Diversity

An ambitious diversity programme

Diversity is a key feature of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT. The Group is present on 5 continents, and its businesses are local by nature and run by employees in the countries where the Group is based. SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT is therefore convinced that its success will flow from its ability to incorporate people from a multitude of nationalities and to give every individual a fair and equal opportunity.

This is precisely the ambition of the SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’s “Equal Opportunities, Social Progress and Commitment” programme: to promote access to jobs and build staff loyalty. To ensure oversight and governance of this programme, which is structured around 5 key priorities, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT has created a dedicated Diversity and Social Development Department. The department runs a network of 13 sponsors (senior managers) chosen to drive forward the Group’s diversity policy by monitoring actions in subsidiaries and the results obtained. The Group also joined in the first European Forum on Diversity in 2010.

Access to jobs and integration

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT strives to promote the employment and integration of young people and people in vulnerable circumstances by:

• developing vocational contracts and apprenticeships: a mentoring mechanism enabled 800 young people to be individually supported by employee volunteers at Lyonnaise des Eaux between 2007 and 2010;
• providing education funding and aid for minorities: the partnership between United Water and the Negro College Fund allows students from minorities to receive scholarships;
• integrating people in highly vulnerable circumstances: since 2003, some 3,000 people have been re-employed thanks to SITA Rebond, which offers fixed-term contracts plus individual training, housing and healthcare monitoring;
• forming partnerships with local players: a Maison pour Rebondir (literally “Bounce-back House”) opened its doors in Bordeaux (France) in November 2011 to create closer social links in vulnerable neighbourhoods while encouraging economic activity.

Recruitment and careers for seniors

To innovate, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT relies on the diversity of its employees’ talents and experiences. The Group therefore values the presence of over-fifties in the company by:

• recruitment of employees aged over 55: they accounted for 9.37% of the workforce in 2009,
• offering midlife career interviews for people aged over 45,
• developing mentoring between young people and over-fifties to promote the transfer of know-how and dialogue between generations.

Recruitment and careers for women

Women currently represent 19.6% of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’s workforce.

In order to bolster the place of women in the company, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT seeks to:

• develop an active recruitment policy for them,
• provide support for maternity leave,
• ensure equal pay between men and women for equal responsibilities, experience and performance.

Recruitment and assistance for people with disabilities

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT supports victims of occupational accidents and people with disabilities through several initiatives:

• Increased recruitment of people with disabilities (2.13% of workforce in 2010)
• Training for managers on how to help people with disabilities fit into their teams
• Support for career development, so that people with disabilities resulting from an accident or illness can keep their job or have it adapted
• Appointment of a disabilities officer to coordinate actions between the Group’s subsidiaries

Employee commitment and quality of life in the workplace

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT is committed to promoting well-being in the workplace. Several initiatives have been set up:

• employee commitment surveys are carried out on a regular basis
• in early 2010, a Group-wide 3-year agreement was signed regarding quality of life in the workplace. It provides for a regular audit of workplace quality of life, an action plan, and management training on dealing with emergency situations and preventing risk.