Lasting relations at the heart of society
Thanks to initiatives coming not only from the Group and its brands and companies but also from individual employees, community action is on the increase in the four corners of the world.
Our excellent labour relations enable us to create an internal barometer to allow employees to express themselves in complete anonymity concerning all aspects of their work life. This study is made every two years and is the spur for important projects at Group level and brand and company level.
Enterprise together, with all the employees, requires uncompromising resolve to constantly improve working conditions whether in terms of safety or in equality of opportunities…
Civic commitment is affirmed by the Group's foundation, SOLIDARCITE, which facilitates individual undertakings by launching both transversal actions involving all the companies but also initiating and coordinating those arising within each company such as:
- partnerships with associations
- development of community action leave with the associations Planète Urgence and Coup de Pouce to allow employees to carry out missions abroad during their leave
- the "Why not me" program run by the ESSEC or Solidarcite in 2006 allowed twenty high school students from underprivileged backgrounds to receive the support of Group employees from second grade till the baccalaureate to help them discover the world of business
- numerous programs linked to education and health are developed worldwide by the Group's companies (fight against HIV/AIDS…)
Any employee involved in an association of general interest can apply for material aid from SOLIDARCITE to launch a concrete project. In 2006, 19 projects were supported including 9 in the education field, 4 concerning life in the housing estates and/or diversity, 4 in the health field and 2 in job training and placement, for a total budget of 115,000 euros.
As a useful and committed player, PPR wants to promote and integrate equal opportunities in its personnel management and express it at the heart of its brands and companies by launching its MISSION HANDICAP. On November 14th 2006, the 4,400 employees of the French retail arm paid homage to this initiative of the Group with a day of action around the campaign theme of "We don’t choose to be handicapped, but we can choose to work together". This national day transformed the Group's employees into ambassadors of this cause with each one wearing a symbolic bracelet with the words: "difference is what binds us together". Encouraging access to employment, helping people accept disability, building internal and external awareness about life's disabilities (illnesses, accidents…) are part of our priorities.