Environment

Imerys
news
YOUR INTERNAL COMMUNICATION MAGAZINE
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
CHALLENGE
#
24
SPECIAL ISSUE
Editorial
CONTINUOUS
IMPROVEMENT
GOAL
O
ur growth strategy demands excellence in sustainable development.
Customers, employees, communities, shareholders and observers who
comment on Imerys’ activity are increasingly attentive to our industrial units’
integration into their environment, how we manage
our resources and the values carried by our people.
Today it’s impossible to carry out a
mining activity without demonstra“Our sustainable
ting compliance with the highest
development
environmental standards. Keeping
effort is structured
up the best possible relations with
by a three-year
the inhabitants of villages or cities
plan that is
near our plants is also essential.
implemented
through yearly
objectives”
Our sustainable development
effort is structured by a three-year
plan that is implemented through
annually reviewed yearly objectives. In 2013, continuous improvement goals remain
and new initiatives are emerging.
Safety remains the absolute priority with a frequency
target of 1.3 compared with 1.51 in 2012.
As regards the environment, the emphasis is
on water management. Our plants and quarries
in areas where water is scarce are tasked with
drawing up a plan for efficient use of the resource.
We are also keeping up our efforts to save energy
and reduce our carbon footprint. Specific efforts are
focuses on the mines and quarries that consume
most energy.
The internal implementation of our anti-corruption
policy involves paying special attention to intermediaries and offering self-assessment systems
and training.
Finally, we are taking more and more active steps
to make sure suppliers are compliant on child labor
issues in at-risk zones.
On the ground, in a particularly harsh economic
context, our line managers are putting a great
deal of time and energy into carrying out these
actions, while making every effort to keep costs
down. This is what it takes to ensure the success
of our sustainable development programs - thanks
to all our teams.
Thierry Salmona
Vice President, Innovation,
Research & Technology, Business Support
Contents
Imerys China Sustainable Development Committee, Special Award
The 60 initiatives in competition
The eight 2012 winners
Special Issue
Imerys
news
#24
2 Imerys News Special issue
page 4
pages 5 to 7
pages 8 to 11
Imerys News is a publication of the Imerys Group. 154 rue de l’Université-F-75007 Paris. Tel. : +33 (0)1 4955 6300 –
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ISNN: 1624-446X. Imerys is a French limited liability company
Dominique Lecuivre. Design and production:
(société anonyme) – Share capital €150 737 092 - Trade register RCS Paris B 562 008 151.
The Corporate Communication Department thanks the Group’s correspondents who have contributed to this issue.
Sustainable Development
Objectives and Performances
2012 Performances
2013 Objectives
Governance
& Ethics
• Update the general compliance program for the Group,
incorporating the latest recommendations, particularly
with respect to preventing fraud and corruption. Achieved
• Establish an annual audit to check compliance of one
activity’s trade and competition practices. Partly achieved
• Update the Group’s compliance program on anticompetitive trade practices.
• Broaden communication and awareness-raising on the
Group’s Code of Business Ethics and Conduct among
its personnel.
• Increase the number of women on Imerys’ Board of
Directors to at least 20%.
• Implement the Group’s new anti-corruption program.
Purchasing
• Launch self-appraisal of suppliers on child labor prevention
on a scope representing 15% of spend. Achieved
• Audit five suppliers in zones identified as sensitive.
Achieved
• Confirmation by suppliers accounting for more than 10%
of a given activity’s purchases and operating plants in
sensitive countries(1) that they comply with the ILO(2)
convention on child labor.
Environment
• Define an Environmental Management System (EMS) audit
process and audit 5% of Group operations. Achieved
• Define a biodiversity action plan for 10% of operations
located in sensitive zones in terms of biodiversity.
Achieved
• Draw up an energy action plan for five of the 15 highest
energy-consuming mining operations. Partly achieved
• Define an overall thermal efficiency indicator as a key
process monitoring indicator. Achieved
• Efficient water resource utilization plan set up at Group
operations in water stress zones(3).
• Auditing of the Environmental Management System (EMS)
at 15 operations.
