UNI signs a new global agreement with Societe Generale strengthening Group employees’ rights

Paris, 27 June 2023 Societe Generale has signed a new worldwide employee rights agreement with UNI Global Union building on previous 2015 and 2019 agreements. The accord reinforces UNI’s stakeholder role in the bank’s Duty of Care plan, establishes new rights for Group employees, modernizes trade union rights and acknowledges the bank’s commitments implemented with the rise of new ways of working.

The new accord, which covers Societe Generale’s 117,000 employees in 66 countries, deepens UNI’s stakeholder role through a formal mechanism, which includes giving feedback on the bank’s Human Resources pillar of the Duty of Care plan before it is published and identifying potential risks and mitigation measures.

The 4-year agreement boosts Societe Generale’s commitments towards employees’ fundamental rights including freedom of association, social dialogue and trade union access. The accord sets a minimum new base of social right guarantees for Group employees like a 14-week maternity leave, a 1-week paternity leave both with full pay of fixed salary, and a death benefit, covering or supplementing existing local schemes, of up to 2 years’ fixed salary. The agreement also comprises many other topics like health, safety, life at work, discrimination prevention, harassment and inappropriate behaviour, diversity and developing gender equality.  

With the massive digitization of the financial sector, which is transforming work organization, the Group commits to foster remote working initiatives. The agreement also advocates freedom of association, social dialogue and responsible use of digital tools in the frame of a responsible digital approach.

Societe Generale Group Head of Human Resources, Anne-Sophie Chauveau-Galas said:

“As a responsible employer, Societe Generale welcomes this new global employee rights agreement which goes beyond fundamental principles including also operational implementation guidelines for the benefit of our employees, in all regions. Since 2015, Societe Generale and UNI Global Union have established and maintained a continuous, positive and fruitful relationship. This new accord offers a common base of social right guarantees and protections for all Group employees.”

UNI Global Union General Secretary, Christy Hoffman, said:

“This strengthened agreement with Societe Generale puts UNI at the core of the bank’s duty of care plan with regards to human resources. It also sets a new benchmark for finance worker protections – entrenching trade union rights regarding remote work, AI and digitalization on a global scale for the first time. As the world of work changes with lightning speed, it is essential workers are not left behind and employees share the benefits of new technology. What we have achieved is an agreement that is right for now and fit for the future.”

Photo credit: Copyright Societe Generale – Frédéric Clavière-Schiele, Head of Group Social Affairs (left) signs the new agreement with Christy Hoffman, General Secretary of UNI Global Union.

Press contacts UNI Global Union:

Leonie Guguen, Senior Communications Manager, +41 79 137 5436  leonie.guguen@uniglobalunion.org