Our people

In early 2011, we held our first independent staff satisfaction survey. The overall results of this survey, to which 92% of our Head Office team responded, were very good, demonstrating the effectiveness of our efforts to create an environment in which people can thrive.

92% of our Head Office staff rated us highly as an employer, 80% were very satisfied and 91% agreed British Land delivers quality in performance. We are now putting together a comprehensive action plan based on the findings of the survey.

We are committed to an ethical approach to business. We treat our staff and suppliers with fairness, dignity and respect, and are committed to equal opportunities. We actively work to prohibit corruption and bribery, and we support the protection of internationally recognised human rights.

British Land is an Equal Opportunities employer. Our policy is to treat all job applicants and employees equally. Everyone is responsible for ensuring a harassment-free working environment.

We endeavour to ensure that none of our decisions or actions causes discrimination on the grounds of sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religious belief or other philosophical belief, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, nationality, marital status, disability or age, whether direct or indirect.

We invite any employees with a disability to contact us if there are reasonable adjustments that we could make which would allow you to contribute more fully or to improve your working conditions.

Our comprehensive Staff Handbook provides policies and procedures for equal opportunities, disabled workers and dignity at work, including harassment, discrimination and bullying. It also details procedures for the reporting, reviewing and investigation of complaints, with formal disciplinary procedures clearly set out.

Our Sustainability Brief for Developments encourages all contractors and sub-contractors to have an equal opportunities and human rights statement approved at director level.

Our goals are relevant to:

• The UN’s International Labour Organization’s tripartite declaration concerning multinational enterprises and social policy - conventions 100 and 111
• The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s employment and industrial relations guidelines for multinational enterprises.

In 2009/10, we started reporting annually on incidents of discrimination for people employed by us or by our subsidiaries Acuity and Broadgate Estates.

For more information on diversity at British Land please see our Governance section.

For our performance data please see our Full Data Report

To help people to make the most of their potential with us, we provide appropriate support and training for all our employees. We formally assess training needs as part of the appraisal process, which also includes a 360° feedback process.

Our Group Human Resources Manager, Claire Bolsover, and other appropriate members of our Head Office team provide all new staff with an induction. This includes an introduction to our approach to corporate responsibility.

In 2010/11, together with our subsidiaries, we provided our people with 6,100 training hours, equivalent to 14 hours per person, an increase from nine hours per person in 2009/10. We held our first company-wide staff away day and introduced monthly all-staff meetings. 99% of the 437 people employed by us and our subsidiaries received regular performance and career development reviews.

Through our supply chain, we also report annually on the number of individuals on our construction sites who are participating in training schemes and apprenticeships.

We hold monthly all-staff briefings covering a range of topics, including corporate responsibility.

Our Sustainability Brief for Developments encourages our project teams to provide training for relevant occupiers prior to handover, to encourage sustainability and efficiency.

For our 2010/11 performance data please see our Full Data Report

We are committed to achieving the highest standards of health and safety. We work closely with our employees, managing agents and contractors to manage and monitor health and safety at our properties and developments, protecting our employees, suppliers, occupiers and other visitors.

Our Head Office and properties offer well-managed, low-risk business environments. Our robust health and safety management system includes thorough risk assessments, as well as appropriate processes and training in manual handling, first aid and fire evacuation.

Our Health and Safety Policy for Developments sets out our commitments, requirements and expectations with regards to the health and safety management of our construction developments, under the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2007.

Our Health and Safety Policy for Managed Properties communicates the standards of health, safety and environmental management we expect across our investment property portfolio.

These policies are available for download from:

www.britishland.com/crpolicies

Our internal Staff Handbook also includes health and safety policies and procedures.

Group Company Secretary, Tony Braine, has responsibility for the implementation of our Human Resources policy. He reports directly to our Chief Executive, Chris Grigg.

Our Group Human Resources Manager, Claire Bolsover, reports to Tony and is responsible for the day-to-day management and functioning of the Human Resources department.