EMPLOYMENT
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GLOBAL COMPACT
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| All-purpose cleaning products and bathroom cleaning products | Hand towels, toilet paper |
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**% in litres
ENVIROPROPREIllustration of principles 8 and 9
PARTICIPATION IN ECO-DESIGN BY THE CLEANING DIVISION
Assessment of the commitment
The Enviropropre project, launched in 2008 and carried out in partnership with the Ecole des Métiers de l'Environnement (EME: a higher educational establishment based in Rennes) and EVEA [an ecodesign consultancy based in Nantes], is a research project co-funded by ADEME [French Environment and Energy Management Agency]. The main purpose of the project was to propose recommendations with a view to potentially developing an Ecolabel for cleaning-related services.
The work programme has been modelled on the LCA (Life Cycle Analysis) methodology*:
*life cycle analysis:
LCA is a method of environmental assessment which enables the impacts of a product (whether that product is a physical item, a service or indeed even a process) to be quantified over its entire life cycle, from the extraction of the raw materials from which it is made to its disposal at the end of its life, including distribution and usage phases. A standardized, well-recognised tool, LCA is the most effective method of general multi-criteria assessment. It is based on the interpretation of a quantified assessment of the material and energy flows associated with each stage in the life cycle of products, expressed in the potential impacts on the environment.
Phase 1: Definition of the study objectives and scope
In the study definition phase, bibliographical data was collected and various discussions were held with the partners to establish an overview of the processes used by the cleaning division. Once this information had been collected, field data collection surveys were then developed.
Phase 2: Life cycle inventory
n accordance with the boundaries set out during phase 1, EME students collected data on sites belonging to Samsic Propreté customers. This inventory, carried out over a period of 1 year, consisted mainly of examining the materials, product ranges and practices used and the effluent and waste disposal/treatment stages.
Phase 3: Impact assessment
The EVEA consultancy firm then associated the environmental impacts generated with the data collected during the previous phase. A careful analysis was carried out resulting in the selection of eco indicators (e.g. eutrophication, destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer) which allow for suitable representations of major impacts to be established.
The environmental assessment of the services over their life cycle highlighted the impacts associated with each life cycle stage.
Diagram representing the main contributors to the life cycle impacts of cleaning services on service sites
Phase 4: Interpretation and eco-design
The purpose of interpreting the environmental analysis was to identify environmental problem areas in the services examined. The different partners then identified appropriate solutions enabling environmental improvements to be made using the conclusions gleaned from this interpretation.
Phase 5: Implementation of the approach within Samsic Propreté and its network
This involved issuing recommendations on how to make use of the results. Draft specifications for the future creation of an eco label were therefore drawn up. A methodology and a set of requirements which could be applied once this eco label was obtained were also identified.
Environmental issues upon which the specifications focused :
- Limiting consumption of resources (water, energy, materials)
- Reducing the toxicity of products for humans
- Reducing the ecotoxicity of the products used
- Reducing and recovering the waste generated
- Encouraging communication and awareness-raising of environmental issues amongst customers and service providers.
Phase 6: Presentation of the results
The work was presented to the stakeholders, namely: ADEME, AFNOR [French standards association], Samsic Propreté customers and the Fédération des Entreprises de Propreté [FEP: Federation of Cleaning Companies] on the 18 June, the deadline for the projects.
The Fédération des Entreprises de Propreté invited the partners who had worked on this segment to join the working group for the recognition of companies working for sustainable development.
Watch this space!
A.CARRYING OUT A CARBON ASSESSMENT
Illustration of principles 8 and 9
Cleaning (like any other human activity) generates, directly or indirectly, greenhouse gas emissions. Samsic Propreté is legally required to take account of these emissions and any resulting economic dependence. An assessment must therefore be carried out before any decision is taken. The Carbon Assessment® is a simple effective solution enabling emission sources to be ranked and steps taken to reduce these emissions
Several Samsic Group employees are currently being trained by ADEME in methods for analysing our company's greenhouse gas emissions.
Objective for 2010: deploy calculators between now and the first quarter of 2011 enabling the greenhouse gas emissions of every cleaning operation to be displayed.
Objective for 2011: catalogue all greenhouse gas emissions in order to establish a Carbon Assessment® representing all Samsic Propreté activities (emissions from headquarters + emissions from etablissements + emissions from services provided)
D. ECO-DRIVING
Illustration of principle 8
As the Samsic Group is aware that its vehicle fleet is one of its greatest consumers of fossil energy and a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions*, an eco-driving training programme for all company vehicle users was launched in March 2010.
*1,500,000 litres of diesel were used by Samsic in 2009 (for the cleaning business), representing an equivalent of 4,400 tonnes of CO2 released into the atmosphere.
Objective:
Train all employees who have been allocated a company car (around 2,400), between now and the first quarter of 2011, and 1,200 of those between now and the end of 2010.
