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Brief Overview:
The REWE Group intends to preserve and promote the health of its employees. For many years, the company has been working on occupational safety concepts that go beyond legal requirements. The company
- commits itself in its Guideline on Sustainable Business Practices to providing a safe working environment;
- analyses and monitors relevant work processes for potential health and safety risks and is continuously developing occupational safety processes;
- is pursuing the objective of reducing the number of accidents from 47.3 to 43.5 accidents per 1,000 full-time equivalents by 2025;
- regularly raises awareness among executives and employees about occupational safety and health-promoting measures;
- implements numerous measures and projects to guarantee occupational safety.
Health and safety is an area of action in the Employees pillar of the Sustainability Strategy of the REWE Group.
GRI 403-1: Occupational health and safety management system
Management Approach
Effect
Safe workplaces and maintaining employee health play a central role at the REWE Group. This includes preventing accidents at work and offering preventive health measures (see section Health Management). The company therefore not only complies with the law but can also prevent prolonged employee absences and protect the workforce. The REWE Group is aware that psychological strain and physical risks can arise (see also section Work-Related Injuries), especially in retail, i.e. in stores and in logistics. To guarantee employee safety as effectively as possible, the company analyses relevant work processes for health and safety risks and implements numerous measures in these areas.
To guarantee employee safety as effectively as possible, the company analyses relevant work processes for health and safety risks and implements numerous measures in these areas.
Principles
The REWE Group commits itself in its Guideline on Sustainable Business Practices to providing a safe working environment.
The REWE Group ensures that the legal principles and requirements of national occupational safety regulations and those of accident insurance organisations regarding occupational safety (employer’s liability insurance associations) are implemented in accordance with the law.
Targets and KPI
The REWE Group pursues the target of reducing the number of accidents from 47.3 to 43.5 accidents per 1,000 full-time equivalents by 2025 (for more information about this and about achieving the target, see section Accidents at Work and Sickness Absences).
Responsibility and Resources
Dr Daniela Büchel (Member of the Management Board – People and Sustainability Officer) is responsible for strategic control.
At the REWE Group in Germany, the area of occupational health and safety is organised as an HR service area that offers its services for REWE and PENNY in Germany, REWE Digital, REWE Fulfillment, toom Baumarkt DIY stores, and other small units, and provides them with advice and support on all issues. The area operates across Germany in six teams with around 50 occupational safety experts. National coordinators work on continuous further development of occupational safety processes and transparent communication. There is also a national fire safety and hazardous goods officer.
At REWE International AG (RIAG), the area of occupational safety is coordinated by the Corporate Security department. In total, 16 safety experts and 11 occupational health physicians work in this department.
At Lekkerland, Central Quality Management is responsible for coordinating the area of occupational health and safety for the logistics locations. Lekkerland also receives advice and support in the sphere of occupational health and safety from the external service provider ias.12 occupational safety experts and 12 occupational health physicians from ias are currently appointed for the respective logistics sites. Operational fire safety is monitored and inspected by DEKRA.
GRI 403-2: Hazard identification, risk assessment and incident investigation
GRI 403-7: Prevention and mitigation of occupational health and safety impacts directly associated with business relationships
Implementation
In the case of all sales lines and smaller units that come under the area of occupational health and safety of the REWE Group in Germany (see Responsibility and Resources), relevant work processes are continuously examined, analysed, and monitored by HR Services Occupational Safety with regard to potential health and safety risks, and suitable measures for reducing risks are proposed. This allows continuous development of occupational safety processes. It is organised by the national coordinator of occupational safety processes. The analysis, design, and further development of important areas of action, such as preparation of risk assessments, operating instructions, logistics issues, and fire safety and dangerous goods, are professionally controlled by expert working groups.
The occupational safety experts conduct regular inspections of the workplaces of the sales lines REWE and PENNY in Germany, REWE Digital, REWE Fulfillment, toom Baumarkt DIY stores, and other small units, taking into consideration national and employers' liability insurance association regulations. Their tasks also include systematic accident analyses and assessment of reports received by the occupational safety department from bodies such as district authorities, trade supervisory authority, occupational health and safety authority, or the employer’s liability insurance association. In addition to active support of the required occupational safety committee meetings, there are also regular ballot meetings with managers from sales or purchasing, as well as experts from the construction department. During crises, e.g., a pandemic, the occupational safety experts are also involved in the regional and national task forces (crisis teams) of the respective businesses at a central location.
