Sappi – InTouch 20_24

InTouch
Sappi Head Office Internal Newsletter
27 November 2020
Be inspired by our 2020 safety heroes!
Passion, unwavering commitment, and an understanding of safety within the bigger picture, were three of the characteristics shared by our 2020 Sappi Safety Award heroes who were celebrated last week.
Congratulations to the recipients in the various categories.
In particular, we applaud the award winners from Sappi Head office:
The engaging videos that were recorded of each award recipient is a delightful reflection of their enthusiasm and dedication to making the Sappi workplace a safe, injury-free zone.
If you have not yet seen the Safety Awards video, do yourself a favour and watch some snippets and meet the heroes that have helped to make Sappi a safer place during this challenging year.
Brenda Khumalo – Safety representative of the year (office award)
You are a true inspiration to us all!
Ellenore Melrose – Sappi’s 2020 Safety Champion of the Year
IPSS – Safety conscious service provider of the year (office award)
As employees we have a collective responsibility to keeping ourselves and others safe. Each of our safety champions clearly demonstrated an approach to safety that says, “I value and respect life in all my choices and actions”. For this we thank and salute them.” – Alex Thiel (CEO Sappi Southern Africa)
Continue on next page


InTouch
Be inspired by our 2020 safety heroes! continued...
Well done to all the award recipients
Safety champion of the year
Ellenore Melrose – (RHO Johannesburg)
Safety representative of the year award
Mill award – Jerome Ngidi (Tugela Mill)
Forest award – Kwenzokhule Dlamini (Riblore KZN Midlands)
Office award – Brenda Khumalo (RHO Johannesburg)
Safety conscious employee of the year award
Mill award – Mpumelelo Mthembu (Tugela Mill) Forest award – David Manqele (Riblore in the KZN Midlands)
Office award – Berdine Coetzee (Technology Centre Pretoria)
Safety conscious service provider of the year award
Mill award – Norwell Engineering Forest award – WSB Transport Office award – IPSS
Safety conscious team leader award
Mill award – Kumaran Govender (Saiccor Mill) Forest award – Neil Dobeyn (KZN Midlands)
BBS observer of the year award
Mill award – Wade Szabo (Saiccor Mill)
Safest service provider of the year award
Mill award – Sheltam
Forest award – Sibambane Forestry
Service providers and operations with three Million LTI free manhours
1. Stanger Mill contractors
2. WSB Transport
3. Sappi Forests Zululand Operations 4. Project Vulindlela
Celebrating five Million LTI free manhours
Sibambane Forestry
Safest operations over a five-year average
Mill – Stanger Mill with a LTIFR 0.21
Forest – Mpumalanga Forestry in Highveld with and LTIFR 0.155
Santa Shoebox Project: bringing joy to the less fortunate
A huge thank you to all Sappi Head Office and Technology Centre employees who supported the Santa Shoebox Project this year. Each department got involved and in total we contributed 58 boxes towards the initiative.
The Santa Shoebox Project will deliver the donated boxes to underprivileged children in children’s homes and childcare institutions across the country.
Thank you for bringing joy to these kids. Your kindness will make lots of little ones happy this year.
Special thanks also to the Employee Wellbeing Committee for co-ordinating the initiative and for conducting quality checks to ensure that all boxes were filled completely and correctly.
02.
Eager to donate our Santa Shoeboxes are (from left): Hemantha Naidoo, Mandisa Mhlongo, Markie Janse van Rensburg, Brenda Khumalo, Karen van Heerden, Natalie Stevens, Zelda Rickets and Sipho Ngubane.


