GRI 3-3

Building an engaged, productive team, and cultivating a thriving, ethical culture is crucial for organisational success. Engaged teams are more motivated, innovative, and committed to achieving shared goals. Productivity increases as employees feel valued, empowered, and supported. An ethical culture promotes trust, integrity, and responsible decision-making, which fosters customer loyalty and protects the organisation’s reputation. Additionally, a positive work environment attracts top talent, reduces turnover, and enhances overall employee well-being and job satisfaction, leading to sustained business growth.

CDB’s sales team achieved unprecedented success at the National Sales Awards, hosted by the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM). They proudly secured sixteen awards, including two national awards and two gold awards, highlighting their exceptional sales leadership. This outstanding performance solidifies CDB as an unmatched team, known for their ability to thrive on challenges and consistently exceed expectations. By setting high performance standards and fostering a pioneering and entrepreneurial mindset, CDB is well on its way to building a world-class sales force. This achievement also reflects the Company’s commitment to nurturing both individuality and a collective vision, creating a winning team that consistently delivers extraordinary results. Nadeeka Perera and Anurudda Algama emerged as notable winners, receiving the prestigious National Sales Awards and gold awards in the Sales Supervisor - Financial Services Providers category. Additionally, other sales supervisors, executives, and frontliners in the Financial Service Providers segment were recognised with silver, bronze, and merit awards.

Attracting the best talent

Attracting the best talent is vital for organisations to thrive in today’s competitive landscape. The best talent in the industry brings expertise, creativity, and fresh perspectives, driving innovation and problem-solving. They contribute to a high-performing workforce, enhancing productivity and efficiency. Top talent also has a positive impact on organisational culture, fostering a climate of excellence and continuous improvement. Moreover, attracting the best talent helps organisations stay ahead of competition, build a strong employer brand, and attract more clients and customers, leading to sustainable growth.

CDB’s ability to attract new talent remained robust, primarily attributed to the success of its management trainee programme. This year, CDB takes pride in the fact that 36% of new recruits are women, reflecting its commitment to gender diversity. The Company provides comprehensive learning and development opportunities for all hires, fostering their growth and advancement throughout their tenure at CDB.

CDB’s recruitment process is based on merit, emphasising fair and transparent competition without any form of favouritism or discrimination. The Company actively seek raw talent at the grassroots level, providing them with the necessary grooming and skills to become employable professionals.

During the year, CDB recruited 442 team members, with 208 (47%) of them joining from outside the Western Province, demonstrating its efforts to provide opportunities to individuals from diverse geographic backgrounds.

Talent acquisition strategy

Talent acquisition is a crucial aspect of CDB’s corporate strategy, focusing on identifying and recruiting individuals who align with the specific needs, values, and ethical standards of the Organisation. The aim is to nurture and develop these individuals to assume leadership positions within the Company. Through a comprehensive recruitment policy, CDB seeks to enhance productivity and foster organisational growth. The Company is dedicated to empowering young individuals by providing employment opportunities to school leavers and graduates. This approach has yielded positive outcomes, as the workforce seamlessly integrates into the corporate culture and embraces the myriad of opportunities available within the workplace.

Our overall business strategy and model is closely knitted together with our people formula of “extraordinary results through ordinary people” and “strategy bets on people”. Our team predominantly consists of members from rural and challenging family backgrounds. We predominantly recruit young team members just out from school or young graduates straight from universities. We provide employment opportunities and make them employable with pretty decent working culture and super training and development opportunities.

Our talent sourcing process

GRI 401-1

In filling vacancies, CDB prioritises internal placements and promotions before seeking external candidates. The Company has successfully hired 100% of Top Management internally. To effectively reach potential candidates, CDB leverage digital media platforms to communicate job openings. Additionally, a pool of qualified candidates is maintained to ensure prompt and efficient filling of vacancies.

New hires based on age and gender

2022/23	Male			Female	Total	Total
Under 30	268			158		426
	Marketing		167	Marketing	64
	Operational		101	Operational	94
30-50	12			3		15
	Marketing		2	Marketing	0
	Operational		10	Operational	3
Over 50	1			0		1

New hires based on employment category

Team member category	2022/23
	Male	Female
Front line	263	155
Junior Management	12	3
Middle Management	5	0
Managers	0	3
Senior Management	1	0
Top Management	0	0
Total	281	161

Workforce composition

GRI 2-7, 2-8

CDB team members play a pivotal role in realising the Company’s vision, implementing strategy, and driving transformation. As of 31 March 2023, CDB’s workforce comprised 1,680 individuals, with 54% being permanent employees and 46% on a contract or probationary status. Among the workforce 31% were female team members, reflecting the Company’s commitment to gender diversity. Throughout the year, CDB successfully recruited 442 new team members, while maintaining an employee retention rate of 60%, highlighting the effectiveness of our HR policies and the value proposition offered to its employees. It is noteworthy that over 14% of the workforce has been with the organisation for over 11 years, a testament to the trust and loyalty they have placed in the Company.

