Human resources and training

Our Human Resources (“HR”) and Training division adds value to the business through recruiting and retaining fit-for-purpose personnel and developing and empowering the Group's human capital resource through relevant training and support.

This report contains key information regarding the Group's people profile, including our labour and health and safety statistics. In addition, it provides an overview and performance appraisal of the HR and Training division's activities, achievements and priorities across the business.

Note: certain information in this report has not been reported on previously, and hence there are no published comparatives. Our goal is to continue to improve our disclosure in this regard.

Labour

2 554

Total number of employees

(this excludes employees of our franchisees)
(2023: 2 726)

94%

Percentage of employees trained in South Africa

(this includes employees who have exited the business in the current financial year)

89,4%

Percentage of training spend in South Africa

R17 739 835

Total annual remuneration of highest paid employee

R101 184

Total annual remuneration of lowest paid employee

R163 489

Median remuneration of all employees

R270 427

Average compensation per male employee

R316 682

Average compensation per female employee

85%

Ratio of male:female compensation

36,87%

Percentage of management (Top and Senior) who are women

72,5%

Percentage of management (Top and Senior) deemed HDSA

1,28

Ratio of lowest paid wage to legislated minimum wage – South Africa

Health and safety

0

Number of fatalities (i.e. injuries on duty leading to death)

(2023: 0)

35

Number of lost time injuries (("LTI") i.e. injuries on duty leading to at least one lost day)

(2023: 37)

0

Fatal injury frequency rate (("FIFR") i.e. number of fatalities per 200 000 person hours worked)

(2023: 0)

1,16%

Lost time injury frequency rate (("LTIFR") i.e. number of LTIs per 200 000 person hours worked)

(2023: 1,21%)

<1

Group LTIFR and/or TRIFR target

(2023: <1)

78

Number of first aid cases ("FACs") i.e. injuries on duty leading to minor treatment (i.e. plaster or pain tablet)

22

Number of Medical Treatment Cases ("MTCs"), i.e. injuries on duty leading to treatment, but no lost days

ITALTILE GROUP

Key performance indicators	Trends 2024	Trends 2023
Recruitment and retention of fit-for-purpose personnel.
Engagement with employees across the Group.
Development of appropriate skills training, learnerships and competencies.
Support the Group's growth objectives and overriding strategy to deliver an incomparable customer experience.
Improve productivity and performance to achieve best practice benchmarks.
Develop leadership capability and capacity.
Number of training programmes conducted.

2023/24 priorities	Scorecard
Recruit senior executives to strengthen the team at Ceramic Industries.	Ongoing
Complete the Ceramic Technology Learnership for sanitaryware and tiles at NQF 2.	Underway
Partner with a disabled service provider to develop employment opportunities.
Provide work opportunities for high-performing bursary recipients as a potential feed into pipeline.	Ongoing
Train and develop the pipeline for joint-venture partnerships in CTM.	Ongoing
Implement an organisational restructure in the Human Capital division to improve expertise and effectiveness.	Underway
Develop and build the pipeline of factory managers through a robust and fast-tracked trainee manager programme.	Ongoing
Build and improve team cohesiveness through mentoring and coaching programmes.	Ongoing

Employee engagement and sentiment

The Group conducts a voluntary independent evaluation survey annually to assess the quality of engagement with employees.

Italtile

In the 2024 assessment, a score of 76% (2023: 74%) was achieved. In accordance with the scoring methodology implemented, this positions Italtile in the Top Company Grouping, classified in the category, "Striving to be world class". Overall, the communication channel effectiveness scores are classified as, "An Organisation that is dynamic and is considered a role model of excellence." Year-on-year, the scores for individual elements improved by 2,69% and reward and recognition by 4%. The employee response rate was 88% (2023: 81%). Our goal for the year ahead is to address the lowest scoring elements, namely the working environment and reward and recognition.

Ceramic Industries

In the 2024 assessment, Ceramic attained a score of 64% (2023: 70%). This decline was anticipated, given the poorer financial results delivered by the business and consequent impact on profit share. Remedial measures implemented to turn around the division's performance, including demanding performance standards and targets and limited retrenchments, also impacted adversely on employee sentiment.

The results achieved in the survey reflect consistent organisational strengths, with opportunities for improvement. In accordance with the methodology implemented, the score classifies the business as, "A more positive than negative climate and culture, and improvement is required". The employee response rate was 81% (2023: 70%); this increase in participation is encouraging.

The goal for the year ahead is to focus on improvement interventions, aimed specifically at the factories and those elements with the lowest scores, to support the performance drive underway in the business. Interventions will include capacitating competent teams and enhancing skills levels, which are expected to have a positive impact on productivity and work experience.