One of our core values is to build powerful relationships with our customers, our partners and our people.

Coillte aims to foster a workplace of fairness, dignity, and respect for all employees, a work place of inclusion and participation which encourages and promotes the best efforts of everyone.

Our People and Our Policies

Coillte believes that its strength is directly attributable to its people.  Employees who are happy in their work generate a positive atmosphere and energise the workplace.   When individual employees have high morale, the team morale will be high and people will work together for a common goal.

The Coillte Group is fully compliant with current relevant legislation with regard to minimum wage levels.  However, all Coillte staff are paid above the national minimum wage.

Many of our employees have worked with Coillte for all of their career.  In 2009, 114 staff left the company which represents a turnover rate of 11%.  However, almost 9% of this turnover was attributable to a Voluntary Early Retirement programme.

As at the end of 2009 Coillte employed 1,021 staff, 995 of which are permanent employees.  These staff are mainly based in Ireland, with 17 in the UK and 7 based in Holland. The Coillte Group is an equal opportunities employer and has an open and transparent Recruitment and Selection Policy which applies to all geographic areas.

Age Profile:

In 2009, 7% of staff were in the 56 – 65 age group; 3% in the 46 – 55 and the remaining 1% in the 25 – 45 age group. 112 of the employees who left the company in 2009 were male and the remaining 2 were female. All those employees who retired from the company had been based in Ireland.

The Coillte Group is fully cognisant of current relevant legislation with regard to equality and is fully compliant with all such legislation.  Coillte does not record information on employee membership of minority groups. 

Company practice in relation to benefits provided to full-time, temporary or part-time employees take account of the provisions of the Protection of Employees (Part Time Work) Act, 2001 and the Protection of Employees (Fixed Term Work) Act, 2003.

All staff have the right to be members of a staff representative body and, at present, 80% of all staff are members of such bodies and covered by collective bargaining agreements.  The company engages fully with the unions representing staff on all aspects of significant operational change, including timeframes.  The company has a Disciplinary Procedure in place, which is agreed with the unions representing employees in the company. 

There are no risks for use of forced labour and there have been no incidents of violations involving rights of indigenous people or actions taken.  This is verified annually as part of the company’s forest certification process.

Coillte’s policies are available to all staff through its intranet site. Human rights matters are among the principles that are audited annually as part of forest certification and Coillte is consistently found to be compliant with these principles.