Time for equality

The Group and its brands are increasing their actions around a defined policy and objectives so that diversity becomes a long term commitment.

PPR and diversity. A story that is beginning to have several events in its favour: the Group published its ethical charter in 1996, and since 2001, along with the creation of the association SolidarCité, it has been developing its policy of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in a continually progressive approach. As part of this, the promotion of diversity is extended to the highest level, be it of sex, origin, disability or age.
“It is not a choice, it is an obligation”, indicates François-Henri Pinault, Chief Executive Officer of PPR. “The future of the Group depends on it. The company must keep up with society. It must take into account and integrate all types of diversity, or cease to exist.”
Respect for difference
This stance originated from the special edition that the magazine Respect¹ recently dedicated to equal oppor-tunities within PPR. Entitled “PPR celebrates difference”, with 40,000 copies printed, it was widely distrib-uted in the Group in order to amplify the acknowledgement of diversity and to demonstrate the scope of the work completed. Like, for example, at Gucci France where 17% of the workforce is of foreign nationality, including 30% of the executives. Or in the logistics of technical products of Fnac Saint-Lazare, where Jenni-fer, the newly appointed stockist, is a young woman with a hearing impairment. In the aisles of the new Con-forama store in Bègles, in the Gironde region, where three people who are either deaf or have hearing im-pairments work. On this subject, PPR has recently signed a 2nd convention in July 2007 with Agefiph ² fa-vouring the employment of disabled people. The first one signed in 2005, resulted in 241 people being taken on and a 6 point increase in the level of keeping them employed. 
A long term commitment
Because the best way to guarantee that this is not just a passing phase is to multiply our actions and define a policy and objectives. “We are encouraging general mobilisation so that the progression of diversity contin-ues in the company, and that the glass ceiling is deconstructed”, comments Alain Luchez, HR Director of PPR. It is the “Glass Ceiling”, just like that in the documentary film “Le Plafond de verre” of the producer Yamina Benguigui, who also produced “Les Défricheurs” (The Land clearers) three years ago. For this documentary, she had “carte blanche” to meet employees in the various brands of the Group whilst reflecting upon the presence of immigrant executives, on their visibility and on how well the social ladder works. The result is especially felt through the declarations of those called “The land clearers” such as Meziane, Abdel or Gabriel, who all occupy management positions, because one day, “you end up meeting someone that only judges by ability”, as one of them says. Although all is not perfect, things are moving forward… 

 

¹ Independent Quarterly magazine of society and urban cultures, published by the association “Dynamique Diver-sité”. www.respectmag.fr
² AGEFIPH: Association of the Management of Funds for the Professional Integration of Disabled People