Team member profile - FY 2022/23

Diversity and inclusivity for enhanced productivity

GRI 405-1

Research from McKinsey, Deloitte and others affirms the value of diversity. Diverse teams consistently excel in problem-solving, innovation, and financial performance, emphasising the importance of inclusivity. Inclusive environments foster employee engagement, satisfaction, and retention. Research also highlights the positive impact of diversity on market responsiveness, customer satisfaction, and brand perception. Moreover, diverse and inclusive organisations are better positioned to attract and retain top talent, access varying consumer segments, and adapt to a rapidly changing global business landscape.

To enrich its workforce, CDB is committed to promoting diversity and inclusivity across various departments and functions of its operations. The Company strives to create an inclusive work environment that values and respects individuals from diverse backgrounds by providing equal opportunities for all employees, irrespective of their gender, race, ethnicity, age, religion, or disability. CDB’s hiring and promotion processes are based on merit and qualifications. The Company has policies in place to prevent discrimination and ensure fair treatment of all employees. These policies cover areas such as recruitment, compensation, benefits, and work-life balance.

During the period under review, CDB expanded its efforts to promote diversity and inclusivity within the organisation. A noteworthy progress is recruiting four differently-abled team members, bringing the differently-abled staff pool to a total of seven. CDB’s goal is to increase this pool to 30 team members in the upcoming years.

The Company also continued its focus on increasing the representation of women in the workforce. To ensure non-discrimination in employment, CDB has implemented gender-sensitive recruitment policies, including active recruitment of women, granting promotions to managerial and executive positions, and welcoming them to the corporate Board of Directors. The fact that over 50% of its non-field based team members are female is a testament to CDB’s dedication to gender diversity and empowerment.

CDB’s commitment to empowering women in the workplace was recognised when Ms Nadee De Silva, our Deputy General Manager - Sales and Business Development, received the prestigious Sri Lankan Female Achiever Award in the Sales and Marketing category at the Sirasa-NDB Wanitha Abimana Awards 2021.

During the year under review, of the 515 female team members, 23 took maternity leave, and 13 returned to work after their maternity leave ended, resulting in a returned to work rate of 57% for team members who took maternity leave. CDB also provide extended leave options in case of illness or complications and offer facilities and flexible working hours to support team members in taking care of their children. The Company has developed family-friendly facilities that go beyond compliance to create a supportive environment for its team members.

Throughout the reporting period, all team members received regular performance and career development reviews. CDB is pleased to report that no incidents of discrimination were reported during this period, highlighting its commitment to creating an inclusive and respectful work environment for all.

Furthermore, CDB places significant importance on empowering women not only within its workforce but also in society at large. The Company is committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment that promotes gender equality and equal opportunities for women. CDB firmly believe empowering women is not only a matter of social justice but also a strategic imperative for its success as well as the entire nation. This is also of national importance as improved participation of women in the workforce is critical for improving Sri Lanka’s Gross National Product (GDP), overall productivity, and improving the standard of living. CDB actively implement policies and programmes that support the professional growth of women including mentorship and leadership development initiatives. Furthermore, work-life balance is prioritised whilst extending a flexible work environment. By empowering women, CDB harnesses their unique talents, perspectives, and skills, leading to enhanced innovation, productivity, and overall organisational excellence.

Return to work and retention rate after parental leave

GRI 401-3

Description	2022/23
Number of employees entitled to maternity leave	515
Number of employees who took maternity leave	23
Returned to work after maternity leave during the period	13
Returned to work rate (%)	57

Ratio of basic salary and remuneration by employee category

GRI 2-21, 202-1, 405-2

Team member Category	2022/23
	Male	Female
Front line	0.88	1
Junior Management	0.75	1
Middle Management	1.06	1
Managers	0.89	1
Senior Management	1.29	1

Women representation

CDB Enable – Promoting recruitment of the differently abled

CDB is dedicated to providing equal treatment to all its employees, irrespective of race, gender, nationality, age, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, or any other non-job-related criteria. CDB provides opportunities for differently-abled team member through CDB Paralympians, a programme specifically designed to support and empower individuals with disabilities. By promoting inclusivity and providing necessary resources, CDB ensures differently-abled team member can thrive and contribute to the Organisation’s success.