• Energy and CO2 emissions efficiency: significant improvement plan and related monitoring indicators.
• Biodiversity action plan set up at 12% of operations located
in areas of high biodiversity value.
• Implementation of action plans defined for selected mining
operations among the Group’s highest energy consumers
and monitoring of progress.
Innovation
• Estimate the carbon footprint of three new products.
Achieved
• Assess the recyclability of some minerals. Achieved
• Introduce at least 1 product or process with a recycling
benefit.
• Environmentally friendly products & processes: 5 per year.
Safety
• Reduce the LTA Rate (1) for employees and contractors
to below 1.6. Achieved
• Define and collect an occupational disease monitoring
indicator. Achieved
• Add a new tracking criterion to the self-appraisal program
on the Group’s Serious Six Critical Protocols(2). Achieved
• Site managers to take part in a Safety University within
12 months following their appointment. Achieved
• LTA Rate Goal of 1.3 for contractors & employees.
• Monthly Self-Auditing on Serious Six Protocols:
1 additional criterion.
Human
Resources
• Gradually roll out recommendations on the prevention of
unsuitable working hours (management information and
regular audits). Achieved
• Create an indicator on the number of employees benefiting
from death coverage for any cause. Achieved
• Carry out at least one training initiative on basic skills
for the least qualified personnel in five additional activities.
Partly achieved
• Draw up a semi-annual report on diversity in order to
measure the progress made and to be achieved.
Achieved
• Set up a significant initiative to raise employee awareness
of disability issues. Achieved
• Diversity Country plans in at least 5 countries.
• Lead at least one new training initiative linked to safety
for least-skilled workforce in 10 activities.
• Continue to analyze the existence and adequacy of life
coverage and improve the benefits proposed in at least
2 new countries.
Communities
• Deploy the Community Relations protocol in the most
sensitive 20% of operations on the subject in each activity.
Achieved
• Community Relations protocol set up and formalized
in 30% of the sites in each activity.
2012 - (1) LTA Rate: (number of lost-time accidents x 1,000,000) / number of hours worked. (2) These protocols cover the activities with most significant risks in mining operations.
2013 - (1) As per FTSE4Good definition. (2) International Labor Organization. (3) The Water Stress Index is the standard indicator for the Global Water Tool, defined by the University of New Hampshire (2000).
The index counts the population located in a defined geographic zone for which the ratio between water demand by the industrial, agricultural and household sectors and water availability is above a certain
threshold, above which the zone is under “water stress”.
Imerys News Special issue
3
Special award
Jury salutes Chinese
COORDINATED SD APPROACH
Entering the Challenge for the first
time, the brand new China Sustainable
Development Committee gave its
projects a coordinated presentation.
The jury recognized that collective
spirit with its special award.
T
he committee was formed in 2012 with the aim of
coordinating actions in China, where the Group
has around 20 operations in different regions.
Country Director Éric Borne* explains, “With India
and Brazil, China is one of three regions that have
an Imerys country organization. It made sense to
define and implement sustainable development programs
through a common approach with all divisions. Setting up
the committee will allow us to promote the Group’s culture
and values on all our sites.” Juliette Shi, HR Director, added,
“The committee has 12 members, 3 permanent members from
Executive Management and 9 operations representatives who
rotate annually. It analyzes the different sites’ priority needs
through regular conference calls. In this way we can take
one-off actions as well as organize cross-division projects.”
* Who has recently moved within the High Resistance Minerals business group
4 Imerys News Special issue
First three actions under way
• Building a reliable Internet connection to connect the Yilong
andalusite deposit in remote XinJiang province with the rest
of the world;
• Increasing primary school children awareness of safety to
raise awareness among parents working in the Fused Minerals
activity;
• Strengthening relations between the PFM business group and
local authorities through socially responsible initiatives.
We’ll report back on the results later in 2013.
