35 Heineken N.V. Annual Report 2004 Report of the Executive Board Operational Review
equipment among workers. As a result of this 'Getting the stars protected' initiative, many breweries
have replaced old and inadequate protective equipment with new recommended materials. The pro
gramme has helped to reduce accident frequency to 3.5 per 100 employees per year in Africa, down
from 5.5 per 100 in 2001. Our target is to reduce that figure to 2.2 by 2006. Absentee days have also
declined, reflecting a drop in the severity of workplace accidents, to 53 per 100 full-time employees in
2003, from 79 per 100 in 2001. Based on this success, we launched this programme in both Asia and
the Caribbean in 2004.
In breweries where adequate basic medical services are lacking, Heineken provides comprehen
sive medical care to employees and dependents. In addition, Heineken has a company AIDS pro
gramme that provides free, voluntary testing and medical care to Heineken employees and their
families. The programme was extended to Asia. We were encouraged by the results and presented
the outlines of our policy during the 2004 World AIDS Conference in Bangkok.
Alcohol and society
As a brewing company we are acutely aware of the risk posed by alcohol, particularly when consumed
irresponsibly. The basis of our Alcohol Policy is our conviction that our beers, when consumed re
sponsibly, fit in with a positive lifestyle. We do, however, recognise that some people consume our
products at the wrong time, for the wrong reasons or in the wrong quantities. We are committed to
raising consumer awareness about responsible consumption and what exactly this means.
In 2004 we became the first alcohol company in the world to link a responsibility message on
bottles, cans and secondary packaging with a dedicated alcohol education website. This site,
www.enjoyheinekenresponsibIy.com allows consumers to find information on the effects of alcohol,
read guidelines on responsible drinking and be directed via links to other organisations with more
specialised knowledge on the subject. The label bearing the website and message will appear on every
Heineken bottle around the world.
We are committed to promoting our products in a responsible way to consumers above the legal
drinking age. We do not want advertisements that may be seen by consumers to condone in any way
the abuse of alcohol, particularly our brands. We therefore work continuously to strengthen the basis
of responsible marketing and see this as a permanently ongoing process. Efforts in this area in 2004
included a new on-line training course for senior commercial management, designed to deepen their
understanding of our guidelines on responsible commercial communication.
In addition, we are developing programmes that promote responsible drinking and help prevent
alcohol abuse. Through partnerships with industry organisations such
as the International Center for Alcohol Policies, the Amsterdam Group
of international alcohol beverage producers and the European trade
association Brewers of Europe, we develop international programmes
that can be tailored to the specific cultural and linguistic needs of
each separate market.
In 2004 we fine-tuned our thinking on how best to convey
responsible consumption messages in our brand communication,
in Italy we developed an award winning 'responsibility' TV commer
cial called 'Pensaci' - think about it - that addresses the theme of
drink-driving in an innovative and thought-provoking manner.
And of course, our Alcohol Policy also includes those within our
own organization. Our Cool@Work programme, which sets out for
new employees the principles of responsible consumption is a vital
part of the education process. We have also developed a special
training for our sales force, which recognises the special conditions
under which they operate. In future, we plan to introduce the alcohol
and work programme to companies that have recently joined the
Heineken Group.
