Health

The well-being and physical and mental health of our employees are the foundations for a successful company. Health management at OMV follows both a strategic and an operational system. Its success depends on leadership, commitment, and participation at all levels and functions in the organization, from medical specialists and partners to employees.

Specific Policies and Commitments

We have established an OMV health care standard to ensure a high level of care for employee health across the Company. OMV’s internal Group Health Standard describes the main principles, roles and responsibilities, and lines of communication within the OMV Group. The standard provides a framework for managing preventive health measures and curative health care, as well as collaboration among HSSE specialists. It supplements local legal requirements, allowing us to establish a harmonized level of health care services and access to medical facilities at all OMV sites.

The Group Health Standard governs the work of operative medical service providers in relation to the following areas:

• Planning of human resources, medical facilities and services, and local health plans
• Operational health risk assessment and management, emergency preparedness, preventive initiatives such as targeted health promotion campaigns, health programs and training sessions, and curative care
• Minimum equipment and materials for our clinics – both on land and offshore – such as electrocardiograms (ECGs), defibrillators, suction units, rescue devices, and emergency medication
• Checks and audits of medical suppliers (laboratories, partner clinics, pharmacies), hygiene in food facilities, customer satisfaction
• Reporting
• Collaboration with contractors and subcontractors on health and safety

Management and Due Diligence Processes

Risk Assessments

OMV applies its own risk management standard, which provides for a thorough assessment of possible risks, including health-related risks. We have therefore developed guidelines – based on international guidelines from IOGP/IPIECA – for health risk assessments covering such risks as harm from chemical agents, psychological strain, physical injuries, and others.

Preventive Care

OMV maintains or works with a total of 43¹ All health data excluding Borealis medical units across all locations where we have operating facilities. To mitigate occupational health risks, our medical staff carries out specific preventive examinations in accordance with the legal regulations of the countries in which we operate. These examinations include blood tests for employees working with specific hazardous substances and hearing tests for employees exposed to noise. We offer general health screenings to our workforce. In 2022, a voluntary screening and check-up service for thyroid issues was offered to all OMV Group colleagues based in the head office in Vienna. In addition, we run seasonal campaigns to provide free vaccinations against flu and tick-borne encephalitis in affected areas. In 2022, COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters were also offered once again.

Audits

A special health audit program developed by the Corporate Health Management department serves as an evaluation tool to ensure that our common corporate health care standard is implemented and followed throughout the Group. The program stipulates that all clinics and medical partners be audited every three years, and clinics also report on a self-conducted audit every year. In 2022, after most of the COVID-19 related travel restrictions were lifted, Corporate Health Management was once again able to perform health audits in Romania, Norway, Slovakia, Hungary, and Tunisia; all other clinics carried out self-audits. Audit results serve as the basis for identifying areas for further improvement and analyzing the effectiveness of our health management approach.

Community Engagement

The presence of OMV’s first aid facilities benefits the local population, as it often provides necessary medical help in remote areas where medical services might not be easily or quickly accessible (e.g., in Yemen). In 2022, OMV’s first aid facilities supported 1,438 individuals in the local population in need of urgent care. From this perspective, our assistance to the local population ensures a positive impact outside OMV’s operational boundaries, thereby contributing to building a good relationship with our neighbors. Read more about our engagement on SDG 3, Good Health and Well-Being, in the Community Investments section.

2022 Actions

In 2022, COVID-19 still dominated the work of medical staff in some countries (e.g., Romania, Germany, and Austria), where it was legally possible for vaccinations to be administered at workplaces. In some of our countries, testing was still ongoing and our medical staff supported the local management teams in coping with the changing virus variants.

After two years of only virtual International OMV Doctors Meetings, in fall 2022, doctors and other health care professionals came together and discussed the main challenges, such as cardiovascular problems and the latest developments in emergency medicine. The focus topics for preventive care for 2023 were discussed and a plan for implementation developed.

Every year, we organize health promotion activities to enhance the knowledge of our employees on health-related issues.

• In 2022, we carried out the Passport for Health campaign at OMV Petrom for the seventh time. This campaign aims to raise awareness of health care to encourage employees to participate in voluntary health programs and start living a healthy lifestyle; this year it was again conducted face to face and online.
• At the Health Circle in Gänserndorf, Austria, employees gather regularly to address work-related health issues and create customized solutions in collaboration with the local health team. In 2022, the virtual gathering was still dominated by COVID-19. The main issues discussed were how to communicate and implement preventive measures, as well as potential topics for voluntary health promotion in 2023.
• The Corporate Health and Learning departments have developed a new collaborative initiative to raise awareness of health issues over the last few years. In 2020, webinars focusing on issues such as ideas for achieving a better work-life balance and correct lifting and work ergonomics, inspired by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, were launched. In 2021, regular hour-long HealthConnects sessions allowed employees to share knowledge and personal health promotion experiences (e.g., exercise activities and ideas for coping with daily stress) and provide mutual motivation and inspiration. In 2022, due to high participation and good feedback, Corporate Health worked closely with the Learning department to organize two additional health webinars: one on healthy living and another on first aid.
• Locally in some countries, face-to-face health promotion sessions were able to take place, with the main topics including a breast cancer awareness campaign started in Romania that offers free and voluntary breast ultrasounds, followed by the availability of a specialist doctor examination in case of abnormalities. There was huge interest in the campaign in the first pilot location, Petrom City, with almost 85% of the female staff signing up for appointments. Another breast cancer awareness campaign also took place in Tunisia.
• Mental health has increasingly been the focus of our health promotion programs. In 2022, two webinars were held on mental health for OMV Petrom employees: tackling stress resilience and work-life balance. A psychological support hotline was also made available in collaboration with a private third-party clinic specialized in psychological support, and mental health was promoted in HSSE roadshow meetings.
• On ergonomic topics, eight short movie campaigns were developed in collaboration with PetroMed personnel and featured on the OMV Petrom intranet. These campaigns targeted several situations encountered during the day-to-day activity of our employees.

Outlook

As cardiovascular diseases are a major health issue around the world, an awareness campaign based on the European Society of Cardiology’s 2021 Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention will be carried out in 2023.

The IOGP/Ipieca Health Committee has updated the Health Risk Assessment (HRA) Guidelines, and so the OMV’s respective work procedure will be updated accordingly. In all workplaces, an updated HRA will be carried out in close collaboration with local HSSE colleagues. Besides these two focus areas, medical staff will continue to support the organization on any COVID-19 developments and carry out emergency drills.