ANNUAL REPORT 2011 REGISTRATION DOCUMENT - Saft

3.3 CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
3.3.1 LOCAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
IMPACT
Most of Saft’s production facilities are long-standing operations
that have been well received by local residents. In fact, the
Group endeavours to recruit locally and is often recognised
as being one of the major employers in the regions in which
it operates. In Jacksonville (Florida, US), the construction of the
plant in 2010, followed by its commissioning in 2011 have
already helped create jobs for a couple of hundred people in
a region with unemployment rates of over 10%.
Furthermore, at most sites Saft is involved in local industrial
and economic development, taking part in professional and
industrial associations, and sitting on Chambers of Commerce
and Industry and other local committees.
Saft also plays an active role in local communities by supporting
or participating in a range of social, environmental and
humanitarian initiatives. In FY 2011, donations were made
to communities or organisations (fi re services, schools, social
centres, etc.) in most localities in which Saft operates. The
Group also took part in initiatives to support minority groups
(the disabled, senior citizens, people suffering from illnesses)
in most countries (the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom,
Israel, Italy, Singapore), in charity initiatives for medical
research associations in the US and Sweden, not to mention
support for NGOs and international organisations (UNICEF,
Red Cross, Energies Sans Frontières, etc.).
Furthermore, Saft regularly sponsors cultural venues and events
and sports clubs and events in Europe (particularly in Spain,
Sweden, France and the Czech Republic).
Finally, the Group’s sites in the US and Europe regularly sponsor
schools and professional associations. In particular, this means
organising meetings between students and professionals, visits
to factories and internships, as well as providing fi nancial
support for university events or associations (seminars,
newspapers, junior enterprise schemes), awarding grants to
students and entering into partnerships with engineering schools
and universities as part of research programmes (French and
European).
3
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Corporate social responsibility
3.3.2 SUBCONTRACTING AND SUPPLIERS
The Saft Group is looking to implement a responsible purchasing
policy and to work with suppliers whose commercial and
industrial practices respect this principle.
Saft’s Code of Ethics details the rules that must be respected by
all employees in business dealings, and in particular in dealings
with suppliers. The Purchasing Department is responsible in this
respect for ensuring that buyers are regularly informed of the
need to respect these rules.
Where Group suppliers operate in countries in which
the governance indicators published by the World Bank
(Worldwide Governance Indicators) fall below the median
of the countries evaluated, they must formally undertake to
comply with commitments built on three principles: corporate
responsibility, ethics and environmental responsibility. This, for
example, encompasses respect for conventions 29, 111, 138
and 182 of the International Labour Organisation.
In addition, in the US the Group complies with the obligations
of the Federal Acquisition Act with regard in particular to
respect for minorities and principles of non-discrimination.
In the course of its dealings with sub-contractors, in France
the Group particularly endeavours to follow the general
recommendations of the report of 30 August 2010 of the
Médiateur des Relations Interindustrielles et de la Soustraitance,
detailing unfair practices. Furthermore, in the US it
complies with the provisions of the Davis-Bacon Act as regards
daily rates paid to sub-contractors.
SAFT - ANNUAL REPORT 2011 / 75