Consultations on occupational safety for procurement of products (e.g., hygiene dispensers, skin protection, care, and cleaning products) or fixtures and fittings (shelving, checkout systems, ovens, and cleaning machines) are also part of everyday work at national or regional level.
The operational area of the national fire safety and hazardous goods officer was successful reorganised during the reporting year.
At REWE International AG (RIAG), safety experts for occupational health and safety from the department of Corporate Security advise the central areas and retail companies according to legal requirements. Possible areas of action are identified and key topics examined and further developed in consultation, within the framework of a continuous development process.
Safety-related supervision of the Lekkerland company and locations is taken care of by external service provider ias. The occupational safety experts conduct, e.g., regular site inspections with regard to ergonomics and occupational safety and prepare risk assessments.
GRI 403-3: Occupational health services
Occupational healthcare at the REWE Group in Germany is provided uniformly by an inter-company service provider for the sales lines REWE and PENNY in Germany, toom Baumarkt DIY stores, and DER Touristik. This is coordinated nationally by the Center of Expertise (CoE) Health & Innovation on the basis of statutory operating times. Requirement-based operation is agreed with the managers of the business units and occupational safety experts with regard to the strategic objectives. RIAG also has an occupational health service. At the Lekkerland sales line, occupational healthcare is provided by the external service provider ias, which plans and conducts all relevant investigations.
GRI 403-4: Worker participation, consultation and communication on occupational health and safety
Raising awareness among executives and employees about occupational safety issues and health-promoting working conditions and processes is crucial. The occupational safety experts therefore actively support the legally required meetings of the Occupational Safety and Health Committee (ASA) – according to the management and responsibility structures – in the business units of REWE and PENNY in Germany, REWE Digital, REWE Fulfillment, toom Baumarkt DIY stores, and other small units at regional or national level. They also attend regular meetings with the areas involved, for example, as part of talks with the managers at inspections. The occupational safety experts and company doctors are made known as contact persons at the sites by means of notices pursuant to the statutory requirements.
ASA meetings are also held at RIAG. Safety staff attend in accordance with the law.
Raising awareness among executives and employees about occupational safety issues and health-promoting working conditions and processes is crucial.
GRI 403-5: Worker training on occupational health and safety
For written information about occupational health and safety at the business units of the REWE Group, the communication systems of the business units are used, along with e-learning modules and targeted training sessions for managers or trainees. Furthermore, regular location-specific instructions are given according to the requirements by the persons responsible on site.
For other projects and measures see Employee Training on Occupational Health and Safety.
Involvement of Stakeholders
The REWE Group’s stakeholders classified the topic of occupational safety and health as relevant for the company (see Materiality Analysis). They are informed annually about the effectiveness of measures taken via the Sustainability Report and in various dialogue formats (see Stakeholder Dialogue). The REWE Group’s employees can constantly provide important input on employee issues. Depending on the topic, various formats are available for this, such as employee representatives, committee meetings, training, working groups or surveys. For more information, please refer to the Compliance section.
Measures and Projects
The REWE Group implements numerous measures and projects to organise occupational safety and to maintain and/or promote the health of its workforce. These are as follows for the 2022 reporting year, sorted by topic:
Risk Assessment and Incident Investigation
Efficient risk assessment
Efficient risk assessment is one success factor for systematic recording and assessment of risks. Risks are recorded electronically to enable executives responsible for occupational health and safety to optimally record and assess key risks and to draw up proposals for suitable implementation measures. In particular, the German administrative locations, PENNY in Germany , toom Baumarkt DIY stores, and REWE Digital Fulfilment Services (as well as the logistics sites that belong to these companies) comprehensively use the “Online Risk Assessment” of the German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the Trade and Distribution Industry (BGHW). It offers an electronic checklist with relevant aspects. Lekkerland is currently reviewing its use as part of a pilot project for two logistics sites.
Further important steps have also been taken since 2021 for REWE in Germany and the REWE retailers to replace the previously very individual risk assessment systems and to implement a standardised system. Other related activities are planned for 2023.
