Employees

Tomkins recognises that its success depends on its ability to attract, develop and retain talented people to execute its business strategy. Our human resources (“HR”) strategy is designed to support the key themes of our overall business strategy. Tomkins' HR function operates on a decentralised basis with the majority of our HR staff located at the business unit level where they can be most effective. This reflects our belief that localised HR teams, operating under common principles, are best equipped to deal with the varying business cultures, operating structures and geographic locations that exist across the Group. At the corporate level our emphasis is on identifying and developing emerging talent, broadening training opportunities, performance management and succession planning. We also directly manage the incentive plan for our top managers, thus ensuring that this key element of remuneration is wholly consistent with shareholders' interests.

Further details of our main policies can be found here:

- Human Rights Policy
- Code of Conduct and Ethics

Below, you can read more about our human rights policy, our commitment to diversity, how we engage with our employees, our remuneration and incentivisation policies, and how we invest in people development and training.

Diversity and equality

We are firmly committed to the equitable treatment of all our employees and qualified applicants for employment. Equal opportunity is one of our most enduring and basic beliefs and we aim to ensure that no discrimination in any form is practised within our business. Further, it is the responsibility of each employee to help Tomkins provide a work atmosphere free of harassment or abuse.

Consultation, dialogue and engagement

Tomkins engages with its employees for a number of reasons – to provide information, to garner views, to promote inclusion and to foster good relations. In general, communication channels are locally tailored rather than centrally directed. For example, line managers deliver regular team briefings to communicate information about the business and provide opportunities for our people to comment and feedback their views. Newsletters, the Group website and each of the operating entities own websites help employees to know what is going on within the business at local, regional and Group levels. Two-way communication also takes place periodically through local employee satisfaction surveys.

We encourage our people to report any concerns they may have about any activity which might be inconsistent with our business principles and Code of Conduct and Ethics. We have a hotline which employees can use on a confidential basis to raise any concerns.

We respect our employees' right to join legally recognised trade unions but we endeavour to create a work environment in which a third party cannot add any value to the employee-employer relationship.

Remuneration and reward

We are committed to remunerating our employees fairly according to their skills, experience and performance and we comply with the local regulations in each of the countries in which we operate. Each operating company develops its own approach that reflects the needs of the individual business.

We actively encourage share ownership amongst our employees as we believe that this encourages our staff to act in the best interests of the Company. All senior management participates in a remuneration scheme which requires investment in Tomkins shares. All employees in the UK have the option to participate in a company sharesave scheme.

Development and training

Investment in employee development and training is key to the future success of Tomkins. Each of our operating companies has its own training and development programme customised to meet local cultural and commercial aims. We also encourage cross-functional and international experience, as well as bringing individual and business benefits. We are committed to developing our workforce through the provision of a wide range of training.

One example of our commitment to training was the foundation of Tomkins College, in conjunction with the Indiana University in the USA. The College provides the opportunity for our people to develop the financial skills to enable them to optimise their own and their businesses’ performance.

In addition to their induction, Directors are provided with the opportunity to receive training which assists them in carrying out their duties. Focus tends to be on familiarising Directors with requirements following the introduction of new legislation and regulatory requirements.

Human Rights

The aim of the Tomkins’ Human Rights Policy is to communicate to our customers, suppliers, investors, employees and the communities in which we operate, the ethical and social values we respect and our commitment to uphold human rights. By promoting sound ethical values and human rights principles we aim to be an aspiring business for people to join.

Presidents and senior managers are required to sign an annual declaration confirming that no breaches of the policy have occurred during the course of the year. In addition, the Risk and Assurance Services team check compliance whenever they visit a facility.

No breach of our human rights policy has been reported since the introduction of the annual declaration.