EDF : Agreement on EDF Group Corporate Social Responsibility

On 10 December 2008, EDF management signed a three-year agreement on social responsibility with all employee representatives in the 11 countries where the Group has a significant presence (including those of the five French trade unions and the four international trade unions concerned: Icem, USP, OIEM and FMTI).
The agreement advocates anticipation and social support for restructuring, based on the principles presented to the European Works Council in May 2003. The new text highlights three principles: 1/ The principle of anticipation, by taking account of the social consequences of strategic decisions and taking action upstream to prepare employees for the necessary changes. 2/ The principle of social dialogue with trade unions and staff representatives. 3/ The principle of responsibility towards employees and local economies.
The aim is to ‘avoid or limit, as far as possible, forced collective redundancies’. Failing that, ‘more favourable provisions than the legal minimum required by the legislation of the country concerned will be sought’.