BUSINESS: 532 PRACTICES
Papastratos, in 2017 turned the page in its long history and, with a significant €300-million investment, transformed its factory in Aspropyrgos into an exclusive heated tobacco sticks production unit for IQOS.
At PAPASTRATOS we value the value of security. We invest in the overall development and management of health and safety and take initiatives to create a safe working environment.
The most critical business goal of the company is the creation of a zero loss mindset in all its activities. In terms of health and safety at work, this goal translates into zero accidents and incidents of illness in the workplace.
In this direction, we implement the lean production program OPEN+, a Total Performance Management system:
In order to achieve breakthrough results a holistic approach and change in the way of work is needed, the way to achieve this is based on the development of our people's capabilities which has 2 main pillars:
1.Creating a culture that achieving 0 losses, in all areas (eg Safety, Quality, Cost) is possible and
2.Instilling 100% participation and ownership in all our processes
In the context of TPM, a Safety Pillar has been created consisting of employees from all Operations departments. The OPEN+ continuous improvement system was first introduced to the company in 2018 at the same time as the €300 million investment that turned its factory in Aspropyrgos into an exclusive production unit of heated tobacco rods for its innovative smokeless products. It is part of the company's broader pillar of exemplary operation, with the aim of reducing energy and water consumption by 20% by 2025, and achieving optimal supply chain management by 2023, with a 30% reduction in smoke emissions in all stages of the production process. The system is always moving towards achieving improvement in the axes of worker safety and environmental protection, product quality, cost and production time, as well as how our business operation has a positive impact on the morale and culture of organization.
The aim of the initiative is to develop a safety culture and a sense of responsibility and ownership among all employees, using risk identification and prevention tools and cultivating new skills in employees.
The Occupational Health and Safety Management System is implemented both by PAPASTRATOS employees at the company's facilities and by external partners.
The OPEN+ continuous improvement system was first introduced in 2018 with a vision of the exemplary operation of the company, and measurable goals with a horizon of two years 2023 – 2025.
The Mission Zero initiative of PAPASTRATOS is part of the broader corresponding program of PMI and follows tools and methodologies that have been developed in the context of the company's TPM (Total Performance Management) program. It is based on 6 pillars which are captured as follows:
PAPASTRATOS is certified according to the international standard ISO 45001 regarding health and safety at work. The Occupational Health and Safety Management System is applied both by PAPASTRATOS employees in its facilities and by external partners.
In the event of any health and safety related incident, whether it involves an accident or a near miss, a cross-departmental investigation team is established. Using a structured Sustainability Incident Management methodology the team examines the primary and secondary causes that led to the incident - a "5 WHY" analysis. At the same time, the investigation team recommends the immediate taking of measures to eliminate the conditions and behaviors that led to the incident, informs the organization accordingly, and examines whether the specific elimination measures can be applied to other areas within facilities or to subsidiaries of the group, implementing the commitment to active prevention.
Since 2019, the process of conducting trainings on environmental, health and safety issues has been improved, with a more direct targeting and connection to each workplace. The conduct of the trainings was automated through the digital training tool "Fuse" (online platform, part of the PMI intranet where all available training seminars are gathered) in order to automatically identify gaps in the training, track the course of completion of the trainings and take corrective measures , where required.
At the same time, through the unified operating system OPEN+, two important tools were developed to highlight and eliminate unsafe behaviors and conditions in the factory work environment:
In 2020, two of the original OPEN+ tools were further enhanced:
The Behavioral Observation System (BOS) which is used to highlight unsafe behaviors and is applicable in all parts of the factory, contributing to 100% active participation of staff in matters related to safety and reinforcing in practice the concept of active interest (active care approach) among employees.
In total, more than 21,000 opportunities for discussion and feedback among employees were created through the BOS system. In the context of strengthening the BOS, the Safety Pillar awarded eleven (11) employees for their performance in the use of the specific tool.
The “Safety Trigger”, a tool that helps to highlight and assess the risk of unsafe conditions in the workplace and is used at the beginning of each shift for each work area separately leading to the taking of immediate measures to eliminate or minimize risks. Initially, it was completed by the "Safety Champions" in their area of responsibility, however, we aimed and succeeded by building the relevant skills through trainings, to have the tool used by all workers in the production areas.
In accordance with the relevant legislation, PAPASTRATOS has an Occupational Physician and specialized nursing staff in continuous (24x7) operation. The Clinic area is located within the facilities and has medical equipment suitable for the immediate provision of first aid to employees, if required.
The Occupational Physician in collaboration with the safety technician organizes the measurement of factors related to health, hygiene and ergonomics at work. At the same time, the company offers its employees, in collaboration with large private centers, free checks (check-ups) to monitor their health.
The company's Clinic in collaboration with the department of environment, health and safety at work, organize informational programs related to the safety of employees inside and outside the company (eg travel instructions, first aid, etc.). At the same time, as part of the company's social responsibility, voluntary blood drives are organized on an annual basis within the company's premises.
ISO45001 external certification body
All company employees and external partners participate in the program.
In PAPASTRATOS, in 2020, no incident related to occupational disease was recorded. This achievement is a culmination of the company's efforts to protect and ensure the physical and mental health of its employees.
