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Bilfinger has made it its top priority to ensure the health and well-being of all its employees. No employee’s health shall be adversely affected by his or her work. Occupational health and safety standards are set by Group HR (Human Resources) and Corporate HSEQ (Health, Safety, Environment, Quality) for the entire Group. The design and implementation of these measures are decentralized to the Group companies.
As a service provider for industrial customers, Bilfinger is often active in areas of its customers’ plants that are especially safety-sensitive. Occupational safety matters are therefore extremely important for the Group’s business activities.
Safe work processes, the implementation of target group-oriented occupational safety campaigns and the reporting of key performance indicators on occupational safety are often an important prerequisite for the awarding of contracts by customers. Bilfinger therefore undertakes a considerable amount of effort to meet the high requirements in its day-to-day work.
In order to avoid incidents in the area of occupational safety to the greatest possible extent, our aspiration is: zero is possible. To get as close as possible to this aspiration, we take a two-pronged approach: We implement the necessary technical and organizational measures and address occupational safety in extensive communication measures for employees.
The occupational safety standards developed centrally by Group HR & HSEQ are expressed in Group-wide uniform guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs). Responsibility for compliance with these guidelines and SOPs lies with the managers of the local operating units, who also take into account the relevant local laws, regulations, customer requirements and working conditions. Health and Safety Committees have been established in the Group’s units in accordance with legal and internal Group requirements.
To record, process and communicate HSEQ incidents to the same standards worldwide, we use standardized management software throughout the Group. All types of HSEQ incidents can be recorded quickly and flexibly directly on site using a mobile IT application. This workflow makes it easier for employees to process HSEQ incidents and creates the central conditions for developing corrective measures to avoid similar situations in the future.
In conjunction with the comprehensive technical and organizational measures, intensive communication in the area of occupational safety is of great importance. The aim is to maintain a high level of awareness of the particular importance of HSEQ incidents among our employees and to further improve it. For example, we draw attention to general occupational safety aspects and current accident statistics in the form of monthly Safety Moments circulars. In the Group, there has been a general requirement that all discussions and meetings involving four or more people begin with a Safety Flash in which aspects of occupational safety are addressed.
An important measure for raising awareness regarding topics of occupational safety is our safety program Safety Works! including the safety campaigns that were developed in this context. In 2023, numerous target group-oriented campaigns were once again carried out in individual Group companies.
Examples of our Safety Awards
In order to recognize outstanding safety initiatives in the Group and publicize them within the company, the Executive Board presents annual Safety Awards. The Group-wide award is designed to motivate employees and managers to make a strong commitment to safe working conditions and maintaining the health of all employees.
The commitment of executives all the way up to the members of the Executive Board is a key building block for ongoing improvements in occupational safety. For example, it is the responsibility of managers throughout the Group to regularly carry out a number of safety walks, depending on their area of responsibility, to address risks and hazards, to make employees aware of occupational safety issues and to document their inspections. The findings from these safety walks may be recorded on the go, as the walks are progressing, and will then be directly input into the central HSEQ software.
Workplace safety is the subject of the HSEQ quarterly report that is submitted to the Executive Board. Particularly serious accidents are reported immediately to the Executive Board. It is informed on an ongoing basis regarding their analysis as well as necessary corrective measures.
As part of Bilfinger Matrix certification, 39 companies with 149 locations have been certified pursuant to the occupational health and safety standard DIN EN ISO 45001 and eight companies with 42 locations have been certified pursuant to the Safety Certificate Contractors Petrochemical (SCCP) standard.
Regular internal audits are carried out at the Group companies. A total of seven Group companies in Germany, Norway, Austria, Poland, Finland, Romania and Hungary were audited internally in 2023. In addition to these internal audits, there are further external audits, including by certifiers, authorities or customers.
As key figures in the area of occupational safety, we report on Lost Time Injury Frequency (LTIF), Total Recordable Incident Frequency (TRIF) and the number of fatalities resulting from occupational accidents. The LTIF indicator measures the number of days lost due to work-related accidents per million hours worked. It amounted to 0.26 in financial year 2023 (previous year: 0.26). The TRIF indicator measures the number of days lost due to reportable accidents per million hours worked. In 2023, it was 1.19 (previous year: 1.31). Bilfinger’s LTIF and TRIF figures in 2023 were again better than the industry average determined among our competitors and selected clients (data from 2021).