The 60 initiatives
in competition
PROJECT
COUNTRY
PERIMETER*
CONTACT
Wetland ecosystem preservation close to a quarry
France
CRAF - Minerals for
Refractories - Andalusite
Laure Fontaine, Armand Dubus
Sponsorship Program for the Lluta River Wetland
Chile
PFM - PFM South America
Clara Segon
UK
CRAF - Minerals for
Ceramics
Stuart Knott, John Vine
Rare species’ transfer and conservation at Ste Foy pit
France
M&M - Clay Roof Tiles & Bricks
Eric Perrier
Home among the gum trees
Australia
PP - PP Asia Pacific
Brad Haywood, Melinda DeJong
Promoting bird life within industrial & urban areas
India
PP - PP Asia Pacific
Dhananjay Chorge
Promoting and conserving rare tree species
India
PP - PP Asia Pacific
Prasanna Karandikar
Raising awareness in biodiversity at PP Asia Pacific
Taiwan, Malaysia,
PP - PP Asia Pacific
Vietnam
Robin Lynn, Lee Wee Keng, Mike Zhu
Reduction of energy consumption by recovering
hot air from tunnel kiln
Spain
M&M - Kiln Furniture
Carlos Lorenzo
Load management program
UK
UK Hydrous Kaolin Platform
Steve Turpin
Reduction of energy consumption in Limeira’s plant
Brazil
PP - PP Latin America
Allan Eduardo
Kiln and tractor in Alicante
Spain
PFM - PFM Europe
Juan Bugueno
Floor drying at Sledge plant 2
USA
CRAF - Minerals for Ceramics
Donnie Cook
France
M&M - Clay Roof Tiles & Bricks
Maxime Coutouly
Photovoltaic roof at la Boissière
France
M&M - Clay Roof Tiles & Bricks
Sébastien Ancé
Electricity consumption decrease at St Geours
d’Auribat
France
M&M - Clay Roof Tiles & Bricks
Didier Monot
GCC media grinder power transmission (Gearboxes)
replacement program
Europe
PP - PP Europe
Nathan Guest, Gavin Jones
GCC energy efficient electric motors replacement
program
Europe
PP - PP Europe
Nathan Guest, Gavin Jones
Cleaner production with new tandem mill
Austria
PFM - PFM Talc Europe
Manfred Hangl
Kings Mountain streamlined
USA
PFM - NAPM
Peter Flynn
Tackling rising energy costs with environmentallyfriendly solutions
Sweden
MM - Monolithic Refractories
Jonas Norman
T-Series Talc: green product & industrial process
in Canada
Canada
PFM - PFM Talc NA
Joe Spano, Ross Byron, John Aoumer,
Dave Marek
Conservation of Bangpong forest water resource
Thailand
CRAF - Minerals for Ceramics
Pornsak Kaewthavorn, Narissara
Singkanipa, Tanwarat Oisawat
Optimizing water usage in fruit plantation
by drip Irrigation
India
PP - PP Asia Pacific
Prasanna Karandikar
ENVIRONMENT
Enhanced restoration of Arne pit Dorset
Use of biomass at Léguevin plant
1
1
* Referring to the 2012 previous Group organization
Imerys News Special issue
5
PURCHASING &
SUPPLY CHAIN
ENVIRONMENT
The 60 initiatives
in competition
PROJECT
COUNTRY
PERIMETER*
CONTACT
Reduction of calcite (GCC) loss in Bras Cubas plant
Brazil
PP - PP Latin America
Rogério Miranda
Zero reject from Beverley site
UK
PFM - PFM Europe
Steve Smith, Tim sharp
Selling carbonate waste
France
PFM - PFM Europe
Luc Lallier
Reducing waste through innovative development
of high-value hydrated Lime
Mexico
PFM - NAPM
Miguel A Vargas
Talc sorting optimization
France
PFM - PFM Talc Europe
Julien Conté
Safety charter for hauliers
Europe
PP - PP Europe
Patrice Le Bouedec
Support plan against flood consequences
Thailand
M&M - Kiln Furniture
Phanpimon Teawsirikamchorn
The Forgotten Haven: a proper and safe playground
for the aborigine’s children
Malaysia
PFM - PFM Asia Pac
Ng Kee Hong
Imerys Clay Country Marathon
UK
UK Hydrous Kaolin Platform
Chris Varcoe
“Raw minerals & biodiversity”: a school initiative
Austria
PFM - PFM Talc Europe
Michaela Lohr
