Sustainable Development

Lafarge's success draws on the diversity of its 90,000 employees in 76 different countries. The Group:

• encourages non-discrimination,
• promotes the employment of handicapped people,
• encourages worldwide mobility as a means to share best practices.

 

The objective for 2008 is to double the number of women in top executive positions compared to 2003 levels.

 

The Group's rules and internationalization policy require that the executive committee of each operational unit has at least 1 member who is not a native of the country where the unit is located. At the end of 2007, there are people from no less than 51 nationalities in the members of Committees population.

At the beginning of 2006, all employees were asked, in their own language, about the image they had of the Group. This followed the "Leader for Tomorrow" project, initiated in 2003. The response rate was very high (80%). The results opened the path to more dialog and interaction.

The survey revealed the employees' strong attachment to the Group's success, its humanist values and its sustainable development policy.

 

Following it, each business unit was set the challenge of devising a plan of action of its own to improve on the results, to better inform ad consult its employees.

Lafarge supports its employees throughout their careers. The Group has established:

• an Organization and Human Resources Review which defines training and recruiting needs,
• a motivating salary policy,
• training at all levels of the Group,
• an online job exchange,
• cooperation projects between trade unions and employees.

 

Training also concerns local communities, for example:

• masonry apprenticeships in India,
• basic computer skills training for young women in India to improve their status and condition,
• training in the construction trades in Sri Lanka.

When restructuring is necessary, the Group actively assists its employees in their search for work or professional retraining. A dedicated manual has been produced to provide relevant guidance to operational units.

 

In 2007, only 14 business units made headcount reductions of more than 5% compared to 17 business units in 2006.

Lafarge promotes dialog with employee representatives. In 2005, the Group signed a social responsibility agreement with 3 international trade unions. Its ambition is to see the fundamental social rights defined by the conventions of the International Labor Organization (I.L.O.) respected throughout the world. These include:

• the abolition of child labor,
• the elimination of discrimination in the workplace,
• freedom of association,
• the right to collective bargaining.

 

The European Works Council was created in 1995 to provide a forum for dialog and exchange among employee representatives from the European Union. The topics of discussion are very diverse and include economic, social and financial issues.

Lafarge encourages its employees to act in accordance with the Group's Principles of Action, which promote the sustainable development of its activities over the long-term.

As the Group's operations are very localized, it is the responsibility of each director to:

• develop on-going, transparent dialog with local communities,
• implement practical programs in the field.

 

Sustainable development objectives form part of each manager's personal objectives. The results achieved are evaluated during an annual interview. The manager's bonus is calculated in part on the basis of these sustainable development results.