The SOMDIAA Group held its Human Resources Seminar in Douala, Cameroon with the support of the SGMC this year. 

Like every year the seminar started with a half-day session focusing on vocational education. The affiliates presented their training plan for 2010 favoring health and safety related training programs.

The second item on the agenda was HR data organization and presentation (number of employees, total payroll, new hires and staff departures). Those figures are automatically collected and recorded in a table accessible via the Group's Intranet. 

The third item on the agenda was the company social responsibility report. Participants were presented the new artwork of that document. The new layout will better highlight the Group's development policy indicators.

The fourth item on the agenda was health and safety, which are part of the Group's values. Hence focus sessions and action plans are periodically conducted in each site. Company-wide health and safety committees have been created. They are managed by a pilot committee. 

The Seminar closed with a session focusing on SOMDIAA affiliate social actions. Indeed each affiliate plays a major role in the country where they operate, whether in Cameroon, Congo, Gabon or Chad.

As entities creating wealth and economic exchange opportunities companies do business within local communities (e.g. among villages and local populations) that they integrate on a daily basis. Thus affiliates inevitably play a part beyond their corporate purpose to conduct outreach projects, e.g. service delivery, donations, equipment lending, staff involvement... Those initiatives are diverse and include building schools, free healthcare, helping out local farmers prepare their fields, lending motorized farm equipment, maintaining roads, sponsoring sports clubs, and more.

As this four-day seminar ended all those projects were launched. Mark your calendars already for 2010! The Group has gradually built a culture of sharing and continuing education thanks to the regular organization of that type of seminar.