5.1. Management approach

GRI 103-2, GRI 403-1, GRI 403-2, GRI 403-3, 403-6, 403-8

As high-voltage electricity transmission system operators, Elia Transmission Belgium SA/NV and 50Hertz Transmission GmbH operate assets and infrastructure where accidents, asset failure or external attacks may cause harm to people. The safety and welfare of all individuals (Elia group’s staff, subcontractors and third parties) is a key priority for the group and its subcontractors. Elia Group’s subsidiaries have implemented a Health and Safety policy, undertake regular safety analyses and promote a culture of safety cross the organisation.

The Elia group has high safety standards in place which all of its employees, subcontractors and everyone who comes into contact with its infrastructure are required to follow. An Elia Group Safety Officer position was established in 2020.

The prevention of accidents and work-related illnesses is a top priority for Elia Group’s subsidiaries. Occupational health and safety measures are included in the corporate strategy. The latter is underpinned by the Health and Safety at Work Guideline, which is binding for all employees. Occupational health and safety practices have been improved over the past few years. These improvements have focused on the establishment of safe and healthy workplaces and the strengthening of a culture of prevention by making occupational safety a corporate value. This ensures that aspects of occupational safety are anchored in the thinking and actions of all employees and implemented across all support and core functions.

Every employee is instructed to recognise hazards, report them immediately, and submit suggestions for promoting safe and healthy working conditions.

As part of our commitment to health and safety, considerations related to occupational health and safety and injury and illness prevention are integrated into our corporate strategy at group level: they form part of the group’s ActNow programme. Our group-wide ambition is to ensure that all our employees and subcontractors arrive home safe and sound every day. To make this happen, we have defined four strategic health and safety objectives:

• We aim for zero accidents.

Elia Group is committed to making sure that everyone returns home safe every day. This includes all of our employees, our subcontractors and individuals who work on or in the vicinity of our infrastructure.

• We maintain a solid culture of safety.

Reaching our health and safety goal requires more than just procedures and guidelines. We actively work towards ensuring that everyone is personally involved in ensuring their own safety and the safety of their colleagues.

• We are all safety leaders.

The group’s transformation in this area requires visible safety leadership at all levels of the organisation. Safety leaders show exemplary behaviour and inspire others to do so too. Elia Group is committed to actively developing ‘safety leadership’ in all of its employees.

• We ensure and promote the health and wellbeing for our staff.

The strategic roadmaps developed by both Health & Safety departments (in Belgium and Germany) have been aligned with these 4 strategic objectives.

In order to further raise employee and supplier awareness about occupational health and safety issues, specific campaigns are carried out on a regular basis across the organisation. The translation of relevant documents and campaign content into other languages (particularly for different suppliers who do not operate in any of the languages we use across the Group) is being planned. The early detection and prevention of work-related illnesses and the preservation of employability are also important components of our approach to occupational health and safety. To support these, appropriate occupational health care, which focuses on individual protection and the prevention of health conditions is ensured. In addition, the Elia group provides its staff with regular medical consultations, flu vaccinations and advice regarding ergonomics in the workplace for all employees. Confidential counselling delivered by external, qualified therapists is available for employees at any time in the event that they should suffer from stress, conflict or suffer from substance addiction.

COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has had - and continues to have - an impact on the private and professional lives of Elia Group’s employees. Over the past two years, the situation regarding the virus and its spread has been constantly monitored and measures were implemented in accordance with the requirements of the SARS-CoV-2 occupational health and safety regulation. In addition, all employees have been able to undertake rapid antigen tests at least twice a week since the end of February 2021. All meeting rooms at company sites were equipped with measuring devices to ensure regular ventilation.

ELIA IN BELGIUM

Our safety record for 2021 is overshadowed by a fatal accident which occurred on 29 September as one of our members of staff was carrying out maintenance activities. An investigation into the incident has been completed and a series of prevention measures are being put in place to avoid such incidents in future. The event has truly reinforced our resolve to make sure that everyone returns home safe every day.

Elia Transmission Belgium published its Global Prevention Plan 2020-2025 which outlines its health and safety strategy for the years to come. It includes a solid health and safety framework with the transformation we want to undergo, which will see all staff members demonstrating visible and exemplary safety leadership. After obtaining a Safety Culture Ladder level 3 certificate 2020, an intermediate audit of our practices in this area was carried out in 2021. The audit reconfirmed that Elia Transmission Belgium’s practices are aligned with a level 3 on the Safety Culture Ladder scale, included recommendations for the organisation and indicated that the organisation was making positive progress towards a level 4 certification. The use of the Safety Culture Ladder is also being rolled out for our contractors to use and adhere to.

In addition to sector-specific risks, we also address risks related to road safety and raise employee awareness about risks and good practice as road users (motorists, cyclists and pedestrians) in professional and private settings. We also address risks related to the wellbeing of our employees through the Care4Energy programme that ensures their wellbeing by targeting their mental, physical, emotional and personal development. A series of campaigns related to health and wellbeing management were launched throughout 2021, leading to high numbers of staff taking part in related activities. Elia Transmission Belgium SA/NV performs psycho-social risk analyses in a structured and proactive way to understand and mitigate such risks with regard to its employees. Employees can also take part in different public sports events.

COVID-19 pulse check surveys are carried out by Elia Transmission Belgium SA/NV on a regular basis. As part of this, employees have been invited to fill out surveys related to how they have been coping with the pandemic and associated lockdowns, and how the organisation can better support them.

50HERTZ IN GERMANY

Occupational health and safety are integrated into the corporate strategy. This is also underpinned by the health and safety guideline, which is binding for all employees. Occupational health and safety has been systematically developed in recent years as part of a continuous improvement process. In addition to creating safe and healthy workplaces, the focus was on strengthening a culture of prevention by integrating occupational safety as a corporate value. This ensures that the aspects of occupational safety are anchored in the thinking and actions of all employees and implemented in all support and core functions. As part of the annual audit plan, eight internal audits were conducted in 2021 to ensure the continuous development of the health and safety management system. The implementation of the requirements for the occupational health and safety management system (OH&S) in accordance with DIN ISO 45001:2018 was again confirmed in the reporting year in a supervisory audit by an external auditor without any non-conformities. Health protection and occupational safety topics are an integral part of weekly meetings held by senior management and Eurogrid GmbH Supervisory Board. Furthermore, employees can participate in various public sports events. Another service made available to employees is an app that offers personalised coaching in the areas of exercise, mindfulness and nutrition (including workouts, physio sessions, meditation and recipe ideas). Since July 2021, the app has provided users with support for finding the right medical care and booking appointments for specific medical concerns.

COVID-19: All employees were offered COVID-19 vaccinations on site until June 2021. Initial and booster shots were also offered to employees from November 2021 onwards. These measures have helped to ensure that no major infection incidents occurred amongst the workforce in 2021.