Occupational health & safety

With more than 6 100 people operating worldwide in over 50 different countries, BOBST manufacturing activities for the packaging industry and equipment maintenance at the customers’ sites are subject to hazards and risks. To prevent or mitigate dangers that can negatively impact the health and safety of its employees and the machines’ users, the Group applies internationally recognized standards in the security field that meet its own needs, as well as local legal requirements.

For BOBST, its employees’ physical and moral integrity in all their professional activities is an absolute priority. It is a prerequisite for the smooth running of its business, its employer reputation, and achieving its objectives in terms of sustainable development. Bobst Group defines, in a dedicated charter, (see https://investors.bobst.com/ fileadmin/user_upload/About_us/Documents/EHS_Policy_2020_EN. pdf ), the framework and policy for its actions in the field of safety, health at work, and environmental protection. Management recognizes its responsibility in these areas and treats them with the same consideration as economic matters. To achieve its commitments, BOBST relies on integrated management systems, with respect to the legal requirements of the countries where its local entities are located, and involves its employees in its thinking.

Charter implementation

Thirty local entities of Bobst Group have been evaluated, divided into eleven production sites and nineteen service centers. Each local entity deploys the charter within its organization using its resources. Whether it is a production site or a service center, its approach and occupational health & safety (OHS) resources are different. Production sites employ specialists and OHS management systems. The organization and structure of service centers vary according to their size. But in both cases, they all comply at least with the local safety at work legal requirements. The BOBST SR 2021 highlighted significant differences within the Group in the level of OHS maturity. Bobst Group OHS maturity level will be improved by developing and gradually implementing a harmonized and appropriate OHS framework by the end of 2025 (see 2022 accomplishments on pages 35-36).

Sustainability report 2022

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Throughout the Bobst Group, more than 6 100 employees, thus 91.6% (1) of the workforce (i.e. employees and temporary workers) are already covered by a certified OHS management system: 53.4% of them according to the ISO 45001 standard by accredited bodies and 38.2% after OHS systems complying to local legal requirements. The scope and level of safety measures are proportionate to the risks incurred by employees and meet local legal requirements everywhere.

BOBST pursues an international industrial strategy and owns manufacturing sites in Asia, South America, India, and Europe. Production sites at Grenchen and Mex (Switzerland), Changzhou (China), San Giorgio Monferrato (Italy), and Lyon (France) have adopted the ISO 45001 OHS management system. Each possesses its own organization and specialists to implement it. Regarding the service centers, they all meet the legal requirements of the countries where they operate. In addition, all employees, trainees, temporary workers, and external companies working on these sites are integrated into their management systems.

Identification of hazards, risk assessment and investigation of adverse events

The objective of the risk reduction principle is to put in place measures to eliminate or isolate hazardous situations. Their identification, the training of employees, and the distribution of personal protective equipment are applied in all Bobst Group production sites (see https:// investors.bobst.com/fileadmin/user_upload/About_us/Documents/ EHS_Policy_2020_EN.pdf ). Employees can use their right to withdraw from a dangerous situation at any time according to the processes and legislation in force.

BOBST carries out a risk analysis of workstations following local legal requirements or the ISO 45001 standard, conducted by OHS specialists and based on the knowledge of employees and managers. Each production entity has its own process for identifying hazardous situations.

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(1) The remaining BOBST workforce, thus 8.4%, is covered by at least the local legal requirements but without a dedicated management system. That means the local entities deal with safety issues on a case-by-case basis according to legal requirements without a management system.

Corrective approach

Every accident is investigated to determine the root causes. The investigation is carried out by trained and qualified agents collaborating with employees and managers. Its conclusions include corrective measures and action plans. Although disparities exist between the various service entities, their risk analysis, accident investigation, and employee participation processes are similar to those of the productive entities. In ISO 45001 certified sites, audits and internal controls are performed regularly to ensure the follow-up and implementation of preventive and corrective measures. In addition, a management review is conducted annually.

