CONTENTS - Capgemini

ut also on local issues, in partnership with the local authorities
or community projects. Capgemini encourages and stresses the
commitments of its employees to the community.
Our environmental footprint: We strive to reduce our environmental
impact, particularly around energy use, travel and
waste management. Long term sustainability is the key and we
strive to increase employee awareness of the impact and how to
contribute. We believe that, to achieve this, collaboration with
our stakeholders is key.
In 2004, as a natural step in the evolution of our focus on social
responsibility and sustainability, we joined the UN Global Compact.
The member companies of this program support and respect
ten principles relating to human rights, the environment, labor
rights, and anti-corruption. The Group respects local laws and
customs while supporting the international laws and regulations
- in particular the International Labor Organization fundamental
conventions on labor standards.
7.1.2 Our Values
Capgemini’s culture and business practices are guided by its seven
core values – Honesty, Boldness, Trust, Freedom, Team Spirit,
Modesty and Fun. These values have existed as long as the group.
They are second nature to us now, and remain at the heart of our
approach to being a responsible business.
The first is Honesty, meaning loyalty, integrity, uprightness, a
complete refusal to use any underhanded method to help win
business or gain any kind of advantage. Neither growth nor
profit nor independence has any real worth unless won through
complete honesty and probity. Everyone in the Group should
know that any lack of openness and integrity in business dealings
will be penalized immediately upon it being established.
Boldness, which implies a flair for entrepreneurship and a desire
to take considered risks and show commitment (naturally linked
to a firm determination to uphold one’s commitments). This is
the very soul of competitiveness: firmness in making decisions
or in forcing their implementation, an acceptance to periodically
challenge one’s orientations and the status quo. Boldness also
needs to be combined with a certain level of prudence and a
particular clear sightedness, without which a bold manager
could become reckless.
Trust, meaning the willingness to empower both individuals
and teams; to have decisions made as close as possible to the
point where they will be put into practice. Trust also means
favoring open-mindedness as well as wide-spread idea and
information sharing.
Freedom, which means independence in thought, judgment and
deeds, and entrepreneurial spirit and creativity. It also means
tolerance, respect for others, for different cultures and customs:
an essential quality in an international group.
Solidarity/Team Spirit, meaning friendship, fidelity, generosity,
fairness in sharing the benefits of collective work; accepting responsibilities
and an instinctive willingness to support common
efforts even when the storm is raging.
Modesty, that is simplicity, the very opposite of affectation,
pretension, pomposity, arrogance and boastfulness. Simplicity
does not imply naivety; it is more about being discreet, showing
natural modesty, common sense, being attentive to others and
taking the trouble to be understood by them. It is about being
frank in work relationships, loosening up, and having a sense
of humor.
Fun, finally, means feeling good about being part of the Group
or one’s team, feeling proud of what one does, feeling a sense
of accomplishment in the search for better quality and greater
efficiency, feeling part of a challenging project.
7.1.3 Group Fundamentals, Guidelines and Policies –
the Blue Book
In our largely decentralized and entrepreneurial organization, it
is critical to have a set of common guidelines, procedures and
policies which govern our fundamental operations as a Group.
The Group “Blue Book” - originally created in 1989 as a managers’
rulebook - provides the overarching common framework for
every employee and every part of the business to work effectively
as one Group.
The Blue Book contains:
Group Fundamentals
– Group Mission & Expertise, Fundamental Objectives, Values,
Code of Ethics, and Guiding Behavior;
Group governance and organization;
Authorization procedures;
Sales and delivery rules and guidelines;
Business risk management, pricing, contracting and legal requirements;
Finance, mergers, acquisitions, disposals and insurance rules
and guidelines;
Human resources policies;
Communications, knowledge management and Group IT;
Procurement policies;
Environmental policies.
All parts of the business in every country must embed these
policies, procedures and guidelines as a reference in their local
policies, procedures and guidelines while respecting local laws,
regulations or statutory requirements. In 2006, the Group Blue
Book was reviewed and updated to reflect our increased focus
on Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility. The Blue Book
is accessible online, to all Group employees, together with many
other documents, including the code of ethics and the procurement
policies.
ANNUAL REPORT 2006 Capgemini
13