Taking action on material impacts on own workforce

[S1-4]

The Śnieżka Group undertakes a number of activities to positively influence employees and manage potential negative impacts, risks and opportunities related to employment. These initiatives are a follow-up of the activities that implement the Sustainable Development Strategy and were defined during the double materiality assessment.

Additionally, the Śnieżka Group verifies their effectiveness based on the results of the eNPS survey and interviews with workers’ representatives.  Double materiality assessment confirmed the validity of the chosen directions.

[S1-16]

Actions to positively impact gender equality – equal pay – by keeping the Gender Pay Gap below the EU average

In its HR Policy, the Śnieżka Group is committed to building an effective and transparent remuneration policy. It implements this commitment by precisely defining the roles and responsibilities of individual departments and positions, which not only supports the expected process improvements but also provides a foundation for further development and motivational initiatives. The Group systematically evaluates positions, monitors salary levels relative to the market and analyses the salary gap, ensuring equality and competitiveness of the salaries offered. No end date has been set for the above-mentioned activities.

Remuneration metrics (pay gap and total remuneration) in the Śnieżka Group

 

2024 2023
The gender pay gap, defined as the difference in the average pay between female and male employees, expressed as a percentage of the average pay of male workers (taking into account the gross hourly pay level of all workers) -3.51% -11.27%
The annual total remuneration of the highest paid individual towards median annual total remuneration of all employees (excluding the highest paid individual) 16.51* 19.96*
*taking into account due bonus.

For comparative purposes, the data for 2023 have been recalculated since this indicator did not include the annual bonus due (the part of the bonus that had not been paid as of the date of publication of the report). The value in the Management Board’s Report on Activities for 2023 was 18.81.

The unadjusted pay gap was calculated as the percentage difference in average gross hourly pay level of female and male employees. The total annual gross remuneration was used for the calculation, covering all salary components, including variable elements such as bonuses, overtime, allowances and other financial benefits. The calculation covers all employees of the undertaking.

3.27%

adjusted pay gap for Śnieżka SA and Śnieżka ToC in 2024

The adjusted pay gap was calculated as a weighted average of the unadjusted pay gaps across job grades, with the absolute value of the gender pay gap used for each job grade. This approach allows for an assessment of the overall scale of pay gaps within an undertaking, regardless of which gender is better paid at a given job level. In this way, the indicator reflects the overall level of pay inequality, eliminating the effect of cancelling out positive and negative pay differences.

The calculations were made based on base salary since it is a key element of the undertaking’s remuneration policy and is not dependent on individual factors such as overtime, bonuses or allowances for working under specific conditions. Consequently, the result obtained reflects systemic pay differences resulting from the employer’s decisions, and not differences resulting from the professional activity of employees.

Activities related to the positive impact of the undertaking on employment security and stability

The Śnieżka Group ensures security and stability of employment on a continuous and indefinite basis, providing employees with transparent working conditions, clear goals and access to information on the direction of the undertaking’s development.

  • Ensuring transparency regarding the tasks and goals of the position.
  • Providing information on remuneration ranges at the stage of publishing a job advert.
  • Taking advantage of various recruitment tools in order to check if the candidate complies with position requirements and organizational culture.
  • Permanent forms of employment as the foundation of professional security. The Group employs 90.65% of people on indefinite-term agreements.  Fixed-term employees (9.00%) worked primarily in companies with production facilities. Agreements concluded for a trial period accounted for approximately 0.35% of all agreements.
  • Using various communication channels described in previous chapters to enable dialogue between management and employees.
  • Activities related to building awareness and understanding of the mission, vision, strategy and strategic goals and ensuring a cascade of strategic goals into team goals (8 out of 10 employees understand the Group Strategy, based on the eNPS survey results).
  • Training and development programs tailored to the current and future needs of the undertaking.
  • Systematic health and safety audits and monitoring of working conditions ensuring a safe professional environment.
  • Additional benefits supporting employees, including programs for young parents, flexible and hybrid work models.

Activities related to positive impact on employees by fostering work-life balance

  • Flexible working hours in all the Group companies – administrative employees whose scope of duties allows them to perform their tasks within a specified hourly range. This solution allows for a better adjustment of the work schedule to individual preferences.
  • Hybrid work model in all the Group companies – employees performing tasks whose tasks do not require a constant office work can benefit from the possibility of remote work two days a week.
  • Additional days off – in Polish companies, after using up their vacation leave, employees receive two additional days off, which helps them regenerate and maintain a work-life balance.
  • Support for young parents and mothers in Poland and Ukraine – in order to ensure a comfortable return to work, onboarding is carried out for mothers returning from maternity leave. In addition, a financial allowance for childcare is offered to mothers returning to work before the child turns 6 months.

