Employee Involvement

The importance of good relations and communications with employees is fundamental to the continued success of our business. The Group Chief Executive is the Board member responsible for Human Resources matters and updates the Board on a regular basis.

We employ just under 5,000 people across the business and recognise the key contribution they make to our ongoing growth and success. Our employees' wellbeing and professional development is central to recruiting and retaining high performing individuals. Over the last couple of years product knowledge systems have been introduced across PTS, BSS Industrial and Buck & Hickman, with a number of employees participating in apprenticeships, Builders Merchant Federation modules, and 136 employees receiving an NVQ qualification in the last 12 months. The organisation has a robust talent management strategy in place which incorporates annual performance reviews, development plans and succession planning. Divisional newsletters are published regularly to employees to ensure they are kept well informed. Annual employee attitude surveys are conducted to measure employee motivation and provide an additional feedback facility for employees to communicate with the Company. The Company makes various benefit schemes available to all employees (subject to eligibility) including a Save As You Earn scheme ('SAYE'). A benefits website is in operation with benefits ranging from the Company's defined contribution pension scheme to concessions on gym membership.

We are working in conjunction with a high street bank to provide all our employees with an on-site financial advisory service within the workplace. Our employees do not need to be a customer to take advantage of this free service.

We aim to maintain a progressive equal opportunities policy to ensure equal treatment for all irrespective of race, creed, colour, nationality, ethnic origin, age, language, religion, sexual orientation, gender or disability. Individuals are trained, developed, promoted and treated on the basis of their relevant aptitudes, abilities and skills. We recognise that everyone is different and by valuing diversity we appreciate that people with different experiences, views, opinions and approaches can bring important skills to the business.

The Company is committed to offering development and training to all its employees and offers a wide range of training techniques to enable all individuals the ability to develop and progress within the Group. The Training team offer apprenticeships with over 50 employees completing their apprenticeship in the last two years, all employees have the opportunity of gaining an NVQ level 2, and individuals have the opportunity to gain a City and Guilds.

There have been no breaches of our bribery policy.