On 7 March 2017, the PSA Group and the trade unions IndustriALL Global Union and IndustriAll European Trade Union signed a new global framework agreement relating to the PSA Group’s Social Responsibility.
This agreement was signed at the headquarters of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Geneva, in the presence of Deborah Greenfield, ILO Deputy Director General, Carlos Tavares, Chairman of the PSA Group Managing Board, Xavier Chéreau, the Group’s Director of Human Resources, Valter Sanches, General Secretary of IndustriALL Global Union and Luc Triangle, General Secretary of IndustriAll European Trade Union.
This new agreement demonstrates the PSA Group’s aim to build its future jointly with employee representative bodies on a global scale and to involve all its employees in its global Human Resources policy. The aim is to ensure a common foundation in terms of respect for fundamental human rights and labour practices based on the expression of individual and collective talent.
This agreement has two parts:
– providing a formal framework to the PSA Group’s Social Responsibility policy so that it can involve stakeholders and express its workforce requirements in respect of its value chain in order to ensure fundamental rights,
– and, furthermore, implementing a global HR policy that develops talents and skills, quality of life and well-being at work, while respecting diversity and equality.
In addition, the agreement confirms the vital role of trade union bodies in the Company’s dialogue and social cohesion. The PSA Group promotes a relationship of trust and transparency in steering the Company’s development. The agreement accordingly strengthens the global dimension of the Group Works Council and its role in sharing the business and social challenges worldwide.
This agreement is an achievement of a relationship of more than 10 years between the PSA Group and the global and European IndustriALL trade unions that brings together stakeholders and PSA’s Social Responsibility policy.
Xavier Chéreau, PSA Group’s Director of Human Resources took this opportunity to announce:
“In the dynamics of the “New Momentum for Growth” agreement signed in France, I wanted to raise to the global level our desire to jointly build the Group’s future together with our social partners. This agreement will drive a new momentum and accompany the PSA Group’s international expansion as set out in our “Push to pass” strategic plan”
Valter Sanches, General Secretary of IndustriALL Global Union, declared:
“This agreement goes further than ever before to protect the rights of workers in PSA Group’s global supply chain and acknowledges the essential role of trade unions in the group. This is especially important now as PSA Group looks to expand. The agreement puts international labour standards first when national law is weak and makes respect of fundamental rights a determining factor in the selection of PSA Group suppliers.”
Luc Triangle, General Secretary of IndustriAll European Trade Union added:
“With the renewal of the PSA Global Framework Agreement, it goes the extra mile by establishing worldwide minimum standards on the development of skills, employability of workers and health and safety at work. Transforming PSA into a learning company and giving every worker the chance to adapt is the right answer to the challenge of digitisation and the decarbonisation of the economy. These ambitious commitments will only become a reality for workers if they can depend on a robust social dialogue and negotiations at local level”.
Deborah Greenfield, ILO’s Deputy Director-General for Policy declared:
“The ILO welcomes the agreement which reinforces the commitment of PSA Group to the respect of workers’ rights. It is a good example of how social dialogue can positively impact on working conditions in a global context.”