[S1-15]

Employees taking and entitled to family leave in the Śnieżka Group

 

Total Women Men
Percentage of employees entitled to family leave 100% 100% 100%
Percentage of eligible employees who took advantage of family leave 4.90% 8.76% 2.91%

The data on parental leave comes from the HR and payroll systems operated by the companies. Reports covering absences of all employees in 2024 were generated from the above-mentioned systems, and maternity, parental and paternity leave were then filtered out from the reports.

Activities related to positive impact on employees by providing opportunities for internal promotion and development

Addressed to all employees, enables professional development through vertical or horizontal promotion, depending on the current recruitment processes. Participation in the programme provides an employee with the opportunity to take up a higher position or change their professional area, provided they meet certain criteria and successfully complete the recruitment process. Internal recruitment is conducted in all the Group companies.

Addressed to all employees, enables the development of competences by sharing knowledge and experience. It gives the opportunity to become an internal trainer, allowing experts in their fields to develop their training skills and support the development of other employees. Not only does the participation in the programme allow an employee to strengthen their expert position, but also to gain valuable experience in running training and building a culture of knowledge sharing in the undertaking.  The second edition was held in 2024, and the training areas were grouped into 4 categories: Business Tools, Business, Communication and Health Promotion/Wellbeing. The programme is implemented in the following companies: FFiL Śnieżka SA and Śnieżka ToC.

Aimed at all employees, enabling the development of competences in a selected area. The programme allows an employee to use 2 hours per month for any course, training, webinar or book reading, and all of these activities take place during working hours. The initiative supports a culture of continuous learning and gives employees space for professional and personal development. The activity is implemented in the following companies: FFiL Śnieżka SA and Śnieżka ToC.

The company provides inspiration through a corporate library and a dedicated educational platform containing a wide selection of educational business materials. Thanks to this, employees have constant access to the current knowledge and tools supporting their development and effectiveness. The corporate library operates in the following companies: FFiL Śnieżka SA and Śnieżka ToC. Educational platforms are available in the following companies: FFiL Śnieżka SA, Śnieżka ToC, Śnieżka-Ukraina and Poli-Farbe.

Every new employee at Śnieżka SA, Śnieżka ToC, Śnieżka-Ukraina and Poli-Farbe undergoes an onboarding process during the first two weeks of work. During this time, they learn about the rules of operation of the undertaking, receive equipment and tools necessary for their position, and access to the training platform with assigned training (including a system for reporting violations, anti-mobbing training, cybersecurity, product training, and others). The employee also attends training related to organisational values, benefits, initial and on-the-job occupational health and safety training, and participates in meetings with the superior during which an Individual Adaptation Plan is developed. The plan includes goals for a 3- or 6-month period, depending on the position level. The aim of the onboarding and adaptation process is effective implementation at the workplace and familiarization with the organizational culture. In 2024, 87 employees participated in the onboarding and adaptation process, which represents 100% of the employees in the above Group companies.

Complement the standard training offer by providing personalized development solutions. These programmes include, inter alia, the development of managerial competences (Śnieżka SA, Śnieżka ToC) and support for sales, sales-related and language skills (in all the Group companies), project management and problem-solving (Design Thinking, Problem Solving in FFiL Śnieżka SA and Śnieżka ToC). Each of them is created based on a detailed analysis of the needs of both the participants and the undertaking, which ensures their maximum effectiveness and alignment with the strategic goals of the undertaking.

Appraisal is carried out on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis, which allows for on-going monitoring of progress and achievements. Additionally, at Śnieżka SA and Śnieżka ToC, employees discuss the level of goal achievement with their line manager once a week during so-called board meetings. These meetings also provide an opportunity to discuss the undertaking’s values, strategy, mission and vision, strengthening commitment and alignment of activities with strategic goals.

Employees are involved in project activities within their competences, which allows for building a broad perspective, exchanging knowledge, collaborating with various teams and developing analytical and leadership skills.

[S1-13]

Training and skills development metrics broken down by gender in the Śnieżka Group

 

Percentage of employees participating in regular performance and career development reviews (%) Average training hours per employee
Women 91 35.79
Men 100 19.80
Total 97  25.22 

All employees are subject to regular performance reviews, the frequency of which depends on the position held. The performance is reviewed in internal systems. The indicator was calculated excluding absent employees for a long time due to maternity leave.