Charges Minérales du Périgord eco-days
France
PP - PP Europe
Pierre Dessales
USA
PFM - NAFM
John McFarlain, Sara Wallon, Janell
Garcia, Rassandra Cody, Bruce Coggin,
Kim Andrade, Robert Rees
Imerys Australia: part of the community
Australia
PP - PP Asia Pacific
Garry Matthews, Shawne Dummett,
Neil Park
Imerys Minerals Malaysia Safety Day
Malaysia
PP - PP Asia Pacific
Neethia Raj Munisamy
“Swavlambhan”: sewing machines for disadvantaged
females
India
PP - PP Asia Pacific
Gavendra Sharma
Casa Imerys: education and training
of local populations
Brazil
PP - PP Capim
Lorenda Raìol
PP North America community relations program
USA
PP - PP North America
Laura Hollie Mock
Inspiring a green generation
China
Country China for PFM AP
Juliette Shi, Pearson He
Safety sense starting from hope stars
China
Country China for Fused Minerals
Juliette Shi, Pearson He
COMMUNITY
Lompoc community relations program
* Referring to the 2012 previous Group organization
6 Imerys News Special issue
1
1
COMMUNITY
Partnering with community leaders to enhance
economic development & educational opportunities
USA
PFM - NAPM
Mark Vincent
DST teachers’ minerals education workshop
USA
PFM - PFM Talc NA
Jade Stokke
Passport to better health and wellness
Canada
PFM - PFM Talc NA
Jamie McNicol, Penny Loyer, C. Thauvette,
David Vodusek
Main Sponsor of Purbeck Art Weeks 2011
UK
CRAF - Minerals for Ceramics
Stuart Knott, John Vine
Hungary
M&M - Kiln Furniture
Sandor Barna
Development of automotive bumper made with talc
reinforced 100% recycled polypropylene
Europe
PFM - PFM Talc Europe
Caroline Abler, Jérôme Crepin-Leblond
High Value-Added Product Innovation –
Contract Packaging
USA
PFM - NAPM
Rob Ott
Environmentally friendly clay plasters
UK & France
PFM - PFM Europe
Ben Newman, Anabelle Legrix
QD™ black castables for increased safety in hot
repair applications
Global
MM - Monolithic Refractories
Jérôme Soudier, Nicolas Duvauchelle
Brazil
PP - PP Capim & PP North
America
Rafael Navazo, Marcos Moreira,
Jim Murberger, Bob Pruett
Dry electrostatic beneficiation of Vermont talc ore
USA
PFM - PFM Talc NA
Mike Wold
Reducing our environmental impact through
innovation: developing a new screen design for use
in wet grinding
USA
PFM - NAPM
Mike Dewberry, David McDaniel,
VanTrang Ngo
Dispersible talc
USA
PFM - PFM Talc NA
Dennis Lester
Fighting illiteracy to connect with the modern
& real world
China
Country China for Refractories
Juliette Shi, Pearson He, Crystelle Zhou
France
CRAF - Minerals for Ceramics
Françoise Demanche, Ghislaine
Rouderon, Betty Bidolet
Argentina
PFM - PFM South America
Clara Segon
France
Corporate - Paris
Clio Lewandowski, Valérie Chataud
INNOVATION
Kiln Furniture’s competitive advantage
through innovation in materials and design
1
1
1
HUMAN RESOURCES
Product recovery from kaolin tailings
“Cap sur l'avenir”: basic skills
development
1
Cultural & occupational exchange program between
the mine and the plant's employees
Disability at work: awareness campaign
1
1
Imerys News Special issue
7
Environment
BIODIVERSITY
• COUNTRY: UK
• BUSINESS: Minerals for Ceramics
• CONTACT: Stuart Knott, John Vine
A wildlife
PARADISE
With its fish-filled lagoon soon to be lined with thousands of
oaks, the new face of Arne clay pit in Dorset, UK is attracting
birds and inspiring ecologists.
simple restoration was all that was planned at
first. The pit, operated until 2008, was due to
be turned into a soft water pond the following
year. But the site on the Arne peninsula overlooking Poole Harbour is close to a nature reserve.
