BNP Paribas strengthens its social commitment worldwide

BNP Paribas has signed an agreement with UNI Global Union on seven subjects relating to fundamental rights at work and the establishment of a global social framework.

The agreement, which applies to the 200,000 Group employees in 73 countries, will enable the Bank to further improve the quality of life and working conditions.

BNP Paribas signed today, at the premises of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) and in the presence of representatives of the French Ministry of Labour, an agreement on fundamental rights and the creation of a global social framework for labour rights with UNI Global Union, the international trade union federation for the service sector.

Through this agreement, BNP Paribas commits to consolidate fundamental rights at work and to create a global social framework for its 200,000 employees in 73 countries, on the following main topics:

• Human rights, social dialogue and trade union rights, which reaffirms BNP Paribas’ commitment to meeting international standards and reinforces awareness and training mechanisms for employees.
• Social and environmental responsibility, which underlines the Group’s ambition to contribute to more sustainable and better-shared growth, with the aim in particular of reaching by 2020 a total volume of 1 million paid solidarity hours at Group level, worldwide.
• Employment management and skills, which is a reminder of the Group’s desire to accompany its employees in the context of changing skill requirements through its HR 2020 strategy, and to always favour solutions based on volunteering in the event of organisational change.
• Gender equality, with particular attention paid to the reinforcement of gender diversity in certain trades that have historically been predominantly male or female.
• Promotion of diversity and inclusion, to continue the deployment of the Group’s policies around the world, including the commitment to put in place at least one of the 10 commitments of the ILO Global Business and Disability Charter.
• Prevention of and fight against moral and sexual harassment, which reaffirms the Group’s desire to prevent and combat all forms of harassment.
• Health and quality of life at work, which establishes for all employees a maternity leave of at least 14 weeks, death insurance, incapacity/disability insurance and a health insurance plan.

Yves Martrenchar, Head of Group Human Resources, member of the Executive Committee of BNP Paribas, and signatory of the agreement, said: “This comprehensive and ambitious agreement confirms BNP Paribas’ international social commitment and its ambition to be an ever more responsible employer with regards to its employees. It will contribute to improving the quality of life and working conditions within BNP Paribas, while being a source of performance for the Group as a whole.”.

Antoine Sire, Head of Corporate Engagement and member of the Group Executive Committee, added: “This agreement will enable many employees to contribute — as part of their work – to the efforts of associations for a more inclusive and sustainable world. It is a decisive contribution to BNP Paribas’ commitment to society.”

This agreement will be applied progressively over the next three years in all the entities of the 73 countries where the Group is present and will be regularly monitored by a dedicated committee.

It is part of the BNP Paribas 2020 Engagement Manifesto and UNI Global Union’s Breaking Through Strategic Plan, and confirms the Group’s commitment to the international Global Deal initiative, developed by Sweden and which France has joined, aiming to combine business performance and human rights development, with the support of trade union organisations and the International Labour Organization and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

This text marks the culmination of an important preparatory work with the HR teams of the main BNP Paribas entities around the world and numerous meetings for discussion and negotiation with the social partners. The signing of this agreement is based in particular on the strong practice of social dialogue at European level within the Group, with three European agreements in force on employment, gender equality at the workplace and the prevention of stress.