La banque d'un monde qui change 2004 - BNP Paribas

108sustainable development109Lastly, the Group also has a works councilmade up of 25 representatives from the Frenchsubsidiaries, and a European Works Council,which was expanded in 2004 to includerepresentatives from the 25 countriesin the new enlarged European Union.Optimal and safe workingconditionsA variety of working hours structuresBNP Paribas SA offers its employees a widerange of possibilities in terms of working hours.More than 12% of its employees has optedfor one of these formulas. In addition,21% of employees have Time Savings Accountswhich they can use to “save” additional timeworked for time off at a later date.Health in the workplace: support and preventionPromoting occupational health and work safetyis a key concern for the Group.Any employee can call on an employee supportrepresentative for advice and guidance, or totalk about any problems they may have. Theserepresentatives are professionally bound notto divulge information discussed in meetingswith employees but the alarm may be raised inindividual situations that give cause for concern.BNP Paribas has also set up a number of itsown initiatives which go beyond the statutoryrequirements. The Group offers cardiovascularrisk screening, monitoring of vaccinations,help with giving up smoking, training in first-aidand, in partnership with the Paris accident andemergency services, prevention and monitoringof post-traumatic stress for staff who havesuffered or witnessed an attack.With a view to preventing risks through theimprovement of working conditions the Groupalso pays attention to areas such as ergonomics,lighting and office sanitation. The advice ofthe medical department is systematically takenon board before equipment is brought into theworkplace and the specifications accompanyinginvitations for tender for IT equipment alwaystake into account medical recommendations.At the same time, steps have been takento promote health and safety at work forexpatriate workers. These initiatives includethe establishment of health reviews adaptedaccording to age group and to the specific healthrisks of the countries concerned. For example,personalised information on SARS has been sentto employees originating from, or working in, Asia.BNP Paribas is a member of the Sida EntrepriseAssociation (a business-funded association focusedon Aids). The aim of this association is for Frenchinvestors in Africa to help resolve ongoing issuesof prevention and lack of access to treatments,problems that remain prevalent despitethe financial aid that has been injected intothe countries suffering from the Aids pandemic.BNP Paribas actively supports the platformsset up in Gabon and Burkina Faso in 2004.Encouraging communicationand feedbackThe role of Intranet in internal communicationsThe Group’s internal communications publications– the quarterly magazine Ambitions and weeklyelectronic newsletter Flash Group – are sent tomore than 90% of the Group’s employees in bothEnglish and French, and continue to representa resounding success. These two publications arerounded out by specific internal communicationtools adapted to each business or function, whichallow for a more targeted message.