Performance management and succession planning

GRI 404-3

Performance management and succession planning ensure that employees’ goals align with organisational objectives, as well as improve motivation, productivity, and supporting professional development of individual team members. It enables regular feedback, coaching, and performance evaluations, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement. Succession planning identifies and develops potential leaders, ensuring a smooth transition of critical roles and mitigating talent gaps. It promotes organisational stability, minimises disruptions, and prepares individuals for future leadership and growth opportunities.

As an integral part of CDB’s performance management process, all team members undergo regular performance appraisals that foster employee engagement and align individuals with the corporate strategy. The performance management system not only enhances productivity and profitability but also reduces employee turnover. The process recognises the performance levels of each employee and provides constructive feedback for improvement, with training requirements communicated to the HR division. Through the performance appraisal process, CDB identifies top performers for promotion and inclusion in tandem with the succession planning efforts. During the year, 352 team members were promoted to numerous positions, with 33% of promotions granted to female team members. Additionally, based on the beginning-of-period staff carder data, 22% of female team members and 16% of male team members received well-deserved promotions.

To ensure a pipeline of internal candidates for leadership positions, CDB has implemented a robust succession planning programme. This programme identifies multiple talent pools for targeted development. These talent pools consist of potential successors earmarked for key positions within the organisation, who are provided with the necessary grooming, skills, and knowledge to assume higher levels of responsibility in the future. The CDB Challengers programme initiated in January 2022 continues to serve as the development platform for the first talent pool.

Promotions granted

Category	2022/23
	Male	Female
Corporate Management Team	2	0
Senior Management	18	2
Middle Management	59	16
Junior Management	122	58
Front Line	35	40
Total	236	116
Percentage of total	67	33

Enhancing the potential of our employees

GRI 404-1, 404-2

Learning and development are crucial for individuals and organisations alike, resulting in considerable improvements in efficiency, productivity, and long-term growth. It enables employees to acquire new knowledge, skills, and competencies, enhancing their performance and career prospects. Continuous learning fosters adaptability, innovation, and agility, enabling organisations to stay competitive in a rapidly changing business landscape. Learning and development initiatives also align employees’ capabilities with organisational goals, driving overall success, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and lifelong learning.

CDB maintains a steadfast commitment to investing in the skills and capabilities of its workforce offering comprehensive training and development programmes. The aim is to empower team members and generate extraordinary results through their efforts. From the moment a team member joins CDB, a range of learning opportunities are offered to enhance their knowledge and skills for sustainable growth and success. As CDB transforms into a FinTech Company, it recognises the significance of equipping the organisation with the essential skills required now and in the future. The rapid evolution of technology underscored the importance of continuous learning, facilitated by curated and high-quality learning journeys.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, CDB adapted to the new normal by prioritising the health and safety of its team members. This led to the launch of online and e-learning methods to conduct training programmes. The onboarding and orientation programmes for new team members have been successfully conducted virtually using Microsoft Teams. Through its e-learning system, a continuous learning experience is offered with predefined timelines and assessments.

CDB provides a diverse range of customised learning opportunities, empowering employees to learn in a manner that suits their preferences, timing, and location. The learning programmes focus on technical skills, broader behavioural competencies, and sustainability. During the year under review, several talent development programmes were executed as follows:

• Sustainable Sales Performance Improvement programmes: After conducting a comprehensive sales performance analysis, we categorised our sales staff into three groups based on their performance levels.
• High-performing sales staff in the senior category were directed to the Branch Head Development programmes to groom them for future leadership positions.
• High-performing sales staff in the junior category were directed to participate in the Certificate Course in Financial Product Marketing in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM), which began in January 2022.
• A Field-Based Coaching and Mentoring programme was also launched to improve the performance of low-performing marketing staff. Branch Heads were trained to conduct coaching sessions, and each Branch Head was assigned a maximum of two marketing staff members to mentor and coach.

• Game Changer programmes: This programme aims to groom high-performing experienced Tellers and front officers to progress to the next level in the corporate hierarchy.
• Cross-Functional Training programmes: We implemented these programmes to train gold loan officers for the Teller function, allowing for greater versatility and skill development.
• Certificate in Branch Operations Management: In collaboration with the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka (IBSL), we developed this programme to enhance the professional knowledge of senior-level branch operations staff.

