Drax Group

Drax Group
Industry	Electricital Power Generation Company
Founded	2005
Headquarters	Drax, North Yorkshire, England
Area Served	UK, US
Chairman	Charles Berry
Chief Executive	Dorothy Thompson CBE
Products	Electrical power and byproducts of power product
Market Value	5.168,1m$
Employees	1280 (2013)
Website	www.drax.com

About Drax Group

Drax is one of the major electrical power generation companies within the power generation business and it meets approximately 8% of the United Kingdom’s electricity demand. Additionally, the company undertakes some activities related to wood pellet plants in the United States. The Drazx Group is committed to a gradual reduction of their carbon footprint so that they transform their business into a predominantly biomass-fuelled generator. Consequently, Drax Group seeks to provide low carbon, low cost and reliable renewable power well into the future.

Engagement in Cultural Diplomacy

Drax Group’s engagement in cultural diplomacy is reflected on their strong efforts to create their own culture where staff feel valued and want to come to work to perform for the good of the business. An integral part of achieving this culture is the annual appraisal and development discussion between each individual and his/her line manager and regular performance reviews. They try to create and preserve a positive industrial relations climate, with employment policies which are underpinned by our values. Drax wants to project to the world an image of being a bold, customer-orientated, power generation and retail business, driven by biomass innovation. Drax’s major values are: honesty, energy, achievement and team spirit.

Drax is committed to creating an inclusive workplace through its diversity and equality policy. This commitment is specifically reflected in their Equality Act. For Drax Group ‘diversity’ simply implies that we are all different either by visible or non-visible differences, including sex, age, race, religion or belief, disability and sexual orientation. The principle aims of Drax Group are to attract a diverse workforce so that Drax can find the best available people, and to create an inclusive work environment where difference is respected, so that everyone can feel valued. On the other hand, ‘equality’ means that all employees at Drax have an equal responsibility to treat each other, potential employees, contractors, customers and clients, in a way that respects their feelings and values their contributions. Drax takes seriously its legal responsibility to take steps to ensure that no job applicant, employee or individual employed by a contractor, customer or client of Drax, is unlawfully discriminated against by Drax or employees acting on Drax’s behalf. On a slightly different note, Drax is also committed to putting an end to the gender gap and as a result of this continuously shapes policies to engage with this challenge, trying to attract female applicants, whether apprentices, graduates or more senior roles. Finally, it is important to highlight that Drax Group aims to keep Ministers, MPs, Peers, MEPs, officials and NGOs fully informed of the company’s views and positions on current and forthcoming legislation and regulations, and on energy and environmental policy issues that may have implications for their business interests.

Employment policy

Drax Group’s employment policies are focused on their employees and on a non-discrimination and inclusive policy where employees are not to be discriminated based on their sex, sexual orientation, background, religion.

Education

International Internship Program

Drax Group offers an Apprentice Program which runs over a four year period and is hosted by the Stafforve Apprentice Training Agency for the initial two years. The apprentice programme focuses on three engineering disciplines:Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electrical Control and Instrumentation Engineering.

Grants And Scholarships

Drax offers its employees a comphrensive range of benefits, including a good quality pension scheme, BUPA healthcare cover, life assurance cover and a Saving-Related Share Option Plan. Working at Drax means employees also qualify for discounted membership at the Drax sports and social club, access to childcare vouchers and other discounted products and services from time to time.

Cooperation with Universities

Drax group’s personal and career development processes seek to educate and improve employees’ technical skills, management and leadership competencies. For this aim to be achieved, Drax Power Limited recruits employees for the four-year apprentice training programme covering power station operations and engineering maintenance. and a Development programme in which this year a group of 12 participants were each awarded a Certificate in Professional Development from Coventry University. On the other hand, Drax Group has also launched a structured two-year UK graduate development programme. Drax and the trade union, Unite, signed a learning agreement to work in partnership to promote education and learning opportunities for employees to gain skills and qualifications and enhance their future employability and the business’ needs

Notable Activities

Promoting Human and Civil Rights

Since its foundation, the Drax Group has stated on many occasions their unconditional intolerance to bribery and corruption not only within their own company but worldwide. Its mission to fight the use of underage workers or any kind of forced labour are also some of the main points within their Ethics declaration.

Activities in the Field of Humanitarian Aid

The Drax ‘caring for the community’ philosophy involves being part of local, county and business communities. Thus, Drax supports a wide range of local initiatives concerning environmental, educational, sporting, community and charity matters. Drax aims to shape and preserve close relations with the local community through both formal and informal discussions. Additionally, Drax seeks to take an active role in business communities and organisations.

In addition, Drax has been a member of the FTSE4Good Index since 2006, demonstrating a balance between the commercial and regulatory rigours of the competitive sector. To be included in the indices, companies need to demonstrate they are committed to environmental management; climate change mitigation and adaption; countering bribery; upholding human and labour rights; and finally to the supply chain of labour standards. To sum up, Drax is not only committed to preserve environmental sustainability but sustainable development which includes social and economic sustainability too.

Supporting Sports

The Drax Cup is the biggest cricket competition organised for under 9s in the UK. It is sponsored by Drax and organised by The Yorkshire Country Cricket Club together with the Yorkshire Cricket Board, The Yorkshire Cricket Foundation and Yorkshire Schools’ Cricket Association. According to Drax ‘it is a fun and enjoyable way for year 3 and 4 pupils to discover team sport and develop skills. More than 15,000 children have taken part in the Drax Cup since its launch in 2007, playing in festival events, school partnership and area finals.

External Links

Official Website

Sustainability and Climate Change

Sustainability and the Environment

Careers Page

Official Annual 2013 Report