In 2023, there were no (previous year: 1) work-related accidents resulting in death.
As an HSEQ Manager, my job is to promote occupational health and safety and environmental issues in all of our business units. I visit the sites, exchange information and ideas with the team and work to improve the safety culture. It is certainly a challenge to work at 50 ºC, but I enjoy the sense of cohesion within the team."
Shermin Shali CmioshHSEQ Manager at Bilfinger Middle EastRegular repetition makes it possible to positively influence actions and make work processes safer. By raising awareness on an ongoing basis, we create a culture at Bilfinger in which employees want to work safely on their own initiative and thus comply with the highest occupational safety standards. "
Oskar HackHSE Manager at BilfingerEmployee development
Bilfinger’s business model as an industrial services provider is significantly influenced by the presence, skills and values of our employees. The ongoing training and qualification of our workforce plays a key role. The cornerstones of employee development include talent management, remuneration and internal reporting. Clear standards have been defined for this purpose and they are anchored in our Group Policies and are thus binding for all employees.
One of the main focuses of employee development in 2023 was counteracting the shortage of skilled workers. From 2024, a quarter of the savings from the ongoing Bilfinger efficiency program will be invested in employee training and development in order to maintain and further strengthen the Group’s competitiveness. The content of these additional training measures will focus on technical and job-specific skills for our employees as well as areas such as leadership, sales and project management.
In October 2023, Bilfinger took an important step toward securing qualified young talent in the long term through the founding Bilfinger education GmbH. The company serves as the central training organization for Germany. Bilfinger education GmbH plays a key strategic role in the networking of training in Germany, ensuring the optimal preparation of trainees for the requirements of the changing world of work and positioning Bilfinger as an attractive training company on the labor market. We are also using the company to create a model for the future organization of vocational training in other Bilfinger regions.
The further training of our existing workforce also plays a major role in our human resources efforts. The most important HR management tools in this context include an annual performance appraisal, sound training and development planning as well as salary reviews over the course of a financial year. The annual employee appraisals are based on standardized guidelines that help everyone involved reflect on the goals achieved and define structured development measures. Salaried employees also set individual goals for the year ahead. The systems for managing the annual performance and development cycle are largely digitalized.
To develop and retain internal talent at Group level, we have established various training and development programs for high-potential employees and management levels 2 to 4.* As part of the annual talent review, the potential of salaried employees is evaluated and calibrated. Structured interviews are used to identify potential successors for key positions, thus supporting long-term succession planning. The talent review process is carried out in cooperation among supervisors and local Human Resources departments together with Group Human Resources and the Executive Board.
*Management levels at Bilfinger in 2023 are structured on the basis of budget responsibility, size of executive scope or strategic importance in the position held. The level below the Executive Board is management level 1.
After identifying their potential in the talent review, employees are nominated to take part in global management development programs. These functions are performed by the Talent Program as well as the Leadership Program, Senior Leadership Program and Executive Leadership Program for management levels 2 to 4. These programs, which have been established for many years, offer the respective target group a specially tailored, one-year program to develop and promote personal leadership skills. We believe very strongly in the importance of internationality and diversity when it comes to our composition.
Leadership camps are also offered at regional level to enable Bilfinger managers to develop an integrative management style and fulfill their role as people leaders at Bilfinger.
The Bilfinger Academy is responsible for training and development measures. It handles the implementation of central management development programs and acts as a central point of contact for comprehensive internal training initiatives that are available to all employees with a PC workstation.
The digital training format of the Learning Days serves as an opportunity to exchange information and ideas and to expand employees’ knowledge. In 2023, the Learning Days took place over the course of four days in November, during which internal and external trainers offered webinars focusing on personal development, IT & digitalization and project management in 26 learning units. The program was very well-received. The number of participants who completed a course increased more than fivefold from 583 in the previous year to 3,421. In addition to a simplified registration process, the increase was due in particular to the unlimited participation capacity provided by the web format. Advertising this further training offer on the new internal employee app introduced in 2022 also helped.