Work health services

Except for Manchester (United Kingdom), each production site has OHS engineers trained to assess and reduce occupational health risks. The sites at Mex (Switzerland), Lyon (France), Pune (India), San Giorgio Monferrato, and Firenze (Italy), as well as Changzhou (China), rely mainly on occupational physicians or specialist nurses to deal specifically with occupational health issues. Whether provided by in-house staff or independent consultants, OHS services are subject to quality audits in all ISO 45001-certified production sites. In France, Italy, and Switzerland, the production site’s health, safety, and environmental services provide support and expertise to the local service entities. In the few entities with no occupational health & safety specialists, incidents are managed on a case-by-case basis.

Employee participation, consultation and communication on health & safety at work

All production sites and some service entities (France, Italy, United Kingdom, Scandinavia, North Latin America, Poland, Russia, and Spain) have an OHS Committee or Commission with Employee Representatives. In Mex (Switzerland) and San Giorgio Monferrato (Italy), there is also a procedure for employees to put forward their ideas or expertise to reduce the risk of accidents or improve health at work.

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When local entities do not have an ad hoc committee, as at BOBST in the United States, they set up a process enabling their employees to take part in improving working conditions and reducing risks. Where no procedure is defined, employee suggestions go up through reporting channels.

Committee proposals, as well as individual suggestions, are evaluated by the OHS specialists for integration into continuous improvement programs. The process also foresees that each local entity takes the necessary investments into account in its financial planning. Commissions use the Intranet, billboards, or internal publications to inform staff. Employees’ participation and suggestions bring the management systems of the Group’s various sites to life.

At Mex, the Health, Hygiene, Safety at Work, and Environment Committee meets quarterly. Its members are representatives of the staff, production, services, an occupational physician, and occupational health and safety specialists. It deals with cross-functional improvement projects regarding safety, health, and the environment and serves as a communication channel between employees and management. The site management receives the minutes, and decisions follow the usual decision-making channels.

Health & safety training for employees

In the area of health & safety at work training, the Group’s local entities have qualified and accredited personnel or commission external specialists. In Switzerland and Italy, the follow-up of employee training is ensured with learning management systems (LMS).

BOBST offers generic programs, such as Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) training courses for new employees or fire alarm and evacuation drills. In addition, in its production sites and service entities, the Group provides specific training for risky activities (see 2022 accomplishments on pages 35-36).

Product lines for folder-gluers and die-cutters have developed a comprehensive training program for their technicians that incorporates safety instructions during machine installation and troubleshooting. For the few service entities that do not yet have a defined training program, support in this area is planned to improve the skills of their personnel.

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Promotion of employee health

In several local entities, BOBST organizes vaccination campaigns for its employees and provides them with sports clubs or extra-professional activities, as in Mex (Switzerland), Lyon (France), Shanghai, and Changzhou (China). Health benefits for non-work activities depend on local legislation. In 53% of its sites, representing 80% of employees,, BOBST can offer healthcare access beyond the legal framework.

Impact of occupational health & safety prevention on business relationships

Several local service entities already use prevention plans for the health & safety of their field service technicians during the installation, maintenance, or repair of machines. These programs comply with the legal framework of the countries in which they operate and each customer’s specific requirements. They include a risk analysis and a detailed description of the roles and responsibilities of the parties involved. Machines’ pre-installation visits regulate the process and the health & safety aspects. To reduce OHS maturity gaps pointed out in BOBST SR 2021, the Group took action (see 2022 accomplishments on pages 35). As for the use of BOBST products by its business partners, the Group’s strategy is based on four axes: establishment of a safety community by product line; maintenance of a high level of expertise; perfect knowledge of standards, as well as regular updating of skills (see section Machine safety for the user on page 59).

