6 - Vicat

17EMPLOYEES17.1. Overview 11517.1.1. Breakdown of the group’s averageworkforce by business 11517.1.2. Breakdown of the group’s averageworkforce by geographical area 11617.1.3. Breakdown of the group’s averageworkforce by age 11617.1.4. Year-end changes in the workforceaccording to movement type 11617.1.5. Changes in years of service with the group 11717.1.6. Human resources policy 11717.2. Share subscription and purchase options 11817.3. Employee profit-sharing 11817.4. Shareholding of the company’s officersand transactions conducted by membersof the Board of directors inthe Company’s shares 11917.4.1. Holdings by the company’s officers in thecompany’s shares as at december 31, 2009 11917.4.2. Transactions by members of the Board ofdirectors in the company’s sharesfor the 2008 and 2009 financial years 11917.4.3. Retention undertakings in relationto the company’s shares 12017.1. OVERVIEWThe average total workforce of the Group in 2009decreased by 1.82 % compared to 2008, despite theincrease in the size of the projects in Kazakhstanand India.This fall in employee numbers reflects the impactof the financial crisis on the size of teams in certaincountries. This was the case everywhere apartfrom West Africa and Switzerland, where businessremained steady, and Kazakhstan and India whereprojects are under development. It was possible tocontain the social impact on the Group’s employeesand no redundancy plans were required. Naturalwastage and a reduction in temporary staff (-45 % inFrance for example, i.e. 120 full-time jobs equivalent)made it possible to reduce total labor costs.The fall in business, which was more noticeable in theConcrete and Aggregates business led to a decreasein the workforce in this sector, while employee numbersin the Cement business remained stable, withthe Group’s cement sales volumes showing a slightincrease in 2009 compared with 2008.The rise in average staff numbers in certain countrieswhere the Group operates reflects the economic dynamismof these regions. Africa is generally goingthrough a period of strong growth (9.61 %), whilethere has been a marked downturn in the UnitedStates (-13.85 %) and a softer decrease in France(-3.06 %) in 2009 compared to 2008.17.1.1. Breakdown of the Group’s average workforce bybusiness(number of employees) 2009 2008Cement 2,444 2,504Concrete & Aggregates 2,851 2,996Other Products & Services 1,417 1,336Total 6,712 6,8362009 registration document - VICAT 115