BNP Paribas signed on 10 July an agreement on Employment Management in Europe with the two European trade union federations FECEC* and UNI** and a delegation composed of members of the bureau of the Group's European Committee. This, BNP Paribas' first Europe-wide workforce agreement, sets out the rules and common approaches to be taken by BNP Paribas Group entities established in the 20 countries represented on the European Committee.
This covers:
- The approach and the tools that will enable BNP Paribas to anticipate changes ahead, and thus to prepare Group employees for those changes and help to find solutions for their specific situation;
- Social support for any restructuring programmes to be carried out in any Group entities whenever such programmes are likely to impact on employment.
The agreement both reflects the new international dimension of the BNP Paribas Group and bears witness to the Group's belief in the principle of fair and loyal Employment Management and the importance of meaningful social dialogue.
The agreement constitutes the first concrete content of the Group's “European Social Charter”, which will be gradually complemented with statements and commitments on other issues such as ensuring workplace equality between men and women and preventing or addressing psycho-social risks at work.
* Fédération Européenne des Cadres des Etablissements de Crédit et Institutions Financières/European Federation of Managers in the Banking Sector
** Union Network International - Europa Finances
About the BNP Paribas European Committee
The BNP Paribas Group European Committee is a body intended for information, exchange of views and dialogue. The purpose of this body is to enable debate and the expression of the points of view of the various participants on economic, financial and social issues which, owing to their transnational nature or their strategic importance, are likely to be of interest to companies in the Group within the structure defined in the article on the scope of the body.
The BNP Paribas “European Social Report”, whose second (2011) edition has just been published, also falls within this general framework. The Report provides a broad range of varied and detailed information designed to improve knowledge of the populations and sociologies of Group staff in the countries that are represented on the European Committee. This BNP Paribas initiative clearly demonstrates the rich diversity of the Group within Europe. The information content of this second edition has been expanded in comparison to the 2010 issue and the Report will be further enhanced with new data and approaches in the coming years.
The 20 countries falling within the perimeter represented by the BNP Paribas European Committee are: Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.
About BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas (www.bnpparibas.com) has a presence in 80 countries with nearly 200,000 employees, including more than 150,000 in Europe. It ranks highly in its three core activities: Retail Banking, Investment Solutions and Corporate & Investment Banking. In Europe, the Group has four domestic markets (Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg) and BNP Paribas Personal Finance is the leader in consumer lending. BNP Paribas is rolling out its integrated retail banking model across Mediterranean basin countries, in Turkey, in Eastern Europe and a large network in the western part of the United States. In its Corporate & Investment Banking and Investment Solutions activities, BNP Paribas also enjoys top positions in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas and solid and fast-growing businesses in Asia.