Occupational health and safety

This principle is valid and applied in all countries where the Piaggio Group operates. In particular, Piaggio continually pursues concrete actions aimed at:

• a continual and systematic evolution towards ever higher safety standards, which considers the assessment of occupational safety and related tools, starting from the definition of new activities, or when reviewing existing ones;
• a safer conduct through the education, information and awareness of all workers, to enable them to perform their duties safely and with awareness, and have a central role and be accountable for occupational health and safety aspects.

All employees guarantee and work together to put in place effective occupational health and safety programmes, to safeguard their own safety and that of others, based on interdependence.

Prevention and protection activities to safeguard the health of workers in a complex industrial context like the Piaggio Group, both in Italy and abroad, can only be achieved effectively through an adequately structured organisation which specifically aims to foster a “culture” of safety within the company. This includes behavioural training initiatives (the principles of which were also introduced in the most recent training updates) and initiatives to develop a “Culture of Safety”, that strategies for current and near future actions will also be based on. The belief that prevention must steer behaviour and daily activities, at all levels, has led the Piaggio Group to adopt very similar safety management standards in all the countries where it operates, regardless of any regulatory constraints that are less stringent than the Group’s standards. From this perspective, the plants in Italy, Vietnam and India have an Occupational Health and Safety management system certified by a certification body accredited according to ISO 45001 standard (Occupational Health and Safety Management System). The ISO 45001 certified management system applies to 83% of all Piaggio Group employees worldwide.

Audits are conducted annually and were successfully completed in 2022.

Production processes or company support processes are subject to a risk assessment, conducted according to a systematic process, and with the support of external specialised technical resources where necessary, with registration in specific Risk Assessment Reports.

The Occupational Health and Safety Management System that has been implemented at Piaggio envisages a rather extensive document system which, starting from the H&S Policy issued by Management, is set out in the Manual and actually implemented in the Management Procedures (which involve the entire company organisation), in the Operating Procedures (which instead involve only some company structures) and in the Work Instructions, which specify the correct methods for performing individual operations. Specific procedures are in place for change management, both with a view to risk prevention and to identify opportunities for improvement (ergonomics, plant safety, etc.).

In addition, a consolidated system of immediate reporting and analysis of accidents, dressings and near misses is in place, with standardised methods and defined working groups, in order to identify the root causes of these events and prevent the occurrence of accidents or recurrence. Another example of the applied prevention approach is the computerised “risk condition report”, available on the company intranet. Through these methods, company managers, as well as individual workers through specific officers, can identify and report any risk conditions present, initiating a system of assigning and evaluating preventive actions and monitoring their effectiveness, so as to guarantee a complete and accurate management of actions to improve safety at work. The management of socalled “near misses” is a key element in preventing the occurrence of dangerous situations, which can even lead to serious accidents.

Great importance is attached to emergency management. A plan has been prepared for each site, as required by current legislation, which includes an analysis of the main risks, the definition of the operating procedures to be adopted during the various types of emergency, the roles and actions to be implemented by designated, trained personnel and the communication protocols. Obviously, the efficiency of this organisational system is tested through numerous drills involving Piaggio’s sites.

All workers, consultants and suppliers who enter the Group’s sites are required to comply with this management system which provides for internal and external audits on compliance with procedures adopted.

In 2022, initiatives were further developed to mitigate occupational health and safety impacts within the commercial network. A specific training initiative was launched for the risks of electric vehicles, in view of the increasing use of this technology, which is particularly important for service network personnel.

Promoting health is another important aspect for Piaggio, and this is achieved based on two main areas of action: free testing and information campaigns on healthy lifestyles. Each Group site has a health unit for prevention, surveillance and first aid, manned by specialist medical and paramedical staff.

During 2022, also in view of the gradual updates to regulatory guidance, Piaggio kept the measures to guarantee criteria for the prevention of COVID-19 infection in place (e.g. social distancing, sanitisation of workstations and communal areas, distribution of masks, temperature detection at the entrance, etc.).

Italy

In Italy, in line with applicable current laws, Piaggio has put in place a structured organisation, based on six Employers corresponding to the different company areas, and consequently managers and supervisors who oversee the various organisational units and sites, with the support of Safety Department Managers and Competent Doctors. In addition, the presence of Workers’ Safety Representatives at all company sites is widespread and timely.

Response to the health emergency caused by the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted during 2022, however organisational, procedural and technical measures to prevent contagion in the workplace have remained in place, as per the company protocol signed with the company trade union representatives for each site and in line with the “Shared regulation protocol for measures to combat and contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus in the workplace” between the Government and social partners.

Specific strategies to contain the virus were defined in collaboration with competent doctors for people who tested positive or were suspected to be positive (nasal/throat swabs, etc.).

In 2022, a post-COVID medical evaluation and support service, set up in 2021, operated for employees who had contracted the virus, with specialist follow-up visits, in addition to clinics already running, that employees can access free of charge for specialist visits at the Pontedera Company Medical Centre.

As part of the strategy to continuously strengthen a corporate Culture of Safety, particular emphasis was placed on the creation of an international, interdisciplinary team of “Safety Ambassadors”: i.e. the development of skills and capabilities for people who, within their own operational/management area, become reference points for the application of health and safety systems, for continuous improvement and for the involvement and awareness of colleagues, etc. In fact, 8 employees, evenly distributed among company sites and functions, completed the technical training for ASPP61, and will work alongside the 3 people already trained.