The Group ensures that all employees participate in mandatory training – provided for by regulations and necessary to hold a given position.

In addition to mandatory training, employees can also benefit from voluntary training (internal and external) that develops professional competences, which are described above.

The data for calculating the average number of training hours per employee are obtained from internal systems. This indicator does not include mandatory OHS training.

Actions related to potential impact on employee safety and health in the event of a fatal accident, serious accident, or work-related illness

  • Implemented Safety Management System regulating employee duties in accordance with their positions.
  • Occupational risk assessment carried out for 100% of job positions – each employee was familiarised with the results of the analysis.
  • Monitoring of working environment conditions, including:
    • measurements of harmful factors at workplaces,
    • verification of compliance with hygiene standards.
  • OHS training: mandatory and additional, tailored to the specific positions.
  • Follow-up of additional first aid training. Carried out by qualified paramedics, they include practical exercises in resuscitation and the use of AEDs. In 2024, as many as 529 employees were trained (in theory and practice): Śnieżka SA – 244 people, Śnieżka ToC – 78 people, Rafil – 39 people, Śnieżka-Ukraina – 148 people and Poli-Farbe – 20 people.
  • All facilities equipped with AEDs: 10 in total.
  • Initial and periodic/monitoring medical examinations for all employees.
  • Providing collective and personal protective measures, including protective clothing (adapted to the specific hazards) and protective and hygienic equipment in accordance with OHS standards.
  • Supervision over the correctness of work processes carried out, including:
    • compliance with safety procedures and instructions,
    • inspection of the technical condition of machines and equipment.
  • Regular OHS audits verifying compliance with internal regulations and laws, including inspections of workstations to ensure compliance with safety procedures.
  • Monitoring compliance with fire protection regulations and standards.

The above actions are intended to minimise the risk of serious and fatal accidents and occupational diseases, as well as to ensure compliance with applicable OHS regulations and standards.

An Occupational Health and Safety Committee, a Fire and Technical Committee and an Inspection Team operate in Śnieżka SA and Śnieżka ToC. The committees review designated areas according to their areas of responsibility. At the end of the review, conclusions are formulated, which after being assessed by an expert, are implemented in accordance with the assigned priority.

In order to improve work safety and ergonomics, instructions were put in place regarding the option to report by employees applications and identified cases of occurring hazards and potentially dangerous situations. Employees also have the possibility to submit anonymous reports – as whistleblowers – to the Management Board or Supervisory Board. All these activities are carried out in accordance with the requirements laid down in the regulations and in line with the current needs.

In 2024, no serious or fatal accidents were recorded in the Group, and therefore no remediation actions were taken.

[S1-14]

OHS management and safety and data on accidents and health in the Śnieżka Group

 

2024 2023
Number of work-related accidents of own workforce 4 7
Number of fatalities due to work-related injuries and illnesses in relation to:
 own workforce 0 0
non-employees 0 0
Number of cases of work-related ill health in relation to:
 own workforce 0 0
 former own workforce 0 0
non-employees 0 nd*
Work-related accident metrics of own workforce:
Lost Time Incident Rate (LTI) 2.08 5.16
Lost Time Severity Incident Rate (LTI) 0.13 0.27
Number of days lost due to work-related injuries and work-related fatalities, work-related ill health and health-related fatalities in relation to:
own workforce, including non-employees 251 365
*no data

100% of own workforce in 2023-2024 were covered by an occupational health and safety management system based on legal requirements and/or recognised standards or guidelines (including internal audit and/or audit or certification by an external entity).

In both 2024 and 2023, there were no reported fatalities due to work-related injuries and illnesses. Data on non-employees were collected from 2024 onwards.

Data on accidents and accident rates are sourced from internal records and human resources management systems.

The Śnieżka Group’s actions regarding the opportunity defined as: provision of a satisfactory, competitive remuneration can increase employee motivation and loyalty, which translates into lower turnover and savings associated with recruiting new employees

  • Regular employee feedback and satisfaction surveys, including assessment of remuneration and benefits. The surveys are conducted twice a year in the Polish companies and once a year in other countries, enabling monitoring of satisfaction levels and identification of areas for improvement. From 2025, the survey is to be carried out twice a year for all the Group companies (excluding Śnieżka-BelPol).
  • The Group strives to ensure full transparency in the scope of remuneration and benefits, which aims to build trust among employees and associates and ensure competitiveness on the labour market.
    • Salary review – a salary review is carried out twice a year based on market reports to ensure salary competitiveness.
    • Transparency of salary ranges – transparency of salary ranges in the Remuneration Regulations for individual position groups (so-called grades). This solution has been implemented in Śnieżka SA and Śnieżka ToC, and is planned to be extended to Poli-Farbe and Śnieżka-Ukraina in 2025.

