Diversity, equity and inclusion
At STARK Group, we aspire towards a more diverse, equitable and inclusive culture. We are convinced that our continued success relies on the diverse skills, experiences, and backgrounds that our employees bring to their roles. We believe that diversity and inclusion have a positive impact on our overall business results, our performance, our products, our relationships with customers and suppliers, and the environments where our employees thrive.
In our commitment to diversity, we welcome everyone and meet all people with respect and an open mind. Therefore, we do not discriminate on gender, transgender identity or other expressions, age, culture, nationality, ethnicity, physical abilities, disabilities, political and religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or other factors. The value of equal opportunity is embedded in the way we do business and retain talent groupwide.
Our workforce reflects the increasing diversity of the greater community. Therefore, our efforts to understand, appreciate, and incorporate differences are becoming increasingly important.
We aim to be recognised in society as being ahead of our industry with regard to diversity, equity and inclusion. While our sector remains male-dominated, we are starting to see greater female participation throughout our business.
We measure and report on our gender balance annually and have set targets to increase the percentage of women across the Group.
Health and Safety
Health and safety is always a key priority for STARK Group, whether it involves our employees, customers or the communities in which our businesses operate. We aim for an accident-free workplace, and all our employees must support continuous improvements in health, safety and well-being throughout our operations. To enhance workplace safety, we ensure that our employees are aware of and follow safety regulations, our standards and Code of Conduct.
As a responsible and reputable corporate entity, we recognise our obligation to uphold the highest standards of health and safety across our operations and to proactively manage and mitigate the risks and hazards inherent in our industry.
STARK Group's health and safety management system is based on the ISO 45001 standard and sets a minimum group standard for all branches. The system also supports branches that are certified according to ISO 45001.
We believe that incidents are neither predetermined nor unavoidable – they always have causes. By building a strong safety culture, these causes can be eliminated and incidents prevented.
Branch support and audits
STARK Group internal branch audits assess compliance with legal requirements and internal health and safety processes in all branches annually. Branch audit results are reviewed monthly by management to ensure the rectification of nonconformities and continual improvement at the branches.
Health and safety training programs
Having the correct safety behaviour and mindset is essential. Therefore, all employees are provided with necessary health and safety training and resources as soon as they start working at STARK Group. This embeds health and safety behaviour from the beginning of employment. Health and safety training for STARK Group employees combines on-site training, standard operational procedures and e-learning modules covering our main risks and focus areas.
Health and safety in a broader perspective
Health and safety is a top priority for STARK Group throughout the entire production and supply chain, from manufacturing to end consumer. We ensure that our suppliers' working conditions align with our Human Rights Policy. Our processes and standards prioritise the health and safety of our customers, business partners, and contractors, whether they visit our branches or receive our goods and services further down the supply chain.
Employee engagement and competence development
The level of engagement and competence amongst our people is crucial for STARK Group to deliver on strategic goals and maintain customer loyalty and the overall sustainability of the business.
Training and competence development is an ongoing activity for STARK Group to maintain a high level of employee engagement and competence. We measure and report on key social performance indicators within gender equality and engagement to ensure progress in these areas.
Managers and leaders play an essential role in developing employee competencies. Therefore, we invest time and resources toward giving our managers the skills and understanding needed to build and maintain a work environment that fosters growth. Employees are entitled to at least one performance talk annually, and we recommend that they are held more regularly.
Human and labour rights
We are committed to respecting fundamental human and labour rights throughout our activities across our value chain. Our commitment is based on core ILO conventions and internationally accepted frameworks from the OECD and the United Nations, including the UN guiding principles on business and human rights, as well as compliance with applicable local legislation where we operate.
We are committed to addressing negative impacts related to our business operations. We wish to play an instrumental role in upholding human rights across our value chains and promoting positive change within the communities around us. We aim to be the preferred partner for construction and a positive link in the sustainable construction industry value chain by meeting the expectations outlined in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights by identifying and putting in place measures to address our salient human rights impacts.
STARK Group has implemented a Supplier Code of Conduct, which explicitly states our expectations to suppliers and other partners to commit to respecting human rights.