So several environmental groups came knocking on
Imerys’ door.
Local representatives of Natural England first explained
that other soft water lakes in the region had been
invaded by a grass from New Zealand that is harmful
to biodiversity. As the plant doesn’t like brackish water,
they suggested replacing the pond with a lagoon
connected to the nearby sea. The Royal Society for
A
ENERGY
• COUNTRY: France
• BUSINESS: Clay Roof Tiles & Bricks
• CONTACT: Maxime Coutouly
Drying and firing
BY WOOD
In Léguevin, France,
Imerys Terre Cuite is switching
to biomass to reduce
its carbon footprint.
U
nder its Sustainable Development policy,
Imer ys Terre Cuite asks its production
units to limit their greenhouse gas emissions by reducing dependency on fossil
fuels. The Léguevin roof tile works in South-West
France came up with an effective solution. Taking
advantage of its location next to the vast Landes de
Gascogne forest, the unit set up a biomass project.
Thanks to the new facility, built in 2012, “40% of
the energy needed to fire our roof tiles comes from
dry sawdust combustion. The tiles are dried using
8 Imerys News Special issue
the Protection of Birds (RSPB) put forward the creation of habitats for nesting sea birds. The county’s
ecologist added that planting an oak wood would
give the location’s biodiversity a boost.
Site manager Stuart Knot and IML Mineral Planning
Manager John Vine took all those arguments very seriously.
“We were under no legal obligation to change our plan.
But the proposals were relevant and we thought it was
important to listen to them. The hardest thing was getting
everyone to agree. Between negotiations, obtaining authorizations to dig a canal, revising the plan and implementing
it, it took us two years.” But walking around the site today,
who’d believe it used to be an industrial operation?
a hot air generator that runs on wood particles.”
explains operations manager Maxime Coutouly.
This is the first time that biomass has been used
in this way and on such a large scale to fire roof
tiles on refractory kiln furniture. The Léguevin facilities’ performance shows that with local access
to sufficient quantities of biomass, economic and
environmental improvements can go hand in hand.
“As well as releasing 5,000 less tons of CO 2 into the
air, we’ve become more energy independent. If gas
prices rise tomorrow, which is likely, we’ll hardly be
affected,” mentions Clay Roof Tiles & Bricks division
industrial manager Christian Ravaud. The investment
will be written off over a short period depending on
fossil fuel prices evolution. The benefits for the plan,
the local wood industry and Imerys Terre Cuite’s
image are immediate.
Community
EDUCATION
Good
• COUNTRY: Brazil
• BUSINESS: Pigments
for Paper & Packaging
• CONTACT: Lorenda Raiol
NEIGHBORS
When neighbors help each other out,
the community grows. “Casa Imerys”
(Imerys House) in Vila do Conde was
built on this sound idea.
T
his typical village house in Pará state, surrounded by
tropical flowers and fruit trees, stood unoccupied. Imerys
has several bases in the region at Barcarena and Ipixuna.
The Group is heavily involved in community action and was
looking for a venue to centralize its services. After some renovation
work, “Casa Imerys” opened on January 30, 2012. Imerys RCC’s
communications team reinvented the company’s relationship with
the local community. “Casa Imerys” can host a lot of people and
Imerys is in touch with local reality every day. So the company
can offer social activities that really meet the population’s needs.
When the remote industrial firm becomes a neighbor like any other,
relations with the population are radically different. The spirit of sharing lives in “Casa Imerys”. The center has a classroom for training,
a workshop for crafts, a library and computer and video equipment.
It’s incredible how little time it took for inhabitants to start walking
in freely, in a friendly atmosphere of dialog.
From IT to electricity lessons and craft workshops using recycling
materials, “Casa Imerys” is a valued educational center from Mondays
to Thursdays. Friday is Project Day – an opportunity for anyone to
contribute an idea. Finally, here’s an interesting fact: since Imerys
has been in Vila do Conde it has increased its community actions
yet expenses have fallen 25%.
