.J. and
MARTIN, G. (2003) Intellectual
CHARTERED INSTITUTE MOLLOY, J.C. and BARNEY, J.B.
capital: measuring the
OF PERSONNEL AND (2015) Who captures the value
immeasurable. Oxford: Elsevier.
DEVELOPMENT. (2016b) created with human capital? A
The valuing your talent framework. market-based view. Academy of WHITING, R.H. and MILLER, J.C.
London: CIPD. Available at: Management Perspectives. Vol 29, (2008) Voluntary disclosure of
https://www.valuingyourtalent. No 3. pp309–25. intellectual capital in New Zealand
com/framework [Accessed annual reports and the ‘hidden
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
12 April 2016]. value’. Journal of Human Resource
PENSION FUNDS. (2015) Where
Costing & Accounting. Vol 12,
DAVIES, E.M. (2011) Women on is the workforce in corporate
No 1. pp26–50.
boards. London: Department for reporting? London: NAPF.
Business, Innovation and Skills.
48
Appendix 1: Sector analysis findings
Knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) -20 Knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA)
Human resource development (HRD) Human resource development (HRD)
Knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA)
Employee welfare Employee welfare
Human resource development (HRD)
Employee equity Employee equity
Employee welfare
Workforce risk Workforce risk
Employee equity
Workforce risk
Knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) Knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) Knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA)
Human resource development (HRD) Human resource development (HRD) Human resource development (HRD)
Employee welfare Employee welfare Employee welfare
Employee equity Employee equity Employee equity
Workforce risk Workforce risk Workforce risk
49
Appendix (continued)
Figure 40
Transport: change across
HC categories (%)
80
70 62
60
50
40
40 31
30
20 15
10
-21
0
-10
-20
-30
50
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
151 The Broadway London SW19 1JQ United Kingdom
T +44 (0)20 8612 6200 F +44 (0)20 8612 6201
E cipd@cipd.co.uk W cipd.co.uk
Incorporated by Royal Charter
Registered as a charity in England and Wales (1079797) and Scotland (SC045154)
Issued: May 2016 Reference: 7187 © CIPD 2016