APC 2011 Annual Report Download - page 50

REGISTRATION DOCUMENT 2011 SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC48
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
2SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT THE HEART OF OUR STRATEGY
By aligning itself with the GRI in 2010 and obtaining a score of
B, Schneider Electric reinforced its extra-fi nancial reporting. A
reference table with these indicators and the indicators proposed
by the GRI is provided on the website: Company >Sustainability
>Sustainable governance.
Our internal basis of preparation: the
Responsibility & Ethics Dynamics (R&ED)
program and Our Principles of Responsibility
The challenges
As a global corporation, Schneider Electric continuously interacts
with local and international partners. The Group’s borders are
expanding, its environment is constantly changing, and its societal
responsibilities and activities are growing. In this international
context, reprehensible behaviour may be seen when the ethics
inspection and prevention processes are fragile. The Group is
responsible for implementing its resources to support employees in
the event of an ethical dilemma.
The aim of the program
In 2002, Schneider Electric published a set of guidelines entitled Our
Principles of Responsibility to give all team members a common
reference point. The document outlines the Group’s commitments
to each of its stakeholder groups: the Company’s employees, its
economic partners (mainly clients and suppliers), shareholders, the
community and the planet.
•In 2009, the Group updated Our Principles of Responsibility to set
out standards on ethics. This document incorporates updated
Group and employee commitments on the following:
•the respect of law, the limits established by each employee to
ensure he or she entirely respects the laws of all the countries in
which Schneider Electric works;
•the deontology that all employees must follow in line with the laws
in force in countries where Schneider Electric works;
•Group societal responsibility, which all employees must respect
to act responsibly towards society and the planet.
In 2010, the Responsibility & Ethics Dynamics program put these
ambitions into practice by setting up an organisation, procedures
and tools for the Group, so that its employees could:
•provide team members with effective support in their daily actions
and decision-making, primarily through access to the necessary
resources (policies, procedures, tools & best practices);
•help team members identify the appropriate individuals to guide
them in their responsible approach and in each of the areas
covered by the principles;
•know how to notify the authorities of breaches of ethics, with
respect for current laws and regulations.
For more information: see Our Principles of Responsibility page57 .
1.4 Global policies
Reference documents are distributed throughout the Group so that
all team members can embrace Schneider Electric’s responsibility
approach and apply it in line with local culture and legislation.
Ethics
The Our Principles of Responsibility document is not only Schneider
Electric’s ethics charter; it also constitutes a code of conduct. All of
the Group’s policies stem from it (environment, quality, purchases
and the different social policies). The document is available in 30
languages and is distributed to all employees.
Environment
The fi rst version of Schneider Electric’s environmental policy was
published in 1992, changed in 2004 and confi rmed in October2007.
It aims to improve industrial processes, reinforce product ecodesign
and incorporate Group customers’ concerns for environmental
protection, while providing product and service solutions. It applies
to the Group and is accompanied by global action plans.
Social
The Group’s Human Resources policies cover the following:
diversity, hiring, recruiting, international mobility, training, human
capital development, talent identifi cation, total remuneration, social
benefi ts and health and safety. These apply to the Group and are
accompanied by global processes.