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and entrepreneurship, and we also provided local communities with assistance
for covering local infrastructure needs.
Conscious of the fact that our people are the Group’s heart and soul and a
family for which we are responsible, we not only managed to safeguard the
jobs that we provide, which now exceed 2,500, but we also hired 374 new
employees. At the same time, we have created a work environment which of-
fers to our people security, equality, stability and a high level of satisfaction,
and drives their commitment and loyalty to our corporate values. In the Health
& Safety domain in particular, in 2012 we improved our performance, as we
achieved our target for “Zero Accidents and Zero Occupational Diseases” while
keeping the rate of incidents at near-zero levels.
Regarding the protection of the environment, the Group’s initiatives in this area
exceed the boundaries of statutory obligations and duties, always seeking to
minimise the impacts resulting from its activities. We invested more than €10
million in environmental projects for waste treatment and discharge, the treat-
ment of air emissions and the installation of “greener” technology.
Finally, we remained a driving force for the Greek market and economy, as dur-
ing the year we not only carried out €92 million of total investments, but we
also demonstrated – and continue to do so, that despite the adverse economic
juncture – the talent and creativity of Greek entrepreneurship, can and must
grow.
Of course the combination of difficult conditions, negative economic climate,
overtaxation and red tape create inevitably a climate of uncertainty that hits
the business community and, consequently, all social responsibility initiatives.
In MYTILINEOS Group, however, we do not make easy compromises and re-
main steadfast in the course we have set for ourselves – to create shared val-
ue for all.
As additional proof of our success in following this course and of our compliance
with international standards, we obtained for yet another year the certifica-
tion of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), international assessment organ-
isation for the compliance of our Sustainability Report with the GRI-G3.1 Ap-
plication, Level B reporting requirements. We also participated for the first time
in Bloomberg’s ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) indicator, and were
ranked No. 1 among all participating Greek enterprises in terms of overall per-
formance.
Of course, distinctions are not an end in themselves – it is the essence of what
they stand for that counts. Thomas Edison once remarked that “If we did all
the things we are capable of, we would literally astonish ourselves.” In
MYTILINEOS Group, we wish to astonish ourselves in this way every day.
Evangelos G. Mytilineos
Chairman of the Board & CEO
MYTILINEOS Group of Companies
