Annual Report 2008

REPORT BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS HUMAN RESOURCES Company success is also considerably determined by the dynamics, stability and sutticient pertormance ot its employees. This can be achieved by continuous systematic human resources care at all management levels. Each year,the Employee Care Programme is prepared in line with the Company's tinancial pian and tocuses on investments in education, the health ot our employees and their tamilies, and in cultural and sports activities. The scheme of our personnel, payroll, and social security and occupational health and satety policy was laid out in the 2008 Collective Agreement concluded between ZO OZ KOVO and the Board ot Directors ot Železiarne Podbrezová,and the Employee Care Programme ot the Board ot Directors ot Železiarne Podbrezová a.s. The Company has tully pertormed its liabilities arising trom the Collective Agreement and the Employee Care Programme ot the Board ot Directors. Expenditures from the social fund amounted to SKK 16.1 million (EUR 536 thousand) and were incurred, in particular, on organising medical and rehabilitation stays for our employees and tor blood donors, which totalled SKK 2.8 million (EUR 91.8 thousand). The Company also provided preventative medical examinations for employees in exposure units and selected managers. A twenty-tour hour accident policy was implemented for all employees,also during leisure activities in the amount ot SKK 2.5 million (EUR 82 thousand). As part ot employee care, we organised cultural and children programmes and summer camps for children totalling SKK 1.0 million (EUR 31.7 thousand) and enabled the use ot summer and winter sports locations, which totalled SKK 0.8 million (EUR 25.3 thousand). We continuously provided our employees with catering services as well as an opportunity to purchase subsidised frozen tood,which totalled SKK 4.6 million (EUR 154.1 thousand). In 2008, we drew SKK 0.6 million (EUR 20.8 thousand) trom the social fund tor social assistance and SKK 3.7 million (EUR 121.2 thousand) tor regeneration ot the workforce in the form of vouchers tor pharmaceuticals and vitamins. The Employee Care Programme was considerably broader than the expenses covered from the social fund or arising from the Collective Agreement and the Programme of the Board of Directors. The major expenses include, in particular: • Rehabilitation stays for employees, preventative medical examinations for employees in exposure units and selected middle management ......... SKK 2.5 million (EUR 814 thousand); • Bonuses provided for signiticant working anniversaries or birthdays: .............. SKK 44 million (EUR 146.2 thousand); • Employer contributions tor supplementary pension scheme: ........................ SKK 264 million (EUR 875 thousand); • lmprovement and enhancement of employee qualifications: ..................................................................................................... SKK 5.9 million (EUR 196.6 thousand); • Preparation ot tuture workforce at SSOŠH and SG and granting of scholarships ................................................................................................................ SKK 19.8 million (EUR 6576 thousand); • Protective work equipment for employees, drinking regime for all employees: ................................................................................................ SKK 16.0 million (EUR 530.6 thousand); • Comprehensive programme of recuperative measures: ............................................................. ......................... ........... SKK 48.8 million (EUR 1 619.8 thousand); • lmplemented employee benetits programme at Allianz - Slovenská poisťovňa a.s.