Diversity is a way of life at Finaref
Finaref has given a shot in the arm to its corporate citizenship efforts, with the help of an internal working group.
“When it comes to diversity, we didn’t wait for the Diversity Charter1 to be signed before getting down to work,” says Sylvie De Paris, Head of Human Resources at Finaref. This goes to show that the company’s commitment to equal opportunity is not just a passing fad. “We have long worked with Afeji2 to integrate persons with disabilities into the company. That partnership continues today,” explains Sylvie. “We have also conducted situational assessments of job applicants for many years to ensure that we recruit those with the best skills, not just those with the best qualifications.”
When Chairman Hubert de Pelet signed the company’s Diversity Charter in 2005, he was one of the first company heads to make a commitment in the arena. Since then, the company has partnered with the ISEM business school in Montpellier and the University of Lille II to create a European degree in Sales and Marketing with a major in consumer lending. The goal is to enable a number of employees from the operational departments to hone their skills and earn a three-year diploma recognised throughout Europe in just two years. “Finaref now supports course applicants who have not obtained their two-year undergraduate diploma by helping them earn the French government’s work experience recognition qualification, or VAE – Validation des Acquis de l’Expérience.”A week to raise employee awareness about diversity
Last summer, a working group of around 15 employees was formed to revitalise the programme that Finaref designed to meet its diversity commitments. Managers and teams in charge of occupational mobility and recruitment were given non-discrimination training. As part of the Groupes de Dynamique d’Embauche recruitment assistance programme run by the Alliances association, the company has mentored several young graduates from ethnic minorities. “Our aim was to help these young men and women launch their careers. Of the five people in the group, three have already found a job.”
Another highlight was the inauguration in late March 2007 of the Kamali’i (Hawaiian for “little children”) company day care centre in Roubaix, France. Reserved for Finaref employees, the day care centre will be open from 7.15 am to 8.15 pm in order to fit in with different departments’ schedules. “This service will foster equal opportunity for men and women as they manage their careers.”
With the support of Crédit Agricole, Finaref has also launched a campaign to raise employee awareness about diversity during the sustainable development week from 2 to 6 April. Events will include plays, testimonials, discovery workshops, a poster campaign highlighting several company employees, and a wheelchair basketball demonstration.
What’s next ? According to Ms De Paris, “We are currently studying two projects: a survey of practices among other companies in our industry.” 1 For more on the Diversity Charter :
Charte-diversite@imsentreprendre.com
2 Afeji, is a not-for-profit association that combats discrimination and social exclusion
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