The Crédit Agricole S.A. Group's commitment was made formal with the signing of the Diversity Charter on 21 January 2008. This is demonstrated by a number of initiatives, such as raising employee awareness or, more concretely, promoting equality between men and women, preventing discrimination in recruitment and employing disabled people.
Managing diversity
Awareness and training - the foundations of diversity
As key players in diversity, Crédit Agricole S.A.'s human resources officers have been trained in equality and prevention of discrimination in their day-to-day activities. In 2008, the "Diversity Club" will allow for the sharing of best practices, constituting a forum for discussions and work with subsidiaries to increase the number of initiatives in place. For example, Finaref and Eurofactor have launched a campaign on the issue with a "Diversity Week" and training for European managers.
Promoting equality between men and women
While the percentage of female employees at the Crédit Agricole S.A. Group remained stable in 2007 at 57% in France, the proportion of female managers increased by nearly 2 percentage points. Women make up nearly 42% of the Crédit Agricole S.A. Group's managers. In 2007, a new agreement concerning professional equality between men and women was signed by LCL and the five employee representative trade union organisations.
Managing age diversity
In connection with retirements, the proportion of over-50s fell by 1.5 percentage points in 2007. At certain subsidiaries, this was accompanied by training or remuneration initiatives and professional interviews with the aim of ensuring that mature staff remain employable and securing their career development within the company.
Diversity in recruitment
With certain decentralised companies, the Group targets all national job markets and the local fabric in its full diversity. For example, Finaref supports and provides training for young people in underprivileged areas or helps them to find jobs. As of 2008, Sofinco will organise job interview preparation workshops for young people from so-called "sensitive" areas. LCL has signed a partnership agreement with ANPE concerning applicant diversity.
Employing disabled workers
Exceeding the targets of the three-year agreement, the Group has hired 125 disabled staff since 2005, devised three professional training programmes in 2007 and implemented more than 1,500 measures to improve working conditions. Disabled employees accounted for 2.67% of the Group's total workforce in 2007 compared with 1.98% in 2006, while the number of contracts allocated to disability-friendly companies increased six-fold.
Focus
2007 diversity awards
Winner of the 2007 recruitment and communication prize as part of the Diversity Awards for the recruitment and integration of disabled people, the Crédit Agricole S.A. Group has signed an agreement for 2008-10 with the aim of hiring at least 115 disabled staff, developing internships, doing all it can to keep employees in work, provide training and raise awareness about disability and strengthening its ties with disability-friendly companies.