Project management skills are very important in Bilfinger’s business model. For this reason, the international training program on project management in accordance with the standard of the internationally recognized Project Management Institute (PMI) is one of the ongoing programs. In 2023, we worked together with external trainers and were able to offer both crash courses and exam preparation courses for obtaining the PMI certificate.
Diverse teams make decisions that are viewed from different perspectives. At Bilfinger, we focus on diversity because it is a key to the company's success. I am proud to be part of a company where more than 110 different nations are represented."
Christian Rugland
President Engineering & Maintenance International at BilfingerForeign language skills and exposure to other countries are the essence of my International Business degree program. As a globally-active group, Bilfinger offers us students an absolute maximum of international and intercultural experience and gives us the opportunity to gain important professional expertise outside of Germany with a period of study abroad. "
Anna StulzDual student "International Business" at BilfingerThe Young Talent Mentoring Program at Bilfinger was really helpful for me because my mentor was able to share his knowledge and experience. The program has demonstrated which skills and characteristics are necessary and important as a manager and has given me and opportunity to develop these skills."
Katharina HöhnProcurement Manager at Bilfinger Noell GmbHAt Bilfinger, we find the best possible career start for everyone. We offer a wide range of apprenticeships and specializations for participants of dual study programs. There are also additional regional offers. Here, career starters can find the perfect conditions to actively get involved and put their ideas into practice."
Alexander SchröderTraining coordinator at Bilfinger
Diversity
The diversity of our employees is of fundamental importance to Bilfinger. We consider diversity in terms of differences in age, gender, religion, ideology and ethnic origin, as well as in physical and mental abilities, sexual orientation and identity of our employees. We seek to ensure that these central dimensions of diversity are an integral part of our daily work and the interaction among colleagues.
In an international company like Bilfinger, which employs people of 112 different nationalities, cultural and linguistic diversity is part of everyday life.
The respect and appreciation of diversity in our company finds its strongest expression in the prohibition of all forms of discrimination, which is anchored in our Code of Conduct and in the Bilfinger Statement of Principles on Human Rights and applies to all employees without restriction. Violations of the ban on any form of discrimination will not be tolerated. More detailed explanations can be found here.
As an employer, we strive to be attractive to employees in different life situations. Our goal is to create a contemporary working environment that includes hybrid forms of work and flexible working hours. This also includes support measures such as flexible working time models that make it easier for employees to perform their family duties.
When recruiting new employees, filling internal vacancies and in our succession planning, we attach great importance to the consideration of a diverse range of applicants.
Regional Bilfinger mentoring programs focus on an exchange between less experienced and more experienced employees from different areas of the company. This helps to support the transfer of knowledge and a change of perspective within the Bilfinger Group.
Internal communication plays a key role with regard to the degree of diversity in our company. Our digital corporate media, for example, often feature portraits of inspiring personalities and teams who help promote a diverse corporate culture.
Regional initiatives are tailored to the local needs and relevant requirements and circumstances in the various Group units and contribute significantly to the diversity practiced at Bilfinger.
On November 26, 2020, the cut-off date for the definition of the target figure, this proportion was 8 percent in management level 1 and just under 5 percent in management level 2. As of December 31, 2023, the proportion of women at management level 1 was 12 percent while the figure for management level 2 was 11 percent (previous year: 6 percent).
The proportion of women in management positions has been established as a metric at Bilfinger. In accordance with the German Act on Equal Participation of Women and Men in Leadership Positions in the Private and Public Sector, the Executive Board resolved at the end of November 2020 to achieve a target of 10 percent women at Bilfinger at management levels 1 and 2 below the Executive Board by December 31, 2023, in accordance with Section 76 (4) of the German Stock Corporation Act (AktG). Further explanations can be found in:
The Supervisory Board set a target of 30 percent women and men on the Executive Board by December 31, 2023. In the case of an Executive Board with two or three members, this means having at least one woman and one man. As of December 31, 2023, the Executive Board consisted of two members, both of whom are men. urther explanations can be found in:
