Health and safety
Enexis consults directly with its employees and with employee representatives through our VGWM (Safety, Health, Welfare and Environment) Committee and safety councils at the sites. Consultation occurs at various stages, including before tool and clothing wear trials. The VGWM Committee discusses draft procedures every six weeks, followed by informal feedback. Approved policies and procedures go through a formal process. Operational responsibility for consultation with the VGWM Committee lies with Enexis’ HSEQ director and the chairs of the relevant clothing and tools committees. In addition, the VGWM Committee regularly consults with the Executive Board and the Central Works Council. (ESRS S1 par. 27a) (ESRS S1 par. 27b) (ESRS S1 par. 27c)
We evaluate the effectiveness of the dialogue through the reports and complaints in the Safety Compass and through the input of the branch representatives in the committees. We ensure that stakeholders are consulted and involved in the process. For example, non-managerial employees must be consulted on many activities, from health and safety policies and targets to incident investigations, audit programmes, and identifying and assessing risks and opportunities. The principle is that every employee can participate and is given the time, space and resources by the manager to do so. (ESRS S1 par. 27e)
Training and skills development
Each employee develops an annual personal development plan with their manager. This process is part of the Energy Dialogue, an ongoing dialogue between the employee and manager that focuses on the employee’s development, goals and vitality. Development goals are recorded and monitored in SuccessFactors, our HR system. For guidance on personal growth and vitality, employees can contact the Career and Mobility Centre, which also provides support for their Energy Dialogue.
Diversity and non-discrimination
Our employees are very committed - to their work and to each other. Every quarter, we conduct the online Enexis Employee Survey (EES). It enables us to measure the employer’s Net Promoter Score (e-NPS), cooperation and engagement. In the first three quarters, one-third of Enexis employees are contacted each time. In the fourth quarter, all colleagues, both permanent and temporary, as well as external staff, are surveyed. The Executive Board, the Works Council, management, all leaders and HR business partners discuss the results of the surveys. We share the results of the overall measurement with everyone. The EES now only includes indirect questions on diversity and non-discrimination. In 2025, we will adjust the methodology to provide more data and better track progress against our objectives. (ESRS S1 par. 27) (ESRS S1 par. 47c) (ESRS S1 par. 28 en 29)
Health and safety remediation processes
If someone’s health is affected by their work, we have a wide range of options to help them. Employees can report their concerns or ideas for improvement through the Safety Compass. They can also approach the employee representation bodies or confidential advisors with their concerns or grievances. If an employee is not satisfied with the resolution of a complaint, he or she can appeal through a company procedure or file a claim with our insurance department. All regulations are available on our intranet.
Through the EES survey, Enexis periodically evaluates whether employees have confidence in the policies and procedures relating to health and safety. The company regulations protect employees who make reports. (ESRS S1 par. 32b) (ESRS S1 par. 32c) (ESRS S1 par. 32d) (ESRS S1 par. 32e)(ESRS S1 par. 33)
Measures to reduce risks and pursue opportunities
Health and safety
To protect employees, we try to minimise risks as much as possible. We do this by implementing safety standards, training and proactive measures, and promoting a safe work culture. We also closely monitor what is happening in our networks and continuously encourage safe behaviour. We do this through workplace visits, workshops, ongoing process improvement, learning from incidents and providing positive safety examples. Each year, we recognise colleagues who have made an exceptional or visible contribution to safety with our Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Award.
Learning from (near) accidents is a priority, so we monitor and analyse all incidents. We share the results and incorporate lessons learned into our work protocols, team meetings, training programmes and learning sessions in the training hall. We also work closely with contractors to improve safety. (ESRS S1 par. 38d)
Working in more voltage-free and gas-free conditions to reduce safety risks is another priority. This is particularly important at a time of huge production growth and labour shortages. An added benefit is that new, less experienced employees can be safely integrated into our grid operations more quickly and safely.
Our health and safety measures are detailed in our safety policy, which is VCA and ISO 45001 certified. It covers the following aspects: (ESRS S1 par. 39) (ESRS S1 par. 37) (ESRS S1 par. 38a) (ESRS S1 par. 41) (ESRS 2 par. 68a) (ESRS 2 par. 68b)
Policy and organisation: procedures for requesting and issuing safety instructions (BEI and VIAG), risk inventory and evaluation (RIE), incident reporting and VGWM audits.
Education and training: mandatory safety training, VGWM meetings and start-of-work meetings.
Workplaces: workplace visits, vehicle inspection questionnaires and HSE site checklists.
Work not primarily related to electricity and gas: instructions for waste management, handling hazardous substances, working in contaminated soil, asbestos management and PCB oil-containing equipment.
Procedures under the site manager’s responsibility: management of keys and seals, use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and reporting methods for specific sites.
PPE: procurement, use and maintenance of PPE and safety clothing.
Emergency response and first aid: HSE site policies and procedures in the event of a fire.
For the meter company: entering and working in CO₂ operational areas.
Attracting talent
In 2024, we broadened our focus on the labour market more than ever. This has resulted in a diverse influx of new colleagues, of which we are proud. This year, for example, we welcomed 13 people from South Africa, with a further 18 starting in January 2025. The project group where they will work pays particular attention to successful integration. To attract more talent, we launched the Young Talent Project. This pilot project aims to attract, retain and engage graduates and young professionals. They follow the Enexis Graduate Programme or department-specific career paths with a personal development programme, the Young Professional Programme.
Enexis is also one of the launching partners of the Labour Match Platform (LMP). Since its launch in late 2023, the LMP has been implemented in various locations across the country and helps to find more technicians by focusing on skills. The LMP also organises or supports regional ecosystems of businesses, trainers and institutions to create attractive offers for jobseekers, encourage cooperation and drive innovation. For example, companies refer rejected applicants to each other.
Recruitment marketing costs have been rising sharply since 2023. This is partly because the number of vacancies has risen to record levels and competition is fierce. Conversion rates on career websites have fallen from 4%-6% to 1%-3% since COVID-19. In addition, candidates are increasingly reluctant to apply through traditional methods (CV and cover letter). We therefore increased our budget to achieve the same number of applications in 2024. We are also using increasingly intelligent technologies: (ESRS S1 par. 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 en 43)
Since 2024, we have a single centralised solution (platform) for the full year. This platform ensures uniformity and consistency in campaigns, builds talent pools for specific target groups, and measures and visualises results. WhatsApp is also connected to the platform, allowing candidates to apply via this medium.
A new assessment tool uses competency profiles (lenses). By selecting the right lens during a recruitment campaign, candidates’ results are clearer and easier to interpret.
For onboarding, we use a digital platform that ensures colleagues receive consistent information and a warm welcome.
Training and skills development
Employees can explore our current offer of (multi-day) training courses, e-learning programmes and master classes on the digital platform ‘Enexis learning’. They can register directly there. If a specific training course is not available, they can find and request a suitable course via the external platform Archipel. This platform also allows them to do self-assessments. Moreover, the Sustainable Employability Budget allows employees to follow any training they choose. In addition to our talent programmes, we offer specific leadership training (including leadership and intervision programmes) and resilience (internal career coaches, the vitality platform and the annual Energy Dialogue). Our 2024 management training programme won three awards at the Best Traineeship finals: Best Traineeship overall, an award in the Personal Branding category and Best Young Talent Manager.
In 2024, a new leadership programme was launched for Enexis’ top 100 managers. Featuring 2 mandatory modules and 13 elective modules, this programme helps participants develop skills needed to tackle the challenges of the energy transition, such as results orientation, collaboration and agility.
Enexis will reimburse tuition costs for job or career-related training. Employees can use the Sustainable Employability Budget (SE budget) for training that does not fall under this scheme. This is an individual budget of EUR 500 gross per year. An employee can save up to EUR 1,500 for a maximum of three years. (ESRS S1 par. 24d, ESRS 2 par. 65a en 65d)
Diversity and non-discrimination
Our Code of Conduct is essential for promoting diversity and tackling discrimination. It explicitly covers all grounds of discrimination, including race and ethnic origin, colour, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, religion, political opinion, national or social origin. In addition, the Code of Conduct addresses sexual harassment, aggression, bullying and violence, and explicitly refers to the Complaints Procedure for Sexual Harassment. (ESRS S1 par. 24b, ESRS 2 68 a-bc) (ESRS S1-4 37 / 38 c-d / 40
At Enexis, we are preparing for the European Pay Transparency Directive. This directive aims to promote equal pay for men and women for equal or equivalent work and to prohibit gender discrimination. To support this, we ensure that the recruitment process is conducted in a non-discriminatory manner. Employees are provided with insight into the criteria used to determine pay levels and trends, and they have the right to ask how their pay compares with that of colleagues in equivalent roles.
To promote ‘An Enexis for everyone’, we work with various network groups. Each network has a board and a community group where members share input and ideas. A well-functioning network makes a valuable contribution to our organisation’s learning capacity. By sharing knowledge and encouraging new skills development, networks help strengthen internal relationships. They also help our organisation to innovate and grow. In addition to the ‘ZIJ!’ and ‘Next’ networks, ‘Proud’ and ‘Connect’ were launched in 2024 by a group of enthusiastic colleagues.(ESRS s-1-1 24c) ESRS S1-4 37 / 38 c)
We promote diversity and inclusiveness through a diversity game that has been played in several teams. Employees can also participate in bias training to help identify and reduce bias. Together with Stedin, we have developed VR training. In addition, we conduct workshops and presentations to raise awareness of the policy and the related grievance mechanism, as well as raise awareness of a diverse and inclusive work environment and how to achieve it. ESRS 2 par. 65 f) (S1-1 par 24 d)
Targets for own workforce
Health and safety
It goes without saying that we want to prevent accidents at work, both among our employees and our contractors. We continuously aim to create a safety-conscious environment. We align health and safety procedures with laws and regulations, improve safety culture and create a working environment where health and safety are a priority. We also increase employee involvement and responsibility in safety activities. Continuous evaluation and improvement of the system are essential to reduce risks and improve process effectiveness.
In such a safety-conscious environment, preventing work-related accidents is a natural goal, both among our own employees and contractors. The benchmarks and targets are set out in the Employee Key Figures section. (ESRS S1 par. 46 en 47 )
Attracting talent
Enexis set the target of a gross increase of 365 FTEs in technical staff in 2024. We achieved this target: the gross increase was 375 FTEs. The net increase of 143 FTE was lower than the net target (≥ 200 FTE). This is because more colleagues took early retirement than expected. By 2025, we aim to achieve net growth of ≥154 FTEs. (ESRS S1 par. 47 (ESRS 2 par. 80a) (ESRS 2 par. 80b) (ESRS 2 par. 80e) (ESRS 2 par. 80c en 80d) (ESRS S1 par. 46) (ESRS 2 par. 80c) )
Training and skills development
One way we measure our positive impact is through the Employer Net Promoter Score (e-NPS). A high e-NPS means that many employees are also ambassadors for Enexis. The e-NPS score is a widely used method, where scores between +10 and +30 are considered good. The industry benchmark is +14. In the context of the great challenge we face and the consequent increasing pressure on employees, we consider +30 to be realistic and ambitious. With a score of +32, our e-NPS is slightly above our target of +30. With all the measures we are taking, our goal is to achieve a score of +40 by 2026. (ESRS S1 par. 46 en 47 )
Diversity and non-discrimination
Since 2023, we have been working with an annual plan to achieve diversity and inclusiveness targets. These include a gender balance KPI for all senior management positions by 2025 and a cultural diversity recruitment target. (ESRS S1 par. 46)
Our gender target is closely linked to our broader goals of promoting equal opportunities and creating an inclusive working environment. Specifically, we aim to achieve a minimum gender ratio of 40% on the Executive Board and among directors, and 30% for other leadership roles. In the recruitment & selection process, we ensure that the longlist and shortlist include at least 50% women. the target value we have set for the sub-top and all other categories of executives ensure that we also encourage succession internally in order to achieve gender balance on the board of directors over time. We also want 10% of new employees from diverse cultural backgrounds. These targets apply to all business activities and run until 2030, with no specific baseline or base year. Starting in 2025, we intend to measure cultural diversity in new hires, but the methodology is still under development.
We analysed the targets and current status among fellow grid operators to establish these targets and held two meetings with the EB and one with the SB. Progress is being monitored via an internal diversity dashboard, which will also be reviewed quarterly with the SB.