Diversity and equality in the workplace: an approach to the employment of disabled people

AREVA and the AGEFIPH have just signed a partnership agreement in favor of employing disabled people in France.

This agreement comes as part of a broad policy implemented by the group across Europe and aimed at encouraging cultural and social diversity. In fact, since June 2005, AREVA has been working with representatives of its European Works Council on drawing up an agreement on equal opportunities in the workplace (for the disabled and to promote equality between men and women).

While waiting for this to be finalized, the partnership agreement with the AGEFIPH will serve to initiate a program of action to be implemented in France. To conduct this program, AREVA has set up a “Diversity mission” and created a network of liaison officers at its main subsidiaries.

Three priorities for action have been defined under this agreement:

1- Recruitment and integration:
With a view to encouraging the employment of disabled people, suitably-adapted recruitment processes are needed. The aim is to identify the various channels through which job applicants may be found and to familiarize jobseekers with the group. To this end, the group has signed partnership deals with the AFIJ (a French association that helps recent graduates find employment), the TREMPLIN enterprise club, the HANDISUP association in Normandy (improving training qualifications), HANPLOI (specializing in online recruitment) and the ADECCO Group. These partnerships will be implemented at local level and in addition to the various forms of contact already developed with key players in employment pools.

In its new recruitment approach, the group wishes to make use of all the available types of employment contract and professional integration tools in order to multiply the opportunities offered (work placements, work-study programs, short-term and permanent contracts and temporary contracts, etc.).

2- Awareness and communication
AREVA, a partner of France’s 10th National Jobs for the Disabled Week, is implementing a range of actions designed to raise awareness to combat prejudice and overcome obstacles to employment. Various means of communication are used: information leaflets, articles in in-house newsletters, FORMA.DIFF® (“formation à la différence par des personnes différentes”, or training on difference by people who are different), etc. The group also organizes campaigns to raise awareness among its top HR managers, recruitment and department managers.

3- Sheltered workshops
In 2006, the Purchasing Department has undertaken to:

• define and implement at different levels a concrete group policy relative to this sector
• research the opportunities afforded by national framework contracts.

The AGEFIPH agreement is the first step toward implementing the “Diversity” policy. Once negotiations at European level have been completed, AREVA will initiate negotiations with representatives of the French unions with a view to reaching a Group Agreement.