Average number of hours of training and further education per year and employee
The average number of hours of training and development measures supported by Human Resources Development in the current reporting year is approximately 7.4 hours per employee in Germany. In addition, there is a variety of other qualification measures implemented by the individual specialist departments outside of “Bionorica Academy” which are therefore not registered by the system in each case. A quantified statement cannot currently be made on an international level, which is also due to the fact that Bionorica Academy is still in the process of being established internationally (see further information under GRI 404-2). Bionorica SE does not determine the gender or employee category for training and further education, which makes a corresponding further breakdown of the data impossible.
Programmes to improve employee skills and transition assistance
Type and scope of programmes and support measures implemented to improve the skills of employees.
Personnel may only be deployed in accordance with their training and knowledge; this requires both initial and ongoing training, the success of which must be verified – this is prescribed by specific regulations applicable to the pharmaceutical industry (AMWHV*1 § 4, EU GMP Guideline, Chapter 1.8). Bionorica SE provides employees with most of the training-relevant topics in the form of specification documents via an electronic document management system; the same system is also used for the necessary training and performance reviews. As of 31 December 2021, a total of around 720 specification documents were stored there, which must be regularly revised and retrained. Approximately 1,000 employees in Germany and Austria are affected by these training efforts, which can vary greatly in terms of type and scope depending on the area of activity or responsibility.
In order to get an overview of the training status in the organisational units, this training status is evaluated on a regular basis.
Regarding the reporting limits with regard to GRI 404-1 “Average hours of training and further education per year and employee”: There is no evaluation of mandatory training according to the average hours, nor is there any differentiation by gender or employee category, as the allocation of training is strictly based on the employees’ areas of responsibility. Since the training status includes passed performance reviews, recording hours is irrelevant.
In addition, each employee worldwide receives an initial training plan upon joining the company, which must be completed within six months. This plan includes general topics related to the company and job-related training (practical and theoretical part). Each year, each organisational unit establishes an annual training plan for all employees, which, in addition to mandatory training required by law (e.g. annual GMP*2 training), also includes training to maintain and develop the employees’ knowledge. In addition, each employee in Germany must complete the electronic document training courses on an ongoing basis. This ensures that employees are always informed of any changes and can refresh their knowledge of processes, for example in manufacturing.
Reporting limits: The initial training plan and the annual training plan must be prepared for each employee worldwide. The electronic document training courses, on the other hand, only affect employees in Germany, as only here are medicinal products manufactured, as well as employees at our research sites in Austria with regard to specific IT documents.
Abbreviations:
*1 AMWHV = Arzneimittel- und Wirkstoffherstellungsverordnung (German Medicinal Products Act), a federal ordinance that came into force in Germany in 2006
*2 GMP = Good Manufacturing Practice, which includes guidelines for quality assurance of the production processes and environment in the production of medicinal products and active pharmaceutical ingredients
Milestone: Introduction of Bionorica Academy in the 2021 reporting year for all employees in Germany and Austria
The launch of “Bionorica Academy” in the 2021 reporting year represented another important measure for the promotion of lifelong learning and the improvement of employee skills. On 22 April, the central and cross-divisional learning and further education centre at Bionorica went live. Since then, all qualification and further training offered at Bionorica has been mapped on just one digital, transparent and cross-divisional learning platform.
The mandatory training courses mentioned above (including GMP) remain unaffected, as these constitute an independent system.
With its range of different digital, hybrid and face-to-face instruction, Bionorica Academy enables all employees to learn in clearly defined learning areas, regardless of where and when they choose to learn. Manufacturing employees who do not have their own computers because of their work at the plants can book a specially equipped learning room at the main business location in Neumarkt and complete the online training courses offered by Bionorica Academy on the computers there. In 2021, the main focus was on online training to allow the maintenance of training and further education services despite the Covid-19 situation.
Following the successful launch in Germany, Bionorica Academy was also introduced in Austria in the summer of 2021, and the international rollout in other countries is planned to commence in 2022. In the 2021 reporting year, every employee from Germany and Austria was able to benefit from the more than 100 cross-divisional education and training opportunities offered by Bionorica Academy.
Targeted promotion of international young talent – the “Bionorica Talent Program”
The international “Bionorica Talent Program” was created for employees who demonstrate extraordinary skills, potential and performance and who wish to gain international experience and take on more responsibility at Bionorica. All employees at all Bionorica sites can apply for the programme, which is conducted in English. The main objective of the two-year programme is to ensure the long-term success of Bionorica by sustainably filling key positions with talent from within the company’s own ranks and to keep this talent at the company for the long term. The Bionorica Talent Program thereby promotes the professional and personal development of the participants by building skills, management experience and an international network extending all the way up to the boardroom.
The current group started in 2021 and consists of employees from the Baltic States, Germany, Austria, Russia and Uzbekistan. They started together with their personal mentors, all of whom are experienced managers from other divisions of the company. The Bionorica Talent Program was introduced 10 years ago and has since been completed by a total of 61 talented employees.
Transitional assistance programmes that allow employees to maintain employability and support the end of their careers due to retirement or termination.
Bionorica has currently not yet implemented transitional assistance programmes that allow employees to maintain employability and support the ending of careers exit due to retirement or termination. We rely on situational or individually tailored measures for individual employees.
Percentage of employees receiving regular reviews of performance and career development
For this purpose, the regular, structured performance review, which is regulated in a transparent manner for 100% of the employees and managers at Bionorica SE by works agreement, plays a decisive role. This performance review is carried out in the form of an interview with the respective direct manager, in the scope of which, in addition to the review of their performance, employees discuss their professional development. The annual performance review is held at the turn of each year; in addition, a mid-year review is conducted about six months later.
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© Bionorica SE - Gerhard Berger