ENGAGEMENT
“California DREAMING”
• COUNTRY: USA
• BUSINESS: Minerals for
Filtration North America
• CONTACT: Robert Rees
The NAFM* division is challenging
assumptions by letting employees spend
work time on community projects.
L
ompoc, California, goes by the appealing nickname “City of arts and flowers”.
The Santa Barbara County town had its moment of glory in the 1980s.
Thousands of fans came to the US Air Force’s Vandenberg air base to see
the Challenger space shuttle. Then the star took off for Cape Canaveral and
the local economy ran out of steam. There was still heavy industry but its image just
wasn’t the same anymore. To put a shine back on the world’s largest marine diatomite
deposit, Imerys stepped up its local community relations. In 2010 a vast support
program for the underprivileged, particularly children, began in cooperation with
the city’s social services and various associations. That support isn’t only financial,
as Operation Director and team spokesman John McFarlain explains. “A $25,000
annual contribution is significant. This level of monetary funding allows us to leverage
donations to support laptops for schools, provide for a matching funds donation to
sponsor the 4th of July fireworks and support local food banks… But above all it’s
the employee volunteer program which makes the difference.” It’s a unique system
which encourages employees to take hours out of their work time for voluntary work.
“Five years ago we weren’t too popular with the press. Now whenever the Lompoc
Record mentions Imerys it’s full of praise!” states Robert Rees who has coordinated
the Lompoc Community Relations program.
* Minerals for Filtration North America Division
Imerys News Special issue
9
Innovation
INNOVATION PRODUCTS
TO CUT
• COUNTRY: Hungary
• BUSINESS: Kiln Furniture
• CONTACT: Sandor Barna
energy bills
Engineers at Imerys Kiln Furniture Hungary realized that helping
customers cut their energy bills would boost the unit’s kiln
furniture sales.
W
know-how enables customers to place up to 15%
more products in the kiln,” adds Sandor Barna, the
manager of the Hungarian plant. So they can increase
their production and reduce their carbon footprint at
the same time.
Yet in 2007 the teams in Hódmezvásárhely began to
turn that trend around. By working on the design of their
kiln furniture and developing lightweight formulations,
they cut the energy needed to fire their customers’
products by around 8%. “In the right conditions, our
This advantage soon resulted in business success.
Demand doesn’t stop growing and the unit keeps
innovating, with no fewer than six patents since 2009
and applications in six other European countries as
well as Hungary. These innovations were welcomed
at Munich’s Ceramitec fair in May 2012, proving that
IKF is as attentive to its customers’ expectations as it
is to the environment.
hat’s the connection between a roof tile,
a porcelain plate and a sparkplug? All
three are fired at very high temperatures
on appropriate kiln furniture. So, ceramic
makers’ kilns need great amounts of fossil energy. And the
more they produce, the more C02 they give off. Looking
at it that way, it’s hard to see how these industries can
be reconciled with sustainable development.
INNOVATION PRODUCTS
• COUNTRY: USA
• BUSINESS: Pigments for Paper & Packaging
• CONTACT: Rob Ott
FROM KILOS to gallons
What’s the point of using energy to dry out a product that’s used
in liquid form? Putting it straight into jugs makes more sense.
merys’ Baltimore, Maryland plant makes
a calcium carbonate that’s a big hit with the plastics industry. The ore has always been purified,
ground and then dried to form high value-added,
very fine powders like Camel Cal™. This 100% natural
product caught the eye of an agricultural products
manufacturer because of it’s excellent sun screening
characteristics with no health risks. During a visit
to the Baltimore Plant, the manufacturer told the
plant that the carbonate was sent to a third party
compounder where it was reslurried and packaged
into jugs and distributed to fruit growers to spray on
their crops. To make things easier for the customer
I
10 Imerys News Special issue
and carry out an excellent sustainable development
action at the same time, the Baltimore plant had a
brilliant idea: produce and deliver the finished product
in ready-to-spray liquid form.