For German administrative locations, REWE and PENNY in Germany, toom Baumarkt DIY stores, and REWE Digital Fulfilment Services (as well as the logistics sites belonging to these companies), a specific risk assessment was developed for vulnerable risk groups (for example, older employees, employees with pre-existing conditions, or pregnant women) by occupational health and safety experts following the COVID-19 pandemic, along with a “blueprint” for use and documentation of case numbers on site. Both tools can also be used in future to develop and coordinate necessary protective measures for particularly at-risk employees, such as a change of activity, flexible working, or a prohibition of certain types of work to protect the employee.
Depending on the business unit, surveys of employees and checklists are used for psychological risk assessment. Documentation should be IT-based as far as possible. Target-group-specific, workforce-related instruments, such as fora, (health) circles, recordings of work situations, and other moderated workshop processes are also used.
An employee survey on psychological stress was carried out until the end of 2021 for Lekkerland, with advice and support by the service provider ias. It focused on identifying risks, as well as on deriving measures for optimising the framework conditions for a healthy organisation. Intra and inter-area measures were derived and implemented together with the employees as part of communication of results.
Prevention and mitigation of direct impacts on occupational health and safety
Dealing with robberies, assaults, or aggressive customers
The area of occupational health and safety, which offers its services as an HR service area for REWE and PENNY in Germany, REWE Digital, REWE Fulfillment, toom Baumarkt DIY stores, and other small units, has developed and coordinated two sub-projects with the HR department, the works council, and the sales department on dealing with robberies, assaults, and conflict-prone customers.
- Operational instructions, the reporting chain, safety information, and information on the dark winter months were updated. Awareness of the issue was also raised at PENNY in Germany via radio advertisements in the stores. In addition, the outdoor lighting was reviewed in collaboration with store management to avoid dark corners. in Germany via radio advertisements in the stores. In addition, the outdoor lighting was reviewed in collaboration with store management to avoid dark corners.
- Evaluations of the crisis hotline showed that the frequency of conflicts, insults, and psychological and physical violence has increased since COVID-19. The occupational safety department was involved with regard to de-escalation options in cases of conflict-prone customers and raising awareness among executives. Documents and processes in the stores, as well as instruction modules in learning management systems, should be updated and made available.
Dealing with the new COVID-19 occupational health and safety regulations
In 2022, COVID-19 occupational health and safety regulations, as well as the corresponding rules in connection with infection prevention regulations in Germany and Austria, kept requiring adaptations to the respective risk situation. Occupational safety focused on regular reviews of COVID-19 risk assessment with appropriate hygiene concepts, instructions (“AHA-L regulations”) and, in autumn 2022, vaccination offers.
Employee Training on Occupational Health and Safety
E-learning modules, interactive training documents, and first-aiders
Since 2012, e-learning modules have been used in all REWE- and PENNY stores in Germany, as well as in administration as a basic instrument for providing instruction on the topic of occupational health and safety. They are regularly adapted to current requirements. All employees and executives complete these e-learning modules and they are repeated annually. Special topics, in particular, special regional features or use of machines and equipment, are regularly discussed on site by the responsible persons with the users. There are more than 200 specific and target-group oriented operating instructions.
In addition, the legally required fire safety and evacuation assistants and first-aiders are trained in all German stores. Fire safety assistants at REWE and PENNY in Germany are also qualified through specific e-learning, complemented by practical aspects, such as fire extinguishing exercises. First-aiders are trained by certified providers either in-house or decentralised, depending on availability.
The interactive training document “Azupoly” is an annual standard programme at REWE and PENNY in Germany and toom Baumarkt DIY stores and teaches trainees about occupational health and safety in a playful way.
The REWE Group in Austria regularly conducts legally prescribed occupational safety training and inspects business premises. Continuous safety training is also implemented for cars and lorries. It must also be completed by all employees who have received a new company car.
toom Baumarkt DIY stores have also been using comprehensive e-learning modules for stores since 2020. Further additional specific information, for example, about responsibility in occupational safety, engagement, or “on-site instructions on machines and equipment” can be found in structured form in the process portal of toom Baumarkt DIY stores.
At DER Touristik, fire safety assistant and first-aider training was offered and carried out during the reporting year at the two German sites, Cologne and Frankfurt, and a new e-learning module on the topic of fire safety was offered for all employees in the DER Touristik learning world. Occupational safety inspections were also conducted following renovation measures.
