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The French navy has shown there is life in CSR beyond the corporate
sector by submitting itself to a social responsibility assessment.
The Marine Nationale opened itself to scrutiny by Vigeo, a Paris-based social responsibility rating agency, as part of its drive to modernize employment practices.
Vigeo’s assessment concentrated on human capital, human rights and community involvement, using the general evaluation methods it applies to its private sector clients, with some changes to account for the navy’s specific characteristics, such as its lack of trade union representation and its emphasis on a structured hierarchy. This included the application of international labour and environmental standards laid down by the UN and the ILO. The assessment was the first detailed appraisal of a non-corporate organization by Vigeo, which is developing a similar service for French local authorities.
Simon Zadek, chief executive of the Institute of Social and Ethical Accountability, said that the navy’s move was part of a growing trend among non-corporates to adopt CSR tenets. ‘Social responsibility is not just a business issue, as numerous scandals, cases of corruption and accountability deficits have demonstrated in both the public sector and increasingly across civil society,’ he said. ‘Here we begin to see non-corporates stepping up to the plate and taking on this emerging accountability agenda.’
Marine Nationale spokesman Captain Jerome Regnier said one of the main points to come out of the Vigeo assessment was concern about unfair treatment of minority groups and women. As a result the navy is developing recommendations to improve its recruitment processes with a view to achieving a ‘natural balance’ in its racial and gender profile that broadly reflects French society.
The final recommendations, due to be published in mid-2006, will also apply to France’s overseas territories, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Reunion.
The navy has already adopted more family-friendly policies as a result of Vigeo’s study. The measures include improvements in education services for children of pre-primary age and providing a vehicle breakdown service for family members of navy employees.
Regnier said the navy, which on average takes in more than 3500 recruits every year, expects many in its present force to retire in the next few years and wants to modernize its practices to attract personnel. ‘We wanted to have some arguments to show [new recruits] that the navy takes social dimensions into account,’ he told EP.
In addition to recruitment problems, the Vigeo study found a general need to promote equal opportunities and diversity at all levels, and the final report noted that racism and homophobia needed special attention. Regnier said it had been ‘interesting’ to have the navy’s actions and policies evaluated from a civilian, rather than military viewpoint.
The Marine Nationale opened itself to scrutiny by Vigeo, a Paris-based social responsibility rating agency, as part of its drive to modernize employment practices.
Vigeo’s assessment concentrated on human capital, human rights and community involvement, using the general evaluation methods it applies to its private sector clients, with some changes to account for the navy’s specific characteristics, such as its lack of trade union representation and its emphasis on a structured hierarchy. This included the application of international labour and environmental standards laid down by the UN and the ILO. The assessment was the first detailed appraisal of a non-corporate organization by Vigeo, which is developing a similar service for French local authorities.
Simon Zadek, chief executive of the Institute of Social and Ethical Accountability, said that the navy’s move was part of a growing trend among non-corporates to adopt CSR tenets. ‘Social responsibility is not just a business issue, as numerous scandals, cases of corruption and accountability deficits have demonstrated in both the public sector and increasingly across civil society,’ he said. ‘Here we begin to see non-corporates stepping up to the plate and taking on this emerging accountability agenda.’
Marine Nationale spokesman Captain Jerome Regnier said one of the main points to come out of the Vigeo assessment was concern about unfair treatment of minority groups and women. As a result the navy is developing recommendations to improve its recruitment processes with a view to achieving a ‘natural balance’ in its racial and gender profile that broadly reflects French society.
The final recommendations, due to be published in mid-2006, will also apply to France’s overseas territories, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Reunion.
The navy has already adopted more family-friendly policies as a result of Vigeo’s study. The measures include improvements in education services for children of pre-primary age and providing a vehicle breakdown service for family members of navy employees.
Regnier said the navy, which on average takes in more than 3500 recruits every year, expects many in its present force to retire in the next few years and wants to modernize its practices to attract personnel. ‘We wanted to have some arguments to show [new recruits] that the navy takes social dimensions into account,’ he told EP.
In addition to recruitment problems, the Vigeo study found a general need to promote equal opportunities and diversity at all levels, and the final report noted that racism and homophobia needed special attention. Regnier said it had been ‘interesting’ to have the navy’s actions and policies evaluated from a civilian, rather than military viewpoint.
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