To achieve this, 12 Forget Formation trainers have been trained in eco-driving so that they can, in turn, provide training at all Group locations.
Initial results since the start of the training programme:
Drivers trained: over 250
Expected yearly savings in litres (work and personal journeys combined): a little over 105,000 litres
Expected yearly savings in equivalent tons of CO2 (work and personal journeys combined): approximately 275t
Which is the equivalent of planting 40,000 trees every year to obtain the same immediate result!
(source: www.arbresco2action.com)
After this 1st wave of training, the initial savings recorded amount to between 6 and 18% of a litre/100kms. These results would suggest an achievable reduction of 10% for the entire Group.
E. ISO 14001 CERTIFICATION: 2004
Illustration of principles 8 and 9
Samsic Propreté's environmental management system meets the requirements of the ISO 14001 standard: 2004. As proof of the desire for continuous environmental improvement, the scope of the certification has been broadened this year to cover the services provided by 2 establishments (Valenciennes and Colmar).
F. DRAFT AGREEMENT between FEP/MEEDDM/Volunteer cleaning companies
Illustration of principles 8 and 9
In order to promote and formalise the commitment of the cleaning companies to sustainable development, the Federation of cleaning companies has drawn up, in conjunction with the Ministry for Sustainable Development (MEEDDM), an agreement for improvement which initially sets out the framework for a process of environmental improvement.
The environmental commitment given by the signatory cleaning companies for the next three years will mainly focus on dealing with the five following issues:
- Reduce transport-related greenhouse gas emissions
- Promote the use of eco-labelled products and train employees in their proper use
- Develop responsible purchasing policies by incorporating environmental considerations into both supplier and sub-contractor specifications
- Raise awareness of eco sustainability amongst cleaning company employees
In keeping with its environmental policy, Samsic Propreté wishes to sign the agreement by the 24th of September next after contributing to defining the improvement-related objectives set down in the agreement:
COMMITMENT 1 - 50% of the vehicle fleet with emissions of less than 130g of CO2/km
COMMITMENT 2 - 50% of eco-labelled products in existing ranges
COMMITMENT 3 - 100% of new employees trained in proper use of cleaning products
COMMITMENT 4 - 75% of supplier/sub-contractor selection and evaluation to include environmental criteria
COMMITMENT 5 - 50% of employees made aware of eco sustainability
COMMITMENT 6 - 30% of wipes made from microfibers
INTEGRATION AND MAINTENANCE IN EMPLOYMENT OF DISABLED PEOPLE
ILLUSTRATED PRINCIPLE No. 6
The Samsic Group's commitment to assisting people with disabilities - motivated by the desire to act in a responsible manner both socially and economically - can now be seen throughout all the Group's activities.
First developed for the Group's traditional area of business - Cleaning - through a partnership agreement with AGEFIPH [Fund for the professional integration of people with disabilities] in May 2005, the Security and Employment businesses signed up to the commitment to assist people with disabilities in March 2007.
We are committed, for all of the Group's activities, to ensuring that our approach respects the following two fundamental principles:
1 - Not to further compromise the health of the people concerned,
2 - Serve and satisfy Samsic Group partners, in accordance with our commitments.
In doing so, we ensure that the employees' work environment is appropriate to the type of disability concerned, so that the job continues to be compatible with the employees' disability.
Putting this requirement into practice is achieved through:
- Recurrent awareness-raising and training for all teams,
- Targeted partnerships with associations for the disabled,
- The affiliation of businesses and agencies and, above all else, their involvement in this commitment,
- The continued support of General Management and Human Resources management.
The AGEFIPH board of directors' position is to support, through agreements, companies for a period of four years. However, in 2009, the Samsic Group's partnership agreement was renewed, on an exceptional basis, for a further three year period, extending AGEFIPH support to seven years (May 2005 - February 2012).
Apart from the 119 employees, who were officially declared unfit for work by the occupational health services, which we have kept in employment since May 2005, this renewal can mainly be attributed to the following indicators of integration:
| INDICATEURS D'INSERTION | PROPRETE | INTERIM | SECURITE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nos engagements de mars 2009 à février 2012 | 250 CDI | 150 ETP | 150 CDI |
| Réalisé du 1er mars 2009 au 30 avril 2010 | 91 CDI | 65 ETP (382 personnes) |
67 CDI |
| Réalisé depuis 2005 | 603 CDI | 185 ETP (960 personnes) |
174 CDI |
| Total réalisé depuis 2005 | 694 CDI | 250 ETP (960 personnes) |
241 CDI |
Apart from these indicators, AGEFIPH renewed our partnership agreement due to the quality of our approach.
In fact, we committed ourselves to using work/study programmes, something which is not usually offered by the Group, in order to offer qualifications and added value to the disabled persons concerned. Up to now, 8 employees have been hired on professional training contracts, with 7 of these under permanent contracts.