GRI 403-9: Work-Related Injuries
Accidents at Work and Sickness Absences
The accident statistics collected by the REWE Group record accidents at work and the associated days of absence, and enable evaluation by gender and business area. In accordance with the BGHW statistics, they are presented as notifiable accidents per 1,000 full time equivalents (FTE).
In 2022, the accident rate fell from 48.7 to 47.3 accidents per 1,000 FTE in comparison to 2021; still higher than the objective of 43.5 accidents per 1,000 FTE by 2025. There were two cases of fatal accidents (2021: 1). Sickness absences within the REWE Group during the reporting period were higher than the previous year at 8.6 per cent (2021:7.2 per cent). Paid sickness absences also increased during the reporting period and were at 5.8 per cent in 2022 (2021: 4.5 per cent).
| Objective | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reduce accidents per 1,000 full time equivalents to 43.5 by 2025 | 48.3 | 48.7 | 47.3 | |
|
Implementation in progress
Target achieved
Not available
Target not achieved
|
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| Scope: The REWE Group companies in Germany and Austria, including retailers | ||||
An accident analysis dashboard was put into operation in January 2022 for the business units of REWE and PENNY in Germany, REWE Digital, REWE Fulfillment, toom Baumarkt DIY stores, and other small units within Germany. This enables occupational safety experts to systematically assess all notifiable accidents at work (not including accidents while commuting) and to examine and analyse them for possible causes – in addition to the descriptive statement of the accident. The objective is to derive appropriate preventive measures and to better recognise the necessary key points for action.
Unfortunately, robberies in the REWE Group stores – and in retail as a whole – are still a topical issue. The employees affected can suffer physical and psychological damage, which can lead to lengthy absences. Acute intervention following traumatic events in the form of professional psychological support is systematically used in the REWE Group. The REWE Group also sees a need to act with regard to traumatic events in relation to aggressive behaviour in stores – which has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. In cooperation with PENNY and REWE HR, as well as the works councils and occupational safety experts, measures and/or processes were reviewed and developed during the reporting year that ensure acute intervention after not just physically but also psychologically traumatic events, and also offer preventive support. In addition to inspection of classic technical equipment, this includes special operational instructions as well as instructions on prevention of physical and psychological violence, information for executives, and seminar modules in cooperation with company doctors and health insurance companies on de-escalating conflicts.
In 2022, 266 (2021: 168) employees affected by robberies or assaults were reported in Germany and Austria. Assaults in this category include verbal as well as physical attacks. Female employees are predominantly affected by this, as they are disproportionately employed in stores. From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to the beginning of 2023, the German Social Accident Insurance Institution for the Trade and Distribution Industry (BGHW) also recorded more aggressive behaviour by abusive customers, especially verbal abuse.
The REWE Group service providers are in general independent, decentralised contractual partners. Data about accident rates, sickness absences, and deaths in relation to external service providers are therefore currently not recorded.
Accidents, robberies and assaults, as well as fatalities4
Day Absences from Work due to Accidents1
Sickness Absences1
Sickness absences for the entire REWE Group show a slight upward trend for the reporting year. In total, the rate increased from 7.2 per cent (2021) to 8.6 per cent. In Germany in particular, the sickness absences increased significantly from 7.8 to 9.4 per cent. This could be due to an increase in respiratory infections following the COVID-19 years. German health insurance companies, for example, also noted an increase in sickness absences among employees in Germany. There is no evidence of employees with a high rate or risk of sickness due to their occupation.
| Gender | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | ||
| Total | Women | 7.6 | 8.0 | 9.4 |
| Men | 5.7 | 5.9 | 7.4 | |
| Diverse | 4.2 | 6.7 | 9.5 | |
| No information | 23.9 | 6.6 | 5.2 | |
| Total | 6.9 | 7.2 | 8.6 | |
| Germany | Women | 8.3 | 8.7 | 10.3 |
| Men | 6.1 | 6.3 | 7.9 | |
| Diverse | 4.2 | 6.7 | 9.5 | |
| No information | 23.9 | 6.6 | 5.2 | |
| Total | 7.4 | 7.8 | 9.4 | |
| Austria2 | Women | 5.2 | 5.5 | 6.2 |
| Men | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.9 | |
| Diverse | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| No information | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 4.9 | 5.1 | 5.8 | |
|
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