During the review period, CDB allocated Rs. 2.9 Mn. towards education reimbursements. On average, the team members received 38 hours of training, reflecting the Company’s significant investment in employee training and development, which amounted to Rs. 8.5 Mn.

 

Creating future leaders through our robust L&D strategy

 

Training programmes conducted in FY 2022/23

Training programme 2022/23	No. of participants	Male	Female	Training hours	No. of programmes
Basic Analysis of a CRIB report	23	7	16	23	1
CDB Challengers – Talent Pool Development Programme	292	214	78	1,108.5	14
CDB Shimmers – CSO on the job training	183	0	183	458	9
CDB Warriors – Junior Talent Pool	87	46	41	174	3
Coaching and Mentoring Subordinates	88	67	21	352	2
Compliance for Non-Bank Financial Institutions	28	8	20	14,638	2
Customer Service Officer Training Program	42	2	40	3,360	1
Customer Service Training Program	836	215	621	1,534	3
Gold Loan Officer Training Program	59	38	21	7,080	1
How to make yourself indispensable in surviving a crisis	5	1	4	15	1
Induction	544	339	205	1632	1
Legislation Relating to Banking and Financial Institutions	12	9	3	48	1
LMS Training Programs	646	373	273	519.118	6
Marketing Officer Training Program	99	86	13	15,840	1
Management Trainee Training Program	15	9	6	7,200	1
Role of HR in Digital Transformation	1	0	1	1	1
Seminar, Conference and Workshops	42	13	29	193	13
Strategic HRM in Finance Industry	9	0	9	36	1
Technical Knowledge Development Programme	724	292	432	1,289	7
Teller Training Program	55	22	33	8,800	1
Training on Business Continuity Plan	36	22	14	142	2
Total	3,826	1,763	2,063	64,443	72

Average training hours per employee

	2022/23	2021/22	2020/21	2019/20	2018/19	2017/18
Average training hours per employee	38	53	21	39	44	41

Average training hours by category

Year	Front line	Junior management	Middle management	Managers	Senior management	Top management
2018/19	8.80	22.02	25.60	8.02	1.2	6.3
2019/20	31.60	9.92	14.50	13.74	9.19	15.43
2020/21	22.16	8.82	3.18	8.83	9.38	9.95
2021/22	69.18	13.63	26.50	16.66	12.21	3.33
2022/23	72.36	4.45	6.27	14.20	12.45	1.62

Recognising and rewarding excellence

GRI 2-20, 401-2

Compensation, rewards, and recognition are essential to drive employee motivation, engagement, and retention. Fair and competitive compensation ensures employees feel valued and are fairly compensated for their contributions. Rewards and recognition programmes acknowledge and celebrate employee achievements, fostering a positive work environment, and a sense of appreciation. These initiatives boost morale, loyalty, and productivity, ultimately leading to improved performance, teamwork, and organisational success. Effective compensation, rewards, and recognition strategies help attract top talent and maintain a motivated and high-performing workforce as well.

In this context, CDB regularly evaluates its compensation and benefits packages to maintain competitiveness, sustainability, and fairness. In addition to remuneration, comprehensive medical, financial, and educational benefits are provided to team members. CDB values a high-performance culture and recognises employee achievements at the CDB Annual Awards ceremony. In the CDB Infinity Awards 2022/23, 122 exceptional team members were recognised for their accomplishments.

To further incentivise the team members, CDB has implemented the Spot Rewards programme, offering immediate recognition through performance-based rewards and numerous monetary and non-monetary benefits. Additionally, the Hi5 awards were introduced to honour exceptional performance of the team members. These initiatives aim to foster a culture of recognition and appreciation within the Organisation.

Medical and wellness

CDB’s medical and wellness benefits to team members include the following:

• Reimbursement of hospitalisation expenses for team members and their nominated family members through the Suwa Sampatha medical scheme.
• Provision of life insurance coverage.
• Outpatient medical reimbursements, including coverage for OPD expenses, spectacles, and special tests and scans for team members and their families.
• Group life insurance coverage with benefits for death and critical illness, available to all CDB team members.
• Regular medical tests conducted for managerial level team members.
• Encouragement and recognition of sports talents through participation in CDB sports teams.
• Access to a fully equipped gymnasium, provided free of charge to team members.

CDB has implemented an Automation of OPD and Hospitalisation Scheme, through which the OPD medical claim process has been converted to a paperless, fully automated process based on the ERP platform.