In similar vein, around ten disabled employees of the cleaning business should receive a certificate of qualification "in cleaning and caretaking" this year, under the umbrella of professional continuing education. It should be specified that the regulations require all disabled employees hired by the Security business to hold a certificate of qualification as a security guard.
Furthermore, having contributed to the development of AGEFIPH's new "life at work" service offering, the Samsic Group undertook to pay particular attention to those of our disabled employees who might benefit from this new AGEFIPH service.
Since March 2009, four of our employees, whose health was expected, over the long term, to deteriorate to such an extent, according to the experts in the occupational health services, that it would result in them becoming unfit for work, were able to benefit from this long term management of their fitness for employment.
To enable them to move to another position within the company, we relied on the following two levers: both in-house and external training and assessment of transferrable skills.
The combination of these actions (training, integration, supervision and maintenance in employment) demonstrates the shared conviction within the Samsic Group that disability and employment can go hand in hand and highlights the inclusive nature of our employment policy which benefits people with disabilities.
ACCESS TO TRAINING AND A DIPLOMA QUALIFICATION
ILLUSTRATED PRINCIPLE No. 6
The sole objective of the IFES (Institut de Formation de l'Entreprise Samsic - Samsic Training Institute) founded in 1991, is to improve our employees' skills.
The institute pursues this objective through three methods:
- Training our employees according to our customers' requirements,
- Training our employees with a view to obtaining professional qualifications,
- Training our employees in professional writing.
Training our employees according to our customers' requirements
We approach our contractual commitments with the aim of providing full site management.
We use two types of training:
- Basic training in the activities we carry out:
Before starting work on any new site, IFES spends one full day covering the following subjects:
- Presenting the premises,
- Presenting the equipment and how it is used, risks of improper use (too high a concentration of products, electrical appliances, etc.),
- The chemistry of the products (green range),
- Our obligations as a contractor,
- Risks associated with the site (prevention plan),
- Drawing up a cleaning schedule (compliance with the specifications).
- Continuing education:
Each employee receives additional information and training twice a year:
- On company life (new arrivals, promotions, transfers, etc.),
- On the chemistry of the products (new products, etc.),
- On technique-related developments (equipment, methodology, etc.),
- On quality-related developments concerning our customers (analysis of our quality standards).
Training our employees with a view to obtaining professional qualifications
The professional branch has been developing the certificate of qualification since 2006. IFES has been involved in this process since 2009. However, we first needed to obtain formal recognition. This involved having to demonstrate our capabilities by means of:
- Fulfilling specifications,
- A modular design (adapt the training to the required specifications and demonstrate the relevance of our modules and training materials),
- The creation of documents (positioning grid, candidate's application, aptitude test, etc.),
- The implementation of a skills management system.
In addition to professional training, we also provide optional training courses (Occupational First-Aid Officer, HOB0 certification [basic electrical skills], CACES [certificate of aptitude in safe driving], etc.). This enables our employees to expand their knowledge and skills.
In 2010, for its first year, we have over 180 employees registered and hope to achieve a pass rate of 90% in the exams by the end of the year.
The certificate of qualification gives us an opportunity to nurture our employee's professionalism. The goal is to also build their loyalty, motivate them and obtain recognition of their skills all while helping them with their project. This ultimately enables us to guarantee the quality of the services that we provide to our customers.
Training our employees in professional writing.
Most of our employees have little or no qualifications, not even a state diploma. A neglected education, foreigners arriving in the country without any knowledge of French, etc: It is because of these very situations that we started down this path. This course must therefore:
- Enable the development of employee self-sufficiency,
- Encourage communication,
- Encourage our employees' professional development and build their loyalty,
- Enhance their listening, negotiation skills.
It is essential that the initiative comes from the employee. It's not like going back to school. The employee accepts that this professional training will facilitate his or her progression within the company and in society in general.
For the past two years we have experienced steady growth with a more than 100% increase in applicants. We had 28 applicants in 2009 whereas we have 59 in 2010. Although this is still low considering the total number of employees in our company, it should be remembered that the personalised curriculum involves up to 250 hours of work per person.
It is essential that the initiative comes from the employee. It's not like going back to school. The employee accepts that this professional training will facilitate his or her progression within the company and in society in general.
For the past two years we have experienced steady growth with a more than 100% increase in applicants. We had 28 applicants in 2009 whereas we have 59 in 2010. Although this is still low considering the total number of employees in our company, it should be remembered that the personalised curriculum involves up to 250 hours of work per person.
PRINCIPLES No. 1, 2 AND 10
The Samsic Group cannot measure improvements in relation to principles 1, 2 and 10. In fact, the business of the company does not involve it with any issues relating to human rights or corruption.
Contact : Michel PERRAULT - michel.perrault@samsic.fr
Groupe SAMSIC
6, rue de Châtillon - La Rigourdière - CS57745
35510 CESSON-SÉVIGNÉ Cedex
Tél : 02 99 86 92 90 - Fax : 02 99 41 89 59
www.samsic.fr
