Motus places the highest importance on the health and safety of our employees and all stakeholders on our premises. Our code of ethics covers health and safety as an imperative ethical business practice.
We encourage both personal and collective responsibility for the effective management of occupational health and safety (OHS). The intolerance of unsafe acts or conditions is expected of every employee, and all employees have a duty to identify and report potential OHS risks. During the year, we introduced a new OHS checklist to enhance OHS compliance across Motus.
The delivery of vehicles to new owners and parts to businesses, requires our drivers to operate on South Africa's roads, which are considered to be among the most dangerous in the world. All fatalities are formally recorded and investigated. We are sad to report that William Mojapelo lost his life in an accident during the reporting year, and we convey our sincere condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.
In Aftermarket Parts, drivers must conduct and document roadworthy checks on their vehicles prior to commencing the day's deliveries.
In the United Kingdom (UK), drivers are assessed before undertaking duties they are not familiar with such as driving a delivery van for the first time. Employees involved in an 'at fault' road accident or who have received a traffic offence are also assessed before they are allowed to continue driving.
In the year ahead, our focus will be on strengthening our controls around driver safety while delivering vehicles, including driver training.
| Link to material issues | ||||||
| Opportunity | An enhanced employee value proposition and organisational culture where employees are engaged and their wellbeing supported. | |||||
| Risks and challenges |
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| Boundary | All Motus entities. | |||||
Area of focus
| Drive OHS compliance | Performance measures
Road injuries per million kilometres (2017: 0,427)
Road fatalities per million kilometres (2017:0) |
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Priorities
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Ensuring compliance with health and safety standards
In January 2017, we started a campaign to enhance OHS compliance in all sites in South Africa. In the past, the results from external OHS assessments varied across sites, as each service provider used their own judgement and understanding of OHS legislation. To achieve a more consistent standard across Motus, a comprehensive OHS checklist was developed, together with a global leading risk management company, and is used to conduct all OHS audits. The checklist covers the requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety Act in South Africa, as well as a number of other legislative requirements such as building, machinery, electrical, environmental and hazardous chemical regulations, among others.
Operations are required to remedy any issues identified within a month of an audit, followed by a re-audit by the external service provider to ensure compliance with the checklist. While we are pleased with the improvement in OHS compliance to date, more work still needs to be done to implement the controls and procedures needed to achieve our target of gold rating, which is a minimum 85% compliance with the checklist, across all sites.
Of our 23 business areas, 13 have achieved a minimum gold rating status at more than 80% of their sites. Together the 23 business areas operate 339 sites.
Specific initiatives
Kia SA
At one Kia dealership, the new audit methodology highlighted two areas in the mechanical workshop where OHS measures could be enhanced, namely customer access to the workshop and the risk of fire. As part of the assessment, employees were consulted to learn from their experience and concerns on health and safety issues. Annual fire drills will be carried out going forward and measures have been put in place to prevent customers from entering the workshop, thereby reducing their exposure to potential injury. The findings will be used to inform employee OHS training and will be shared across Kia dealerships.
Emerging Brands
Following its consolidation of six brands and four offices into a single management structure, Emerging Brands launched a project to develop a stronger OHS culture. Compliance with Motus' new OHS standards was critically evaluated and remedial plans put in place where required, including the establishment of OHS committees with representatives from across levels and areas of the business. Employee understanding of what to do in the event of an emergency was also evaluated and training was delivered on first aid, firefighting and the role of OHS representatives.
Management led by example and took part in training activities and evacuation drills, and engaged with employees on health and safety during staff meetings. This helped to drive better employee participation in OHS initiatives and more staff are volunteering to be part of the OHS committees and requesting training. Overall there is an improved sense of engagement and morale among employees, who feel more involved in the day-to-day operation of the business.
Motor-Related Financial Services
Financial Services adopted the more rigid auditing methodology and set a goal to achieve 95% compliance with the new OHS checklist. Despite a number of challenges encountered in the relocation of offices, Financial Services achieved a pleasing 89% compliance in March 2018 from 83% in January 2018. Going forward, the focus for the new premises is to appoint trained OHS representatives for each building.
