Measures of Integration of the Bulgarian and Macedonian subsidiaries

In order to secure long-term business success in South-eastern Europe, it is essential that an ongoing increase in operational productivity be achieved.    

Nonetheless, EVN is making every effort to organise the related reduction in the workforce in the most social manner possible. As was previously the case in Bulgaria, during the year under review, a social plan was drawn up in Macedonia in conjunction with the company trades union. This plan lays down the guidelines for the scheduled staff cuts at the Macedonian company in detail. First and foremost, these cuts should take place via natural losses in the workforce and attractive redundancy models.
 

Establishment of a common culture of responsibility and leadership  

The development of a shared corporate culture, based on uniform Group principles is important as a means of bridging the differences created by linguistic and cultural diversity. Training at the EVN Bulgaria and EVN Macedonia Academies, internships, the exchange of experts and a variety of other measures are currently encouraging an integrative culture of responsibility and leadership. The “Always at your service” claim already implemented in Lower Austria represents the paramount aim in this regard. This applies to both customers
and all EVN stakeholder groups.

To encourage trust among the workforce in Bulgaria and Macedonia, EVN operates an open communications policy. For example, a special emphasis is laid upon internal communications in the form of an employee journal and there is at least one bilingual expert in every department. Internal transfers were also needed in order to secure the optimum and most efficient use of the Bulgarian and Macedonian employees. All the central departments were concentrated in Plovdiv and Skopje and a programme for the encouragement of geographic flexibility and mobility was developed.

Positive dialogue with the trades unions and Works Council delegates    

The employee representatives within the EVN Group have already dealt intensively with the topic of integration. At the beginning of September 2005, members of the EVN works councils travelled to Sofia, in order to become acquainted with their Bulgarian colleagues. This first meeting provided a lively exchange of information concerning the rights and obligations, worries and concerns of the workforces in both countries. The discussions continued in April 2006, when the Bulgarian employee representatives paid a return visit to their colleagues in Austria.
During the 2006/07 financial year, in both Bulgaria and Macedonia, collective wage agreements were concluded in conjunction with the trades unions, which form a cornerstone of company personnel policy.