[S1-10] 

Following the remuneration analysis in the Group, it was confirmed that all employees receive remuneration above the established reference indicators, which represent the national minimum wages. The results confirm the compliance of the Remuneration Policy with the principles of fair remuneration and the commitment to ensuring decent working conditions.

The Śnieżka Group’s actions regarding the opportunity defined as: creating an innovative, creative and effective work environment by ensuring diversity among senior management

The Group focuses on creating an innovative and effective work environment, taking into account diversity among the management staff, through the following activities:

  • Implementation of the objectives of the HR Policy – ​​recruitment based on objective criteria – the recruitment process evaluates competences, experience and skills, supporting decisions with tools based on objective criteria. It applies clear and transparent recruitment rules, and candidates are treated equally without any forms of discrimination.
  • Commitment in the Diversity Policy – ​​regarding equal treatment as an essential element of management that builds a working environment that influences creativity and effectiveness.
  • In addition, these issues are also included in the Respect for Human Rights Policy and the Code of Ethics – committing to complying with the principles of equal treatment.
  • Implementation and use of various methods in Śnieżka SA and Śnieżka ToC that stimulate creativity and innovation, as well as provide the opportunity to obtain different perspectives:
    • Design Thinking Method
    • Problem Solving
  • Women constitute 40.97% of the Śnieżka Group’s senior management staff (according to data for S1-9), which confirms the effectiveness of implementing policies that take into account care for diversity.

Additional activities and initiatives introduced by the Śnieżka Group aimed at ensuring positive impact on employees

Additional examinations in 2024 included two groups:

  • free medical examinations for employees over 50 years of age, which were used by a total of 181 staff,
  • breast cancer prevention exams, in which a total of 169 women (including employees’ wives/partners) participated.
  • An initiative launched in 2024 for Śnieżka SA, Śnieżka ToC, Rafil, Śnieżka-Ukraina and Poli-Farbe companies, the aim of which is to build strong relationships between team members, which has a positive impact on cooperation, communication and building mutual trust. It is important that employees decide as a team on the form of integration. In 2024, over 85% of employees took part in this initiative. The selected categories include: sports activities (e.g. going to a football match together, a trip to the mountains), cultural activities (going to theatre performance), recreational activities (dinner together, pottery workshops) and other activities that develop the teams’ passions.
  • Employees can use the available funds according to their individual needs for: sports, recreation, leisure, cultural activities or a medical package. In addition, there is an offer available for the youngest, such as summer camps, Children’s Day and St. Nicholas Day packages.
  • Engages employees and gives them the opportunity to recommend candidates as part of open recruitment processes. Employees whose recommendations contribute to a successful recruitment process get a reward for their involvement in the process.
  • A dedicated rewards scheme for all employees who live up to the attendance requirements set out in the regulations. In 2024, a total of 459 staff took advantage of the programme in Śnieżka SA and Śnieżka ToC.
  • Employees can also benefit from subsidies for group insurance and for meals (applies to Śnieżka SA, Śnieżka ToC, Rafil).
  • A three-month, paid internship programme addressed to students. The programme participants have the opportunity to use theoretical knowledge in practice and gain professional experience under the tutelage of experts in many areas of business. In 2024, a total of 11 people completed internships at Śnieżka SA and Śnieżka ToC.
  • A printed internal magazine In Colour, which presents, i.a.: development programmes, changes within organizational structures, innovations, eNPS survey results. In 2024, Śnieżka SA and Śnieżka ToC published 5 issues of the magazine, while Śnieżka-Ukraina and Poli-Farbe published one. The Polish edition of the magazine celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2024.
  • In 2024, employees of Śnieżka SA and Śnieżka ToC took part in the celebration of the White Colour Day, the aim of which was to educate, integrate and visit the factory in Pustków, which manufactures white emulsion paints. In addition, a tour of the Logistics Centre in Zawada was organised for the employees’ children.

The documents implemented within the Group regulate the principles that reduce the likelihood of a negative impact on the undertaking’s employees (its own workforce) due to the practices it undertakes.

The HR/People and Occupational Health and Safety departments in individual companies are responsible for monitoring impacts and related activities, the implementation of which is based on the regulations adopted within the Group, including the policies indicated at the beginning of this chapter.

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