Dixons South-East Europe S.A.

Social

DSG international has always supported the communities local to it. The business provides useful technology and enjoyable shopping experiences for its customers, and offers interesting and challenging employment opportunities for colleagues. In addition to traditional retail activity the Group has developed its customer services to incorporate maximum flexibility in terms of how to shop, including the provision of product recycling services in its outlets across Europe.

We aim to be a good neighbour; operating with consideration towards local residents, supporting community groups and making sure our stores are welcoming to customers and employees. In the last financial year we contributed over GBP 850,000 to charity.

We have supported charities and communities for many years through our registered charity the DSG international Foundation. Since the Foundation was set up in 1996 it has funded many good causes.

Switched on Communities Partners
Under the campaign teams of colleagues around the business will be able to work with any local organisations that meet the "Switched on Communities" criteria (basically, improving access to technology). However, in the UK we are promoting two organisations in particular that we’d like to focus on. These are:

• The E-Learning Foundation
• Lifelites.

The e-Learning Foundation is the education charity that helps disadvantaged children get home access to learning technologies for their studies.

The E-Learning Foundation was set up in 2001 to tackle the issue of the "digital divide" -- the fact that over 2 million disadvantaged children in the United Kingdom did not have access to computers and the internet at home to support their studies. Since then the charity has helped over 100,000 deprived students and their families to get access to a computer and the internet for home use so that they can do their homework online, improve their education and improve their chances in life. This is a great achievement. However, many children are still living in homes without access to a computer for their studies because their parents are too poor to support their children’s education. These children still require our help. For more information, see: www.e-learningfoundation.com.

Lifelites is the only charity providing a whole package of fully maintained technology to children in hospices, for use while they take time out with their families. Access to technology enables them to keep in contact with their school and friends, and simply to enjoy themselves away from the constant reality of their illness. Each of the Lifelites projects costs around GBP 6,000 per year to maintain and an average of GBP 18,000 to upgrade every four years. And all this doesn’t cost the hospice a penny. For more information, see: www.lifelites.org.

Switched on Communities
In June 2009 we came to the end of our initial three-year "Switched on Communities" campaign. Through this campaign we partnered with four charities that specifically focussed on helping communities to access technology. The charity partners (AbilityNet, EcoSchools, The E-Learning Foundation and The Foyer Federation) have done a tremendous job in maximising the value of the funds we have donated to them, and the link between their work and our business has been a big part of this success.

In the light of this success, the DSGi Foundation has taken the decision to continue with the Switched on Communities theme. We plan to run this campaign on an ongoing basis, once again with the ambition of supporting disadvantaged parts of the community through the provision of technology. The campaign addresses global issues around the digital divide while helping to support the community locally.

Community involvement is just one part of the Group’s corporate social responsibility programme. If you’d like to know more about our other activities and interests in this area (such as ethical sourcing, environmental activities, work on diversity or health and safety), please click here www.dsgiplc.com/cr.

Switched on People
Every year hundreds of our colleagues get "switched on to their communities" either through giving up time or by raising funds for local good causes. Not only does this fundraising directly help people who need support in some way, but it is also a great way of learning about the communities we operate in and also about the teams we work with. Fundraising is rewarding all-round!

Under the Switched on Communities programme teams of colleagues can choose which organisation that they would like to fundraise for locally. If the organisation meets the criteria for support they can then claim match funding of at least GBP 1,000 from the DSG international Foundation donation to charitable causes.

In the UK we also run a payroll giving scheme through the Charities Aid Foundation and we encourage our employees to give tax effectively through their payroll each month.

Workplace
In our working environment, respect for each other, our customers and suppliers is paramount. Supportive policies on health and safety, training and development and equality are all key strands of our workplace remit.

Our employees are encouraged to work within our principles:

• Operating with integrity
• Giving outstanding service to customers
• Respecting our colleagues
• Continually seeking ways to improve performance
• Working together to beat the competition.

Key issues:

• Employee engagement and retention
• The health, safety and wellbeing of our employees
• Managing talent by providing opportunities for individuals to achieve their own career aspirations within our business regardless of their background.

Benefits:

DSG international employees enjoy excellent benefits. There’s plenty on offer, but it's worth noting that eligibility for some benefits depends on the job level and length of service.

• Holiday entitlement -- minimum of 21 days per year for new starters, rising to a maximum of 26 days after ten years' employment.
• Pension -- you will be eligible to join the scheme from your first day with us. Pension scheme members have a choice of the contributions they pay, to a maximum of 5%. The Company matches the members’ contribution at a rate of 2:1, to a maximum of 10%.
• Life insurance -- On joining the company pension scheme, the life Insurance cover will equal four times your basic salary.
• Career breaks -- the Group offers career breaks for all permanent employees who have been with us for at least two years. They are unpaid and run from between three months and one year.
• Medical benefits -- at certain levels you are entitled to join the Group's medical benefits plan. This enables you to obtain medical treatment quickly.
• Discount and staff offers -- we will offer you 10% off eligible products and services. We have a comprehensive range of discounts on top brands from around 100 suppliers, and from time to time we are able to offer new technology products at special prices in partnership with our suppliers.
• Share schemes -- we offer a number of schemes that will give you a chance to share in the success you will be helping to generate.
• Employee assistance programme -- this confidential advice, information and counselling service is free, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to anyone who needs help with problems that may affect their personal or professional life.
• "DSGiBenefits" -- preferential rates from a number of top branded companies and suppliers, from sport and fitness to entertainment and days out, breakdown and recovery services to flower deliveries, fashion to holidays.
• DSGi Community Affairs -- We offer support to colleagues who choose to volunteer with or fundraise for charities or community groups.
• Tax Free Childcare -- We run a childcare voucher scheme enabling a saving of up to GBP 1,173 per year by making the first GBP 220 of childcare costs (each 4-weekly per pay period) free from Tax and National Insurance Contributions.

Diversity:

Our pledge is that no individual will be discriminated against on the basis of age, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, ethnic origin, religious beliefs, disability, or for any other reason. Our motto is "We reward talent, we value diversity."

Supportive policies on health and safety, training and development and equality are all key strands of our workplace remit. Our employees are encouraged to work within our values, creating a working environment in which respect for each other, customers and suppliers is paramount.

We set the Group's strategy to improve service and opportunities for disabled customers and employees. We monitor and communicate diversity best practice throughout the Group.

Training and Development:

To make the most of the vast array of opportunities we offer, you will need to be willing to learn. We are looking for creative, forward-thinking individuals who are good with people and keen to contribute to the success of a big business.

During the past 12 months we have launched our bespoke customer service training programme in the UK, "FIVES", and over 20,000 colleagues have received training on it.

FIVES is based on the principle of understanding our customers' needs completely, giving them solutions and helping them to make superb choices. FIVES gives us easy-to-use tools to explore our customers' needs and give them a consistently fantastic experience - wherever they shop. FIVES training is also a key factor in measuring customer satisfaction.

We provide tailor-made development programmes and support further education qualifications. Our development programmes use modules, training workshops and a dedicated e-learning intranet service, that will give you the skills you need to succeed at every level through the business.

We have a dedicated internal training resource and specialist external consultants. Our group management development programmes are designed and run by Henley and Ashridge Management Colleges.