The Hospitalisation claim process is still in the UAT environment and will be fully implemented by the second quarter of this financial year.

Other financial assistance

The CDB Welfare Club is focused on addressing the welfare needs of employees and offers the following financial assistance:

• Staff loan schemes, including special concessionary interest rates for vehicle loans.
• Reimbursement scheme for interest paid on housing loans.
• Reimbursement of fuel, travel, and accommodation expenses.
• A death donation scheme to provide financial assistance in case of the demise of an immediate family member.
• Productivity and profit-related bonuses.

Educational benefits

• Reimbursement of professional memberships and examination fees.
• Honorarium for completing professional exams and qualifications.
• Access to a staff library facility located at the head office.
• An e-learning platform with integrated online services for team members.

These benefits are designed to promote the overall well-being, financial security, and professional growth of the team members.

Creating a safe working environment

GRI 403-1, 403-2, 403-3, 403-4, 403-5, 403-6, 403-7

A safe working environment is paramount for organisations as it ensures the physical and psychological well-being of employees, reduces the risk of accidents, injuries, and work-related illnesses, promoting employee health and productivity. A safe workplace fosters trust, loyalty, and job satisfaction, leading to higher employee retention and engagement. It also demonstrates the organisation’s commitment to employee welfare, enhancing its reputation and attracting top talent.

Understanding the importance of fostering a safe working environment for its team members, CDB prioritises creating a safe working environment. robust security systems, fire safety protocols, and regular audits ensure a safe environment. The Company raises awareness of hazards and promotes compliance with health and safety regulations. CDB’s goal is to protect the well-being of its team members, fostering productivity and growth. It provides comprehensive support for physical, mental, and emotional well-being, monitoring the health status of its team members centrally. Regular communication fosters a positive mindset, leading to commendable performance. New team members undergo health screenings after a probation period. The facilities have fire protection measures, and emergency preparedness training is provided. Furthermore, Grievances are promptly addressed, and fair labour practices are upheld. CDB offers healthcare options and promotes healthy lifestyles while ensuring decent working conditions.

 

Team member engagement – Going beyond the call of duty

GRI 402-1

Team member engagement is crucial in fostering higher productivity, innovation, and job satisfaction. Engaged team members are emotionally invested in their work, leading to improved collaboration, communication, and problem-solving. They exhibit higher levels of commitment, loyalty, and motivation, resulting in reduced turnover and increased retention of top talent. Engaged teams also contribute to positive work culture, higher customer satisfaction, and ultimately to organisational success and growth.

Therefore, ensuring team member engagement is a strategic priority for CDB. The Company believes that an outstanding customer experience stems from a positive employee experience. An agile and engaged workforce enables CDB to adapt swiftly to changes in the environment. CDB provides a range of benefits to support the team members to manage their personal and professional commitments while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. The aim is to foster an open and stress-free environment that prioritises employee wellness and satisfaction, enabling team members to perform at their best, and remain motivated to achieve organisational goals. Effective communication channels, such as the intranet, emails, meetings, announcements, events, SMS, WhatsApp groups, and Microsoft Teams, facilitate the smooth exchange of information between the Company and team members. Even as digital engagement platforms have gained increased significance post-COVID, CDB has implemented robust systems and processes that promote diversity, innovation, and productivity by adopting new technologies, workspace management, and efficient systems.

The team member engagement programme covers a series of exciting events intended to build team spirit and camaraderie. These include: Kick-off Ceremony, Awards night, Happy customer session, Sports events, Musical events featuring the band CDB Scales, CDB Advance Green Club, Welfare Club, religious and cultural events, and Women’s Day events. Attendance at such events are usually high, providing opportunities for team members in diverse departments to interact with each other.

CDB, in an effort to inspire unity and harmony among team members launched "CDB Scales". Even as a music scale represents 3 major notes within 7 musical notes denoting bond and coherence, CDB members are bonded together. Music Scales is an extraordinary endeavor led by CDB’s talented musicians.

Mindful engaged team members are a core area of our business model and strategy. CDB Advance Green Club, Active Ninja (team member health and well-being), paper and electronic recycling, home gardening, bike to work, zero food waste and energy self-sufficient branches are some of the areas with high team member engagement.

Digitalising HR management for enhanced performance

The use of digital platforms in HR management facilitates seamless communications, collaboration, and remote work capabilities. Data-driven analytics embedded within such platforms provide valuable insights for informed decision-making while self-service portals empower employees, enabling them to access information and perform HR-related tasks independently, or even remotely.