#Showyoursupport
16 Days of Activism
As part of South Africa’s 16 Days of Activism campaign (25 November to 10 December), Sappi is embarking on an extensive awareness programme on gender-based violence (GBV).
Flags at our SSA operating units will fly half-mast from 25 – 29 November 2020 to show our solidarity with the victims of gender-based violence and COVID-19.
We also ask our employees to participate and act against GBV, particularly against violence against women and children.
GBV
How to show your support
Sappi Head Office Internal Newsletter
•
‘National Days of Mourning’ – wear your black armband: President Cyril Ramaphosa called for a five-day mourning for the victims of gender- based violence and COVID-19 during the week of 25 to 29 November. Black armbands will be distributed at each Sappi business for employees to wear, as we honour and remember those who have succumbed to COVID-19,
as well as those who lost their lives to gender-based violence.
Know your rights as a woman: know when it is
abuse. Any action that intentionally harms or injures a person (physically, emotionally, and mentally), is wrong and should be acted upon.
• Know your responsibility as a man: Real men don’t abuse women.
• Speak out against abuse.
• Get help if you are being abused or know of someone who is a victim of abuse.
Thank you that we can count on your support as we collectively stand up and speak out against gender-based violence.
•
OneSappi safety snapshot campaign
An exciting new global safety campaign highlighting our commitment to safety as OneSappi, no matter where we are in the world.
How it works:
• Take a snapshot from your window at work/home
• Write a safety-related caption (include your location)
• Submit it to the relevant person in your region
• With permission, the best photos received will be loaded onto our social media channels on a weekly basis and distributed via the internal communications channels.
Send your photo and caption to: [email protected]
03.


InTouch
Engaged to Thrive
Employee engagement pulse survey: 16 to 30 November
Your feedback is critical to making Sappi a great place to work. Staff feedback provided during past engagement surveys
has shaped several programmes and initiatives that have significantly improved the way we work.
One of the key fundamentals
of the Thrive25 strategy is to enhance trust through, amongst others, meeting the needs of
our employees. To support our business strategy, our approach to employee engagement measurement has been reviewed. Sappi will partner with McLean & Company going forward.
The next full engagement survey is scheduled to take place in March 2021.
In preparation for this survey, randomly selected employees will be invited to share their honest feedback through a pulse survey. The feedback will be used to refine aspects of the survey and allow the business to adjust action plans to further improve the survey experience and close out any major gaps that may exist.
Participants in the pulse survey will receive a direct invitation link with a unique code, from McLean, with a request to complete the five to 10-minute survey.
In line with our Thrive25 strategy, which includes enhancing trust
and meeting the changing needs
of employees, it’s important to understand how our employees feel.
What has changed?
To collect better information, the Employee Engagement survey has been upgraded.
• McLean & Company has
been appointed as the
new independent survey provider. They will collect
the feedback and give reports that summarise employees’ collective feedback. No person’s individual responses can be seen by anyone in Sappi.
• Simplified reports that include a priority matrix which highlights key areas that need to be improved, and areas that should be maintained.
• Simpler questions and a standard rating scale so that we can all interpret the questions in the same way.
• Paperless system with the option to complete on any mobile device or PC kiosk.
• Quicker access to results, enabling us to work with managers on improvement of action items much faster and more accurately.
How do we ensure your anonymity?
• There is a data protection
legal agreement implemented between Sappi and McLean to ensure that we meet global data privacy requirements across all regions. Sappi can never view individual responses.
• Sappi can only view reports, and reports are only available for areas where there are six or more responses.
Participating employees are encouraged to share their honest perspectives and feedback and help us develop a system that supports our Thrive25 strategy.
We are committed to understanding and acting on your feedback in order to make Sappi an even greater place to work!
Engaged to Thrive – meeting the changing needs of our employees.
04.


Performance enablement
Sappi employees excel under difficult conditions. Thank you for contributing to the successful launch of our new Performance Enablement approach
in the midst of a global pandemic. 72% of in-
scope employees managed to complete their first performance review cycle using the new approach and new system. Well done!
What’s next? Goal-setting for the 2021 financial year
We have started up skilling our Human Resources Business Partners across the globe on the details of the Thrive25 strategy. This will enable us to support teams to set SMART goals that align directly to Sappi’s strategy.
Key focus areas for the next few months will include:
• Supporting all employees in HRL13 and above
to set SMART objectives aligned to Sappi, business unit and team goals. Other employees are welcome to also use the tools and method to agree objectives.
• Our HR Business Partners will check objectives captured on the system and should there be a need for further coaching on quality SMART goals, this will be done on a one-on-one basis.
• Create more awareness of the benefits of monthly coaching-style feedback sessions. We call this ‘Frequent Feedback’. It’s an opportunity for employees and their managers to track progress and determine if there is any support needed.
We hope that the new Performance Enablement approach will resolve some of the matters you identified for us in the previous engagement survey. Your continued feedback on the process is very welcome.
We encourage each colleague to engage with their manager and set objectives for FY2021. If you require further guidance or coaching, please feel free to approach your local HR Business partner for assistance.
Sappi Head Office Internal Newsletter
Wills talk: What will happen to your loved ones if you die today?
by Anthea Shaik and Abraham Tshili
The only thing that is guaranteed
in life is death. Nobody knows exactly when
it will happen,
yet many of us
shy away from
the topic with
the fear of facing
that reality. What if
something unforeseen
happens to you today? Would your loved ones know where to find your important documents, will or last wishes?
Having a will and life file is important if you have people who are dependent on you.
Anthea covered topics such as how to compile a life file, its purpose, importance, where to keep the file, as well as tips on understanding insurance policies. Abraham discussed the basics of wills, why they are important, the 10 reasons to draft a will, terminology related to these, as well as understanding your marital regime.
For more info on creating a life file, contact Anthea Shaik on Tel 012 674 8786/ 071 153 1101 or email [email protected].
For more info on wills, contact Francis Drake on Tel 011 263 4334/082 411 9149 or email [email protected].
05.