2022 also saw the consolidation of the H&S Network both at international level, continuing the process started in 2021, and at Italian level, with a considerable extension and intensification of activities resulting from the training of the new “Safety Ambassadors”.

Significant impetus compared to the previous two-year period (affected by the difficulties in conducting in-person activities due to the Covid Emergency) was given to H&S training, which saw a marked increase in the number of hours provided, especially in Italy, and a considerable focus on behavioural aspects and staff involvement.

OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS AT ITALIAN PLANT²

2 - Accident rates, for all geographic segments, are calculated taking into account the hours worked by employees during the reporting year and the multiplication factor of 1,000,000

Accidents that occurred at Italian sites in 2022 refer solely to Group employees and mainly involved bruising and wounds. A single injury lasted longer than 6 months.

Accidents at country level (Italy) decreased significantly both as an absolute number and as a frequency index. Bucking the general trend was the Mandello del Lario plant, which has had a prevention plan in place since the end of 2022, based on specific technical and training actions.

Accidents are mainly attributable to conduct, such as distractions, inadequate behaviour, failure to comply with procedures.

As for external companies operating at Piaggio’s Italian production sites, one accident was recorded in 2022, while no accidents were recorded in 2021.

There were no fatal accidents in Italy in 2022, as was the case in 2021 and 2020.

India

In 2022, as in the previous year, health and safety was one of the main priorities for the company, especially with a view to the pandemic.

In order to guarantee the best occupational health and safety standards, the Indian subsidiary has an organisational structure that operatively involves the “Occupier” (employer), a single person across various production sites who has responsibility for the health, safety and well-being of all employees in the workplace, Factory Managers and a Safety Committee comprising 20 members that includes executives, managers and office workers.

The Safety Committee meets at regular intervals to plan, revise and discuss action plans necessary to establish and disseminate an awareness and safety culture among employees in the workplace. The presence of a Health & Safety team guarantees that the entire system may operate effectively.

To deal with the pandemic and ensure the effective adoption of anti-COVID protocols and preventive measures, a Safety Committee was set up in which members of all company functions participate and audits were carried out on a daily/weekly basis to ensure that this Committee can promptly adopt specific corrective actions.

Numerous surveys and situation assessments were carried out with the effective implementation of health and safety protocols across the organisation.

A priority for the Company was the strict compliance with central and local government regulations relating to the prevention of the spread of COVID-19.

To this end, the Company began to work with a primary hospital in Pune, for the preparation and assessment of health protocols and a consultation service by a specialist doctor was made available to employees at the Pune office.

All employees participated in e-learning/information activities on the anti-COVID measures followed, which are binding for entry to the company, and frequent awareness sessions were held on the conduct to adopt.

Specific prevention measures were adopted for workers at higher risk of infection (e.g. frail workers and the over 60s).

Employees were given the chance to take out additional medical insurance for any medical/hospital expenses incurred due to COVID-19.

To facilitate the management of potential symptoms of anxiety and depression related to the situation arising from the COVID-19 emergency, a virtual counselling service was also made available for employees and their families provided by a company specialised in compliance with privacy regulations. 

Comprehensive risk assessments were carried out to help identify and mitigate occupational risks related to mental health.

In line with the Group's approach, a great deal has been invested in training over the last few years as a key driver to increase employee accountability in relation to safety and, consequently, to promote a proactive approach to and engagement with safety issues.

OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS IN INDIA

Vietnam

A Safety Committee is active in Piaggio Vietnam, involving all members of the corporate functions, and is chaired by the Head of Operations. Committee members are responsible for dealing with any safety problems in their area of operation and for taking necessary corrective actions. They must also carry out periodic follow-up audits of the entire site and report any relevant safety issues or opportunities to the committee, in order for immediate corrective/preventive actions to be taken.

To effectively implement general health and safety regulations, an H&S programme is defined each year, based on operating plans, that are updated on an ongoing basis.

In the first quarter of 2022, the COVID situation called for a high level of attention. The company focused on adopting all necessary preventive measures to ensure the health of its employees during production activities. These measures included: wearing face masks, safe distancing, hand washing, sanitisation, rotation of shifts in parallel with screening tests to isolate positive cases. At the same time, third-dose vaccinations were stepped up for all employees in February 2022. In addition, all positive cases received active support.

From the second quarter of the year onwards, with the reduced COVID alert, the company redefined its activities, through networks of OHS coordinators, with OHS surveillance focused on safe behaviour. Many on-site improvement opportunities have been undertaken and completed.

In the third quarter, a six-monthly campaign was launched to improve the health of employees with a number of activities also dedicated to wellness and mental health (Health news, Healthy Friday, Health Corner, Run for Dream Challenge, PIAGGIOLYMPIC). This project has involved numerous online and offline activities of employees, through which they were able to learn and have fun in order to improve their health.

The local H&S plan was fully implemented, resulting in the achievement of the H&S objectives and 2022 targets. The recertification audit was implemented regularly, successfully renewing ISO 45001 certification, valid until 2025.

OCCUPATIONAL ACCIDENTS IN VIETNAM

Indonesia

At the end of 2022, activities started at the Indonesian plant, which also involved significant occupational health and safety initiatives. The local H&S organisation was defined to support project and operational activities. The greatest efforts initially went into the design of working environments and utilities, including fire-fighting systems. Particular care was taken in the design of workflows, to ensure maximum separation between operational, logistics and test areas and thus minimise risks to personnel. Consequently, H&S activities focused on the education and training of personnel and the coordination of the local organisation with the central H&S service, in order to consolidate a constant and effective functional network. No accidents occurred.