sain t-gobain annu al report 2008 annual report

• Saint-Gobain Développement further focuses on fostering
deeper local relationships in so-called “sensitive” regions.
In late 2005, for example, the Group signed a charter
with local authorities in the grouping of suburban towns
north of Paris known as Plaine Commune. Our local
companies are now actively involved in creating jobs,
through visits to schools and participation in job fairs.
VISITS TO SAINT-GOBAIN
FACILITIES IN THE PARIS SUBURBS
The Tourist Board for the Seine-Saint-Denis département
bordering on Paris renewed its program of visits
tolocal companies in 2008. During a guided tour led
by managers or engineers, visitors were given
the opportunity to learn about different jobs, techniques,
workplace environments and manufacturing processes.
A total of 400 local employers took part in the program,
including the Placoplatre ® factory in Vaujours,
La Plateforme du Bâtiment warehouse outlet
in La Courneuve and the Lapeyre la maison store
in Gournay-sur-Marne.
Source : Le Mois en France, March 2008.
Lastly, Saint-Gobain also helps employees who want to create
their own business. The feasibility of each project is carefully
examined through in-depth studies, to enhance
the prospective entrepreneur’s understanding of his or
her business model. Approved projects are entitled
to technical and financial aid and/or coaching over a five-year
period. At end-2008, an estimated 37 projects were “active,”
in the sense that they were receiving financial support
and their progress was being tracked.
Our support also has a considerable knock-on effect,
since successful projects often result in the creation
of several jobs.
Supporting education and training
Saint-Gobain provides support for education at every level,
from secondary schools to universities, and in a variety
of forms, including equipment donations, site visits,
participation in national programs and assistance
in technical training classes. Locally, this support
often comprises assistance in building primary schools,
equipment donations to schools and scholarships
for troubled youths.
Nationally and internationally, certain subsidiaries
also organize contests on subjects related to their business,
as an opportunity to raise young people’s awareness
of specific issues. In Eastern Europe, for example, subsidiaries
in the Construction Products Sector have partnered
with architecture schools in Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia
by supporting and participating in architectural competitions.
This approach offers a number of advantages;
it places students in a real-world work environment,
transfers knowledge and demonstrates Saint-Gobain products,
and provides opportunities for students from different
universities to interact.
Supporting technical and vocational training is another
major focus for our subsidiaries, as they can leverage
their skills and capabilities and offer targeted training
programs that meet the specific needs of their businesses.
Students from nearby schools are frequently invited
for on-site visits, allowing them to discover our businesses
in greater detail, connect what they learn in the classroom
with the actual workplace practices and explore
the possibility of working for the Group.
Other sites are involved in programs to support young people
as they enter the workforce. A Flat Glass subsidiary in Germany,
for example, has deployed an initiative for high-school
students and apprentices in their senior year. The concept
was easy to implement, with several employees volunteering
to mentor seniors in preparing their résumés and job
applications and to conduct mock interviews. This has proven
to be quite effective, since upon completion of the program,
every participant was accepted for an internship or job.
THE SKILLS FOR LIFE PROGRAM
FOR UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOL CHILDREN
One of the Saint-Gobain Corporation Foundation’s flagship
initiatives, the Skills For Life learning laboratory was
established in 1989 to increase students’ skills in core
subjects such as math and English (written and spoken).
Every year, more than 180 students participate
in the program in several regions of the United States.
The latest school to host the learning laboratory is
in Louisiana, where the Foundation installed 30 computers
and helped bring in assistants and teaching materials.
The school was chosen because it is in one of the areas
worst affected by Hurricane Katrina.
The Group also encourages its subsidiaries to take on young
people as part of on-the-job training schemes, such as work/
study programs, apprenticeships and skills certification
programs. In 2008, these young trainees accounted for 2.2%
of the workforce in France.
Encouraging solidarity
and supporting cultural activities
Saint-Gobain is involved in a wide variety of corporate
patronage programs, through the direct participation
of employees or by providing financial support for charitable
organizations. Some of the most popular issues are healthcare,
support for underprivileged people and cultural programs.
Healthcare
All of the subsidiaries and Delegations in Europe and North
America encourage employee involvement in initiatives
supporting health-related projects. Employees regularly
participate in national campaigns to raise money
for charitable organizations, such as the Together project
in the United Kingdom, the Telethon in France and Télévie
telethon in the Benelux countries. Many sites also participate
in blood drives, offering an opportunity for a large number
of employees to donate.
MANAGEMENT REPORT
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Saint-Gobain - 2008 Annual Report