AAK Annual Report 2019

34 A company to be proud of Our priority area People is at the heart of AAK’s ambitions towards people development. Over the last few years, a broad variety of initiatives and programs have been very successful. Not only has this delivered very positive results internally and helped to promote a high-performance culture across our global organi- zation, but it has contributed significantly towards the value we create for customers. A successful year During 2019, there have been many initiatives designed to support priority area People. These include the continued implementation of the AAK leadership model as well as a series of workforce planning, talent management and succession planning programs. We have during the year also continued to deliver our four days of leadership training for more than 400 managers and key employees worldwide, focusing on our leader- ship competencies and company values. We have furthermore developed and implemented a new Performance Management process designed to promote continuous dialogues, feedback and employee development. By implementing a continuous dialogue model for performance management, we are committed to create an environment where everyone feels empowered to take responsibility for their performance and development. We have during the year also finetuned and further developed our Global Trainee Program. This is where trainees are recruited into “real” jobs from day one that are aligned with a structured 12-month program designed to accelerate a number of attributes, namely: Operational and commercial understanding of our business Personal and professional development of self, others, and the business Application of technical knowledge in role International exposure to develop and grow a strong global network Fast-track progress on a career pathway Since the program was launched in 2012, we have recruited more than 60 trainees. Safety at AAK Health and safety are integral parts of AAK’s business strategy. Any work-related injury is unacceptable and we strive to be a zero-injuries workplace. In 2019, we managed to decrease Lost Time Injury Rate (LTIR) at our production sites to 0.4 (0.6 in 2018). This was in large part due to our Global Safety Team who has developed a strategic program for continuous improve- ment, aligning the Group’s global safety efforts.