CDB had made vast strides in enhancing its HRM capabilities through a series of initiatives, most notably, MintHRM, a highly sophisticated, Mobile enabled, user friendly human resources management system This system facilitates the following processes:

• Employee life cycle management – a digital personal file where all ELC events are recorded in the system
• Attendance module – attendance marking made efficient and quick with mobile attendance marking option
• Performance module – makes the entire performance management process automated and paperless
• Recruitment module – efficiency of the recruitment process through automation
• A Payroll module and Learning and Development module will also be added to this system in the ensuing year.

CDB recognised as “A Great Place to Work”

CDB has been honoured with the prestigious Great Place to Work certification in Sri Lanka for the period March 2021 to February 2022. This recognition is a testament to its dedication to meeting the rigorous global assessment standards set by Great Place to Work®. It reflects CDB’s steadfast commitment to nurturing a workplace culture that fosters trust, engagement, pride, and camaraderie among its employees. The certification was based on the valuable feedback provided by CDB team members through an anonymous survey conducted by Great Place to Work®. The overwhelmingly positive survey results highlight the Company’s success in creating an environment where employees have confidence in their leaders, a strong team spirit, and take pride in their work. Furthermore, it underlines the commitment to upholding values of respect, trust, and fairness within the organisation. CDB also participated in the CIPM research symposium in 2023, with the objective of exchanging valuable insights on effective business strategies for resilience during the pandemic, and navigating the challenges that emerged in the post-pandemic era.

Inculcating a culture of integrity and compliance

GRI 2-26, 2-27, 2-30, 205-1, 205-2, 410-1

Ensuring good governance is essential for fostering a positive culture, improving business practices, and making sound decisions. It is particularly crucial in effectively responding to crises. In light of the increased scrutiny on non-bank financial institutions and the growing digitalisation of financial services, CDB has prioritised strengthening its compliance and governance framework throughout the Organisation.

To enhance employees’ knowledge on regulatory requirements and compliance, ongoing training is provided through the CDB e-learning platform, with a specific focus on anti-money laundering measures. The Company reinforce a compliance culture by appointing compliance representatives for each branch and department, and regularly communicating new directives through meetings.

Employee feedback on compliance is reported regularly to the management team and the Board for review and necessary action, allowing CDB to proactively comply with new regulations. Ethical behaviour and good conduct are integrated into the Organisation, promoting transparency and open communication with regulators. CDB actively engage in inspections and investigations, working constructively with regulators. Throughout the year, CDB submitted timely and accurate information regarding its operations to the CBSL, demonstrating its commitment to compliance and transparency.

The CDB Sustainability Steering Committee oversees the promotion of financial inclusion and diligently monitors business practices to ensure accountability, fairness, and ethical behaviour, whilst safeguarding the privacy of customer data. CDB has maintained a zero-tolerance approach towards financial crime, bribery, and corruption. Moreover, the Company is dedicated to preventing any form of slavery, forced labour, or bonded labour within both CDB operations and supplier operations, achieved through the implementation of the Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS), and Procurement policy.

Furthermore, CDB upholds human rights and recognises the fundamental right to a livelihood through honest effort. Therefore, the Company ensure equal opportunities for individuals to earn a living through work, respecting their freedom of choice and creating a conducive environment that safeguards employee rights. Corporate internal policies such as the Employee Code of Conduct and HR Policy, encompass information on human rights, gender equality, and sustainable development. CDB has taken measures to increase awareness and implement these policies, ensuring all employees have an in-depth understanding of them.

To foster a safe work environment, the Company has implemented a zero-tolerance policy towards all forms of workplace violation of rights, including sexual harassment. It has established appropriate policies, procedures, grievance mechanisms, and support structures that enable employees to report incidents or suspected incidents of violence, exploitation, or harassment, anonymously. Moreover, best practices have been implemented to protect whistle-blowers from potential retaliation. The Company has communicated internally and externally its commitment to reducing gender-based violence. CDB has also conducted awareness campaigns among employees to educate them on what constitutes harassment, trafficking, or exploitation, and provided training on how to effectively manage and prevent such incidents.

The Company strongly believes that ethical leadership is of paramount importance. CDB Code of Ethics plays a central role in its operations and sustainable growth, ensuring ethical behaviour is ingrained, and unethical practices, fraud, and corruption are forbidden. CDB’s commitment to ethical business practices is reinforced by top management and driven by its values-based culture, which is communicated and embraced by all team members in their daily business activities. CDB does not have a collective bargaining agreement.