Key data
| 2018 | % change | 2017 | 2016 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-road injuries | ||||||
| Non-road injuries¹ | 258 | 136,7 | 109 | 72 | ||
| Road accidents | ||||||
| Road kilometres travelled (million) | 243 | * | 8,0 | 225 | 215 | |
| Road accidents (company) | 74 | * | (32,7) | 110 | 364 | |
| Road accidents per million kilometres | 0,304✓ | * | (37,8) | 0,489 | 1,693 | |
| Road injuries (company) | 52 | (45,8) | 96 | 67 | ||
| Road injuries per million kilometres | 0,214✓ | (49,9) | 0,427 | 0,312 | ||
| Road fatalities (company) | 1 | * | 100 | 0 | 0 | |
| Road fatalities per million kilometres | 0,004° | * | 100 | 0 | 0 |
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Note: the Motus sustainability management system collates, processes, tracks and communicates road safety data from all company sites. Data is collected monthly and local administrators and internal audit perform regular data integrity checks. The system also collates lessons learnt, which are used to inform development plans. |
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| 1 | The nature of most injuries are fractured fingers or cuts. |
| ✓ | Satisfied with performance. |
| ° | Area for improvement. |
| * | Assured (see the independent limited assurance report in the 2018 integrated annual report). |
The significant increase in non-road injuries reported is mostly due to the alignment of the UK metrics to reporting in South Africa. In 2017, the UK business only reported non-road incidents that resulted in lost time from an injury. This has been expanded in the current reporting year to include all injuries, including cuts and bruises. The decreasing trend in road accidents from 2016 is attributable to stricter insurance controls, which hold employees responsible for the excess payment if they are found to be at fault.
Ensuring employee wellbeing
Motor-Related Financial Services
The relocation of Financial Services to the new campus was completed during the year. Even though the move is just up the road, a clear communication and project plan was needed to minimise business disruption and manage the change. The feedback from the employees already settled into the new buildings is very positive as the campus has better facilities, including recreational activities such as a mini-soccer pitch.
Wellness days
To help employees better manage their physical and mental health, a number of wellness days were held during the year by certain Motus businesses. These events provide employees with the opportunity to have free eye tests and health screens, including HIV-testing, and to participate in activities like fitness classes, facials and massages, or get advice from dieticians, physical trainers and counsellors.
The Financial Services' wellness day also focused on raising awareness around its employee assistance programme, which provides employees with psychosocial counselling, and financial, legal, health and wellbeing advice. Employee participation in the Financial Services event was very pleasing and absenteeism has since decreased. The next wellness day is scheduled for July 2018.
Similar wellness events were held by Hyundai SA and Kia SA. A highlight of the Hyundai event was an industrial theatre production on how to manage stress. At the Kia event, a dietician was present to assist employees with nutritional information aligned to their test results, and all employees screened received feedback reports and reminders to go for follow-up testing, where required. Going forward, Kia plans to host wellness days for employees working in its dealerships.
United Kingdom
In the UK, all new recruits are required to complete a medical assessment, and all technicians, engineers and mechanics, as well as employees who drive more than 30 000 business miles in a year, have full medical examinations regularly. Any identified issues are monitored and, if necessary, employees are referred for further clinical assessment. Annual medical assessments are also available to employees who work night shifts. Employees exposed to spray painting or the use of vibrating tools undergo additional health checks and their exposure is monitored, where required. In addition, employees are provided with counselling support and have access to BEN, a motor industry charity that helps people in hardship.
Raising public awareness around road safety
More broadly, we partner with leading road safety advocates in South Africa to drive road safety education from grass root level upwards. The road safety programme deepens our relationships with road users and targets schoolchildren, parents and holidaymakers.
Safe scholars programmeWe use our brand mascot – Bongie, Buckle Up Buddy – to create an active, fun and memorable experience that resonates with children and teachers, and helps them to connect with our road safety messages. Talks cover how and when to buckle up, how to cross the road and the basics of safe road usage. Endorsed by the Department of Basic Education, we deliver these talks during school time and are the only organisation that has been granted this privilege. As part of the learning, each child is given a reflective sash to wear while walking along roads. The programme also equips scholar patrols at various schools. As part of Motus' Mandela Day celebrations, we ran road safety awareness campaigns at nine schools in the Eastern and Western Cape. The format of the initiative will be reviewed in 2019. |
Car seats for kids campaignThe car seat for kids campaign creates stronger awareness around ensuring that children are placed in the correct car seats for their height and weight. It educates the public on how to choose, install and strap young passengers into car seats. The campaign also encourages people to collect and donate used car seats which are restored, cleaned and safety checked before being distributed to less privileged families. |
Highway patrol programmeThe highway patrol programme assists Road Incident Management Services (RIMS) attend to and report on incidents along the N1/N4 toll routes, the busiest toll routes in South Africa during the Easter and December holiday seasons. We provide RIMS with patrol vehicles to assist the concessionaire with 24-hour route surveillance and emergency support, including post-crash care and breakdown assistance. In return, the concessionaire provides us with reliable road crash statistics. |