Workplace accidents in 2022

Most BOBST staff work in the Group’s production sites, building packaging machines. These manufacturing operations involve extensive handling, manual activities, and machine tools, exposing the workforce to potential sources of accidents. Statistically, the most frequently injured body parts in the workshops are the fingers, hands, and eyes. The main hazards identified that can lead to major injuries are lifting loads, working at heights, using handling equipment (forklifts and pallet trucks), moving mechanical parts, and working near live parts.

In 2022, the Bobst Group’s local production and service entities recorded no severe accidents involving temporary staff and only one work-related accident with serious consequences among its employees as the result of a fall from height (work from height). Accidents with work-related injuries involved 130 Group employees (99 in 2021) and 34 temporary employees (22 in 2021).

Preventive measures (resulting from hazard risk analyses at the workstations, internal audits, controls, or feedback from employees) or corrective measures (resulting from accident investigations) are listed in action plans, such as making work at heights safer by using appropriate protective equipment (lifelines and harnesses, lifting platforms, secure platforms). In addition, occupational safety specialists in various entities regularly monitor their implementation.

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Number of hours worked by BOBST employees: 10 882 859 hours.

Number of hours performed by temporary staff employed by BOBST: 1 167 549 hours. Each entity annually reports the number of employees, temporary staff, and trainees. The data is then consolidated at the Group level to calculate the various KPIs. The worked hours are calculated for each entity by multiplying the weekly contractual hours by the number of weeks per year (52) and by the number of full-time equivalents (FTE).

Objectives are set by the local management teams of production sites regarding accident frequency rate. For example, Bobst Mex (Switzerland) and Bobst Lyon (France), representing more than 40% of the Bobst Group workforce, planned the following objectives between 2021 and 2022:

– Bobst Mex: 10% reduction of the accident frequency rate;

– Bobst Lyon: stabilization of the accident frequency rate.

A common approach on a harmonized accident frequency rate objectives setting is one of the topics to be addressed within the Bobst Group EHS specialists network which will be launched in 2023.

2022 Accomplishments

The Group EHS (Environmental Health & Safety) Lead function was created to conduct gap and risk analysis to level down the differences in maturity that BOBST SR 2021 highlighted within the production sites and the Service and Performance Business Unit (BUSP) as well as to meet the need for harmonization in occupational health & safety and better exchange throughout the Group.

Objectives for 2023

– A checklist was launched to assess gaps between local entities after GRI and ISO 45001 standards and will be completed in the first half of 2023;

– A guideline based on the requirements of GRI 403 has been developed to ensure an identical approach at all Group sites (production plants and service entities), with each BOBST entity being responsible for collecting the data required for the annual sustainability report. The data is then consolidated at the Group level to calculate the various KPIs;

– A dedicated EHS resource has been appointed within the Group to define a common framework and reliable indicators and promote the exchange of best practices in EHS using existing communication tools. Relevant best practices will be made available to service entities. In 2023, the effectiveness of these exchanges will be assessed by introducing evaluations specific to the EHS field during internal audits carried out by Corporate Audit.

Sustainability report 2022

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Health & safety training for employees – Bobst Group’s different entities set up more than 15 100 hours of training on specific risky activities (working at heights; risks related to electricity; material handling machines; lifting loads; use of chemical products; traffic safety; first aid; use of fire extinguishers). Already 2 988 employees and temporary staff attended these courses.

Impact of occupational health & safety prevention on business relationships – BOBST conducted a gap analysis to identify the needs and expectations of its various product lines (PLs) and service entities. It highlighted areas for improvement, such as implementing a dynamic reporting process and developing synergies between the different PLs and service entities regarding best practices, training, and administrative follow-up of EHS aspects based on local regulatory requirements and customer needs. To achieve these goals, BOBST will rely on a network of contact persons coordinated by the Group’s EHS lead, who took office on 1 January 2023.

Workplace accidents – The method of calculating hours worked has been harmonized for the entire Group, and the 2022 Accident Frequency figures meet GRI disclosure 403-9 requirements.

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