This simple switch from tons to gallons cuts out conversion stages, simplifies inventory management for the
customer and reduces energy use and CO2 emissions by
over 70%. “It’s the first time in the USA that Imerys has
created value by acting on a customer’s’ supply chain.
The results are spectacular in terms of both sales and
the environment,” comments plant manager Rob Ott.
The minimal investment has delivered immediate benefits.
Human resources
FOCUS
on the future
The Minerals for Ceramics
division overcame taboos
to expand its basic work
skills program.
I
merys Ceramics France’s Human Resources team
decided to set up its first training program for basic
work skills on the Quartz de Dordogne site in 2008.
Two years later, the Quartz & Sables du Lot unit
followed suit.
In 2012 the HR team suggested extending the process
across all of the division’s French units and obtained the necessary funding from government and
regional organizations. The program’s goals are to
help employees grasp their daily mission better and
prepare any workers who wish for career development
in the division. “We drew up a general diagnosis for
more than 150 people. Then we adjusted training to
each individual’s level” explains Betty Bidolet, France
DIVERSITY
• COUNTRY: France
• BUSINESS: Corporate
• CONTACT: Valérie Chataud
HR Manager for the Division. Six of the
11 French units have signed up so far.
“We had to be persistent and persuasive
to get there, but luckily we were extremely
motivated,” acknowledge both Françoise
Demanche and Ghislaine Rouderon,
who facilitated the project on the Human
Resources team.
BASIC SKILLS
• COUNTRY: France
• BUSINESS: Minerals for
Ceramics
• CONTACT: Betty Bidolet
In addition to the “reading, writing and arithmetic”
modules, the program now includes an “IT discovery”
component that keeps trainees motivated over the long
term. The “Focus on the Future” program also fosters
internal cohesiveness as it brings together employees
of all ages and from all of the company’s professions.
THE ART OF BEING
HANDI-CAPABLE
Imerys took the creative approach
to kick-start its disabled employee
integration plan.
year after signing its Diversity Charter, Imerys took a practical initiative with
a new program to make the Group’s head office a handi-capable workplace.
Valérie Chataud, corporate HR manager in Paris, outlines the goals. “While
most of us are favorable to the idea of recruiting people with disabilities, the
reality doesn’t always reflect that open-mindedness. We identified several areas of
improvement. For example, internally we need to overcome stereotypes and externally
we have to communicate on the many opportunities open to talented disabled people.”
A
The program kicked off in June 2012 with an event for all employees at the Rue de
l’Université offices. “We invited them to create a sculpture from Imerys minerals, working collectively under the supervision of two blind artists.” This original idea, designed
with the support of LCL Conseil consultants and the NGO Creative Handicap, attracted
150 participants. “Gilles Michel ended the day by reasserting the importance he placed
on the diversity and value that result from difference,” Valérie Chataud adds.
Buoyed by the event’s success, the Handicap plan is moving ahead with communication
campaigns targeting recruitment firms, training for head office HR staff and support for
employees wishing to declare a disability. It’s quite a program and will reach into 2014
and beyond.
Imerys News Special issue
11
Safety &
Health Charter
Safety and health are core values for all Imerys operations, regardless of where
an operation is located in the world or what role an employee or contractor
performs. Imerys establishes numerical goals and objectives to encourage
continual improvement of the safety culture, but we believe that safety is
primarily about people.
The operations at Imerys create Safety and Health programs appropriate to their local
situations. These programs are encompassed in an Imerys Safety and Health system that is
driven by the following principles:
Demonstrated leadership commitment;
Integration of safety and health in schedule, production and cost;
Identification and control of workplace hazards and elimination or reduction of workplace
risks;
Compliance and continual improvement through well-designed systems, training and
communication;
Accountability at all levels of the organization;
Employee and contractor training, competence and involvement;
Comprehensive management of incidents and sharing of lessons learned;
Realization that behavior and decisions are in many cases the root cause of incidents.
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We consider respect for Safety and Health standards to be a condition of employment at Imerys,
and we recognize that a proactive safety and health culture can only be developed in a partnership
between management, employees, contractors, visitors and the communities in which we
operate.
Gilles Michel, CEO
28 april 2011