Objectives, Measures and Indicators

Preserving the well-being and boosting satisfaction among our employees in the long term is something that is important to us. As a result, Vonovia attaches considerable importance to offering employees a work environment in which they are protected against risks and threats to their health to the greatest extent possible while carrying out their work. This applies, in particular, to those departments and trades that are involved in the construction process, as there are considerable potential hazards in their working environments.

Health Management

Our health management objectives are:

• Promoting the work-life balance of our employees,
• maintaining their health and ability to perform in the long term,
• assisting them in establishing healthy lifestyles,
• boosting their motivation and loyalty to the company.

We offer a range of services to achieve these objectives. The Health and Social Affairs team offers services such as:

• Colorectal cancer prevention
• Flu shots
• Massages
• Cooperation with fitness centers (e.g., McFit) and company sports
• Service hotline providing advice for employees and managers and coaching (psychosocial counseling)

The colorectal cancer prevention and fitness center membership services are very popular.

Dealing With Stress

At the Vonovia Academy we offer seminars on dealing with stress and preventing burnout. There are also courses on dealing with complaints, arguments and difficult situations involving customers. One seminar on improving health is specifically tailored to our managers in order to raise their awareness of the responsibility they have toward employees.

Health Portal

Nutritional advice, BMI calculator, fitness exercises for the office and advice for the next medical checkup: The “Time for Health” portal offers our employees a wealth of health-related information. In addition, employees can participate in internally organized running events or soccer competitions.

Corporate Integration Management

Following longer absences from work due to illness, we support the affected employee’s return to work through corporate integration management. This allows the employee to slowly acclimatize to their work again.

Ergonomic Seating and Nutrition

We moved into our new company headquarters mid-2018. Due to the move, we procured office equipment for up to 1,000 employees, including electric standing desks, for instance. The new company headquarters also offers additional benefits like the all-in-one water system, which provides employees with free fresh, cooled and filtered still or sparkling water and a much bigger range of options in the canteen to promote a balanced diet.

Occupational Safety

Every new employee at Vonovia receives initial safety training followed by annual safety training. Mandatory safety inspections, for example, on portable electrical operating equipment or ladders, are performed regularly. To avoid incorrect internal assessments, we also commission repeat risk assessments from external service providers on locations and activities as required. We are currently focusing on repeat DGUV (Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung – German Statutory Accident Insurance) V3 inspections throughout Germany on portable electrical operating equipment.

Monitoring and management is performed automatically and electronically using feedback sent via email.

We continually adapt our occupational safety processes and measures to new requirements resulting from amendments to law and our findings following analyses of work accidents. The increase in the number of employees at Vonovia, resulting from growth, and the fluctuation rate mean that initial training is gaining in importance.

For example, in 2018 we:

• Conducted 31 evacuation drills throughout Germany
• Thoroughly examined and updated all VTS risk assessments related to trade
• Updated the fire protection organization at numerous locations
• Organized training for newly appointed and existing safety officers with VBG (Verwaltungsberufsgenossenschaft)
• Organized seven nationwide internal training sessions for another 64 “ladder officers” (person authorized to inspect ladders and steps)
• Organized six nationwide internal training sessions on “Occupational Safety for Managers – corporate duties and liability risks” for around 60 managers

Planned Measures

At the beginning of 2019 we intend to plan more internal management training sessions on “Occupational Safety for Managers – corporate duties and liability risks” and hold them over the course of the year.

We also plan to conduct risk assessments on the following issues in the following locations:

• VTS: mental strain
• Residential environment: mental strain, biological substances ordinance, interior and glass cleaning
• Real estate service and Immobilien Treuhand: managers, landlords, technicians, caretakers, sales personnel and WEG (Condo owners’ association) administrators at new locations across Germany

In the residential environment we also intend to restructure various instructional documents, for instance, for concierge services, and expand the fire protection organization at new locations. The VTS will review the contents of the risk assessments updated in 2018 as part of the nationwide efficiency checks of the locations and with the trades on site.