InTouch
Up close with...
Mandisa Mhlongo – Regional Treasury Controller
1. Describe yourself in three 7. What is the most courageous
Sappi HeadOffice
my family behind.
words. Triple C – cool, calm thing you have ever done?
and collected. Moving to Joburg and leaving
2. How do you define success?
best and understanding that I control my own destiny.
3. What do you do to de-stress?
I laugh or take a walk. time? I like being outdoors with
Arbor Week and
My definition of success is 8. What is your favourite book
self-fulfilment, perseverance, and or movie? Favourite movie:
happiness, always doing my Bringing down the House.
Submit your department's Jerusalema
Dance Challenge video through 4. What is the best advice you new things.
MS Forms no later than Wednesday, have ever received? Wherever
you3fi0ndSyoeurpseltf,eatmwobrkeorin202100. .Which famous person would your personal life, do the very you like to be best friends best you can do. with? Nomzamo Mbatha. She
Are you in it
always has a smile, and she is 5. What personality trait has not afraid to show positivity in
to win it?
gotten you in the most trouble? every situation. She is a go- Laughing has gotten me into getter, values education and
Mandisa at the Maboneng Precinct in Johannesburg.
trouble so many times. I once never misses an opportunity to
laughed at church when the lend a helping hand.
pastor was preaching and got a stern look from my mom.
6. Who or what inspires you? Being challenged and going out of my way to push to the next level is inspiring.
11. How would you want to be remembered one day? As a positive person with nothing but love to whomever crossed my path.
12. Why do you enjoy working at Sappi? Here, people are treated with respect. The company culture is great, the environment is empowering, and Sappi’s values align with my own.
Favourite book: A Hustler’s
Heritage Month 2020 9. What do you do in your spare
Bible by Gayton McKenzie
family/friends and experiencing
Jerusalema Dance Challenge Competition
Happy birthday
Congratulations to all our employees who celebrate their birthday in December.
01 Tyrone Hawkes 23 Norman Raluthaga
02 Mignon Towsen 24 Shafiek Sheik-Essop
Share your department's Jerusalema Dance Challenge video clip with us to be eligible for
the competition.
winning!
04 Lavendran Reddy 27 Marie Foord
08 Phanuel Mahlaole 27 Jonathan Silverberg
06.
For more information on the challenge please contact [email protected].
15 Norma Brown 30 Tricia Du Plessis
Great corporate prizes to be won - the more creative your video, the better your chances of
22 Candice Mahlare 31 Alex Thiel


