Company
Gaz de France
Date of signature
02 July 2008
Signatories
CEO of GDF, EMCEF, EPSU, EMF, national union organisations: CGT, CGT-FO, CFDT, CFTC, and CFE-CGC (France), UNITE (United Kingdom), F.S. Romania (Romania), Égáz-Dégáz Földgázelosztó Zrt and Gázszolgáltató Zrt (Hungary), UNIE (Holland), BBTK (Belgium), IGBCE (Germany), FIOM-CGIL, UILCEM-UIL, FISASCAT-CISL (Italy)
Key objectives
“The result of a voluntary endeavour, this agreement aims to promote social and environmental practices which go beyond the legal and statutory obligations. It confirms the Group’s position in favour of Sustainable Development and social dialogue with trade union organisations and employee representatives as an important vector of progress. It characterises the spirit of accountability that has been adopted by the signing parties as well as their wish to promote constructive European social dialogue based (depending on the nature of the files) on information, consultation or negotiation.”
Duration
3 years“This agreement has been reached for an initial duration of three years starting from the date it comes into force; at the end of this term, the parties will compile a general report on the actions and the progress accomplished. Depending on this report, the parties may decide to renew the agreement for a determined period of time. If either of the parties fails to serve notice of renewal of the agreement to the other party by registered letter with a receipt of acknowledgment before the end of the initial three year term, the agreement shall immediately cease to be in effect, and as a matter of right shall no longer be in force.
This agreement will be effective the day after it has been filed.”
(5.4. Final provisions)
Applicable law
Not defined
Implementation and dissemination
Implementation
“Out of respect for the principle of subsidiarity, each company will be asked to define the agreement’s methods of application, taking into account differences in occupational, geographical and cultural situations, along with the legal, regulatory and contractual obligations as well as considerations relative to collective bargaining processes in the countries concerned.
This agreement is to be submitted to management in the companies concerned. It will be made known to all employees within the Gaz de France Group’s companies. It will be diffused by means of internal communications tools and procedures, and it is to be translated into the languages of the countries that fall within the scope of its application and in which Gaz de France has set up companies. The way in which it is applied will be discussed between management and the trade unions or, in default thereof, the employee representatives of the companies that fall within its scope. At very least, implementation of this agreement must be based on a diagnostic covering all indicators and annual action plans on points that require particular attention depending on the context and the aforementioned diagnostic. Each company will strive to work on all of the chapters included in this agreement for its duration.”
Dissemination
“In order to encourage communication concerning the present agreement, the committee has made it its aim to bring the agreement to the attention of a network of RSE correspondents within the Divisions, trade union organisations or, in default thereof, employee representatives. The members of the follow-up committee may visit the various companies of the countries they represent, by agreement with the divisions in the companies concerned. If necessary, the members of the committee may be given 2 days a year, excluding travel time, to undertake such assignments, the costs of travel being borne by the company taking part.”
Review and monitoring
Monitoring:
“Given the methods of application that have been decided upon for each company, monitoring and assessment of the agreement will be carried out on two levels.
Firstly, each company involved will carry out its own annual assessment in a special meeting between management representatives and trade unions or, in default thereof, employee representatives, in appropriate dialogue conditions.
Secondly, at Group level, the following arrangements will be adopted:
- a specific follow-up committee will be created and chaired by the Chairman of the Group or his representative; the committee will include a representative from each signing trade union organisation, a representative from the Sustainable Development Division, a representative from the Human Resources Division, and the Group’s ethical delegate.
- The follow-up committee will ensure that the conditions for the implementation of the agreement are in place, and will draw up a report on the application thereof and evaluate the results. To this end, the signing parties agree to meet within a period of six months from the date of the signing of the agreement, in order to determine which of the indicators available within the group are the most relevant with respect to this agreement, for evaluating the initial steps in the implementation of the agreement, and to prepare for the annual assessment meeting. The follow-up committee meets at least once a year. On this occasion, it will draw up an assessment of its activities. An extraordinary committee meeting may be held by agreement with the Chairman.
- An annual report on the implementation of the agreement must be filed each year. Subject to the unanimous agreement of the parties, it may be communicated appropriately as part of the Sustainable Development report. The Gaz de France Group firmly believes that it is essential to provide all parties concerned with relevant, consistent and reliable information on its extra-financial performance. To this end, the Gaz de France Group obtains an independent evaluation of its report from an outside party and adopts best practices as well as the specifications that are the most suitable for its area of activity, particularly the GRI.
- The implementation assessment will be presented every year to the European Works Council.
- The organisation costs for meetings of the follow-up committee and the preparation thereof, where necessary, (room reservation, accommodation, translation, etc.) will be covered by the Group. Transportation costs are borne by the company taking part. The meeting must be organised in a way that will facilitate the participation of trade union representatives.”
Dispute settlement and sanctions
Dispute settlement:
Employees’ right of expression
“In order to anticipate and resolve difficulties resulting from the interpretation or incorrect application of the agreement before they arise, it is agreed that each employee may approach his/her manager, the Human Resources Management team and/or a trade union representative in his company without being prejudiced by this action. If the problem persists despite the implementation of this process, the problem may be referred to the ethical delegate of the Group for follow-up action. A summary of the questions submitted to the ethical delegate will be presented to the follow-up committee at the time of its annual reports, in accordance with the rules of confidentiality.”
Related texts
GDF Suez European agreement on job and skills planning (2010)
GDF Suez European agreement on fundamental health and safety principles at work (2010)
GDF Suez global agreement on fundamental rights, social dialogue and sustainable development (2010)
Main topic
Fundamental labour rights,
Secondary topic(s)
social dialogue, working conditions, health and safety, psychosocial risks, anticipating the evolution of jobs and skills, training, restructurings, training, mobility, diversity and non discrimination, remuneration and profit-sharing, pensions, union freedom and recognition, sustainable development and solidarity.