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The health and safety of our employees, customers and business partners is a priority for Exel Composites.

The health and safety issues are an integral part of responsible management, and all sites have a safety organization with defined responsibilities. A variety of chemicals are used in the production process, and more than half of our employees are in daily contact with dangerous or flammable chemicals in their work. Ensuring the safety of all chemicals used in our products is a priority for us. The main occupational health and safety risks relate to the possibility of fire or health problems due to allergies or long-term exposure.

The core of Exel Composites’ health and safety efforts lies on preventive measures, including proper safety gear, regular safety trainings and communication, risk assessments as well as internal and external evaluations. The number of accidents per million hours worked (lost time injuries, LTI) is a key performance indicator. Every LTI is reported to the top management as well as other units to ensure the lessons learned. Near-miss and unsafe condition reporting is used for accident prevention in all factories.

The chemical handling processes and personal protection equipment at Exel are designed and allowed only for chemicals that are non-toxic, non-carcinogenic and non-mutagenic. We are continuously vigilant about updates in listings of chemical Substances of Very High Concern, such as in the REACH and RoHS declarations, to ensure staying ahead of regulations. The search for less hazardous substitutes is proactive and continuous. In 2022, the business units in Belgium and the United States, for example, made investments to replace the cleaning agent in use with a less hazardous detergent.

Monitoring air quality and volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions as well as efficient ventilation in all sites is an important part of health and safety. Employees’ health is also monitored through regular medical checks. Styrene exposure is monitored through mandelic acid tests based on urine samples.

Safety KPIs

¹⁾ Number of accidents per million hours worked

Technology leadership is a competitive advantage for Exel Composites. Recruiting skilled employees, as well as maintaining and developing employees’ expertise are critical for our company’s continuous development targets. Exel aims to be an inspiring, fair, and fulfilling workplace for its employees.

The annual Performance Development Review process is an important means to review individual and team performance. The PDR process also enables employees together with their manager to identify areas of their professional development and interest for trainings, in-house learning opportunities and mentoring.

All of Exel’s employees are eligible for annual bonuses tied to performance measures such as growth, profitability, and production related indicators as well as possible individual targets.

Exel Composites is committed to meeting the expectations of the ISO 26000 standard related to social responsibility. The Group has an important social role as a local employer and supporter of regional vitality as most of our manufacturing units are in small towns. We support local communities for example through small donations to local associations and non-political activities. Exel also cooperates with local universities and chambers of commerce, which is an important way to raise awareness of Exel as an attractive employer and promote education and research in connection to composites.

Exel Composites encourages and respects diversity in the workplace, in all recruiting decisions as well as in the composition of the company’s Board of Directors. Exel follows a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination and the company’s corporate values and Code of Conduct state that everybody shall be treated with fairness, respect, and dignity. All employees are expected to report any inappropriate or discriminant behavior or other Code of Conduct violations using for example the whistleblowing channel available at the company’s website.

Employee-related KPIs

Exel Composites is committed to exercising high standards of integrity and following ethical business principles in line with its Code of Conduct.

Exel supports and respects the protection of human rights in all its operations, including its supply chain, and follows global human and labor rights conventions. No form of forced or child labor is tolerated in the Group, nor from any of its business partners or third parties associated with the Group.

Exel Composites does not tolerate bribery or corruption in any form. Any violations could constitute serious damage to Exel’s business and reputational loss, and the company follows a zero-tolerance policy concerning corruption in all countries of operation.

Employees are expected and encouraged to report any Code of Conduct violations or observations. For this purpose, an anonymous and confidential whistleblowing-channel is available for both internal and external stakeholders. New employees sign Exel’s Code of Conduct already during the recruitment process and it is part of the employment contract.