Sappi Head Office Internal Newsletter
Wellness talk: How to manage stress
Even though stress has many negative associations, it can be a motivator that is essential to survival when effectively managed. You have a lot more control than you might think. In fact, the simple realisation that you are in control of your life is the foundation of stress management.
Stressful experiences and situations come in many forms. These can trigger a physical reaction known as the stress response. In the
short term, this stress response
can help you navigate through a difficult situation, but chronic long term stress can lead to physical, emotional and mental damage.
This wellness talk covered topics such as the types of stress, the different warning signs of unhealthy
Movember:
stress and understanding the four personality types.
During this talk, social worker Karen Badenhorst highlighted the importance of embracing stress with your body and feelings by challenging your negative thoughts, understanding your feelings, being self-aware and reflecting on your strengths. She also encouraged everyone to rather embrace stress
by changing the way we think and talk about it.
The ultimate goal is to lead a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation, and fun.
Changing your mindset from ‘obstacle’ to ‘challenge’
November is men’s health awareness month (alias Movember), with the purpose of heightening the awareness of preventable health problems and encouraging early detection and treatment of diseases.
Men’s health in general is a challenge, because men often try to battle through things on their own or put off routine check-ups with a healthcare provider.
Our first men’s health wellness talk covered topics such as self-awareness, removing inner obstacles, mindset mechanics, shifting gears, exploring new
frontiers and how to create positive changes through the four Ds (desire, decision, determination and desert).
During this talk, Traci Kretzschmar encouraged all Sappi men to replace the word ‘obstacle’ with ‘challenge’; as challenges are something one can always overcome and turn into a great opportunity and result.
Self-awareness is an important factor in men’s health. Doing the right thing by being constantly in tune with your mental, emotional and physical wellbeing will help create a healthier, balanced lifestyle.
About Movember
Movember is the leading charity changing the face of men's health on a global scale. It focuses
on mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer. The charity raises funds to deliver innovative, breakthrough research and support programmes that enable men to live happier, healthier and longer lives.
Learn more here: https:// za.movember.com/
07.


InTouch
Open period to make Bestmed,
Bonitas and Sizwe changes
Deadline for changes: 31 December 2020
Bestmed, Bonitas and Sizwe medical aid members have until 31 December 2020 to make changes to their scheme options.
To change your option plan:
Complete a scheme-specific option change form:
1. Go to www.afhealth.co.za\sappi (see ‘Forms’).
2. Then submit the relevant form via email:
• Bestmed: membership@ bestmed.co.za
• Bonitas: [email protected]
• Sizwe: [email protected]
• Sihle Blose: 011 269 1349
• Mlondi Mshengu: 031 327 6786
Moving to another scheme?
The main members and their current dependants from each
of these medical aid schemes
can switch membership to either Bestmed, Bonitas or Sizwe, without waiting periods being implemented.
To move to one of the other medical aid schemes (Bestmed, Bonitas or Sizwe):
Complete the application form for the scheme you wish to join, with a copy of your previous medical scheme membership certificate and ID attached.
Submit the application form to [email protected] or [email protected].
Click here for the:
• Bestmed Application Form 2021 • Bonitas Application Form 2021 • Sizwe Application Form 2021
Or call
Sihle Blose: 011 269 1349 Mlondi Mshengu: 031 327 6786
The above changes will be effective from 01 January 2021.
Keep your property safe this festive season
With the festive season just around the corner and criminals on the lookout for opportunities to make up for the ‘crime holiday’ during the hard lockdown earlier this year, let’s be vigilant in keeping ourselves and our properties safe.
Some common crime trends to be aware of:
• Robbers will monitor the home
for as long as two weeks
• Most attacks occur between
19:00 and midnight as people are relaxed, sleeping, cooking or watching TV and the security systems and beams are not activated. Robberies can continue until 04:00
• 97% of robbers are armed
Source: businesstech.co.za 08.
• On average, an armed robbery gang has four members
• The average age of a house robber is 19 to 26 years of age
• An average of 30% of all house robbers have either committed murder or won’t hesitate to commit murder.
Security measures like electric fences, detection beams and Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) are
still key deterrents to crime. For homeowners, small dogs that sleep inside the house are also seen as a deterrent.
Be safe and alert and share
these tips with your family
and friends.


Sappi Rosebank running group
Join us!
The informal running group has been started by a group of colleagues who are passionate about promoting an active and healthy lifestyle.
• Beginners and established runners/walkers are welcome
• Distance covered differs on the day of practice
• Routes are decided on the day and cover about 5kms, 7kms or 10kms around Rosebank, Illovo and Houghton
When: Tuesdays and Thursdays Time: 16:00
Where: Main Gate
Sappi Head Office Internal Newsletter
• Running happens in a group, taking into account all the COVID-19 protocols
• Participation is voluntary and at own risk, meaning Sappi or running group coordinators may not be held responsible for any incident /injury that occurs as a result of participation.
Interested in joining? Contact Fumani Nkuna at [email protected] | Ext 4001 #RUOK? Receive your hug in a mug
2020 has been challenging in many ways.
The shift brought on by the lockdown, social restrictions, home-schooling and working from home, has resulted in many changes to our daily routines, making way for the new ‘norm’.
But how often do we stop to ask our colleagues #RUOK?
In the absence of personal contact, we
think everyone deserves a hug! With all COVID-19 protocols observed, the EWB committee will be spreading warmth by offering free hugs for everyone. Not only
are these hugs warm, but you can drink them! A ‘Hug in a Mug’ is essentially a sachet of coffee or hot chocolate, and in the absence
of real hugs, we hope this delicious substitute will be similar to getting a warm hug from a friend.
You can look forward to receiving your ‘Hug in a Mug’ from your EWB co-ordinator soon. We hope it will capture that feel-good
feeling for you and that many ‘real’ hugs will soon return
and continue to flow.
Remember that the EWB committee is here for you. We always want to make
sure you’re doing okay!
Dineo Madiga with a batch of ‘Hugs in a Mug’.
09.


Sappi Code of Ethics
Remember to declare gAifts and interests
s we approach the end of the year, opportunities arise where Sappi
employees could be given tokens of appreciation by service providers and customers.
In keeping with our Code
of Ethics, it is important to remember that all interests and gifts of this nature have to be declared.
Sappi has an online declaration system known as Keeping the Code (KTC). It is located on the Sappi Intranet.
How to access the KTC declaration system:
• Employees who have access to Sappi Net can easily access the site via System Links > Regional Systems Links > Sappi Declaration System.
• Those who don’t have access to Sappi Net are requested
to complete a manual declaration form available from their Human Resources department. The forms will be filed in their personnel files.
Note that the value
of the gifts that can be accepted are limited, and that under no circumstances should cash or cash equivalents (gift vouchers) be accepted.
If you are uncertain as to whether to accept a gift or invitation, please speak to your line manager, head of department or Internal Audit. All gifts received must be declared within seven days of receipt.
IMPORTANT:
Any personal interests that you, or an immediate family member, may have in relation to Sappi business (eg suppliers, contractors, customers, directorships, significant shareholding or employment
of family members, must be declared.
If you have any questions around gift and interest declaration, please contact your Human Resources department or Internal Audit.
10.


COVID-19: No more temperature scanning
Why stop temperature scanning at our operations?
• From the latest scientific viewpoint, temperature scanning is a poor and inaccurate way of determining COVID-19 infection.
• New studies have shown that a high proportion of people infected don’t display any symptoms and have normal body temperature.
• Scanning for fever is therefore no longer deemed an effective method to detect infection.
Note:
Management at other public buildings or offices, venues or shops may decide to continue with temperature scanning. The choice to do so is up to them, based on their own reasons.
Sappi has re-evaluated its health and safety protocols to make sure they align with the latest scientific research in the fight against COVID-19. It was decided to stop temperature scanning at our operations, because it is an ineffective and inaccurate way of determining COVID-19 infection.
11.


Financial health
Employee Wellbeing (EWB) news
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debt for savings
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For more info call/send a ‘please call me’ to 081 097 2326 or contact the onsite Summit advisor.
12.
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World AIDS Day 2020: Ending HIV/AIDS
through resilience and impact
World AIDS Day is commemorated globally on 01 December every year. The theme this year is: ‘Resilience and Impact’.
It is an opportunity to unite in the fight against HIV/AIDS, to show support for those who have been diagnosed and to remember those who have been lost to the disease.
World AIDS Day is about
teaching the truth about the disease, how its spread, its symptoms and treatments. It
is also a solid reminder that we
still need to fight the stigma and discrimination attached to an HIV/ AIDS diagnosis. We each have a responsibility to treat those who
are struggling with HIV/AIDS with respect and kindness.
Show your support this World AIDS Day by wearing a red ribbon, educating yourself on the disease and to book your appointment today with Sonel Botha on X8308 or [email protected] for an HIV/AIDS test before
18 December 2020.
For more information, visit sanac.org.za (South African National AIDS Council).
Sometimes in life there is that moment
when it’s possible to make a change for the better, this is one of those moments” – Elizabeth Glaser
Send your article contributions to [email protected]. Look out for the next issue,
publishing the week of 29 January 2021.
Scan the code for instant access to the email address via your mobile phone.