Ubisoft 2007 Annual Report Download - page 40

UBISOFT • FINANCIAL REPORT 2008
Recreation:
The recreation department offers reduced price show tic-
kets (2,120 tickets were subsidized up to 40% by Ubisoft in
2007-2008), reductions on certain cultural and sports sub-
scriptions, recreational weekends, and various social
events, amongst others.
Its annual budget, excluding salaries of the teams coor-
dinating recreational activities, amounted to €475,000.
A games library makes video games and consoles avai-
lable to employees. A sports facility reserved for
employees offers fitness activities and group lessons.
1.4.4.2 Skills development
Ubisoft has integrated France’s DIF (Personal Training
Right) into its professional training policy. During fiscal
year 2007-2008, the budget allocated to training (exclu-
ding salaries) amounted to €840,147.
Furthermore, Ubisoft welcomed interns and trainees du-
ring fiscal year 2007-2008. Internships often represent
pathways to hiring. In France, for example, 45% of the ju-
nior employees who were recruited this year had pre-
viously done an internship at Ubisoft.
1.4.4.3 Employment and non-discrimination
The information on employment and non-discrimination in
France is as follows:
Ubisoft’s workforce in France is comprised of 74.4%
managers;
women account for 29% of total employees and 81% of
them are managers;
with regard to compensation, professional equality
between men and women is respected;
79% of employees are employed under open-ended con-
tracts;
staff in France have representation within Ubisoft;
during fiscal year 2007-2008, Ubisoft employed two di-
sabled employees and contributed €77,580 to funds for
the employment of disabled persons.
1.4.4.4 Compensation
Compensation in France is comprised of a fixed and a va-
riable portion (see Section 1.4.2).
In addition, under Group Savings Plans that were first
implemented in 2001, French employees benefit from an
additional contribution from the Company. In this regard,
the Board of Directors has scheduled a capital increase
with an additional contribution and discount for summer
2008.
In addition to several internal events that mark the year
and the day to day activities of the teams, Ubisoft offers its
employees priority access to a range of leisure, athletic
and cultural outings. For the Group, these various
employee benefits are also opportunities to invite the
teams to open themselves to the world and stimulate their
curiosity.
Moreover, responding to demands from its subsidiaries
worldwide, in 2006 Ubisoft launched a corporate philan-
thropy program to support and encourage the strong
desire for action on the part of the teams with regard to
solidarity and charity.
Named “Sharing more than games”, this program
includes, on the one hand, personal initiatives driven by
employees and, on the other hand, Ubisoft’s commitment
to underprivileged children and adolescents who are
affected by illness, and have limited access to education,
culture or recreation.
From human or financial contributions to partnerships,
and including the giving of games, this commitment takes
several forms and is designed to convey Ubisoft’s values to
those who are most in need: imagination, curiosity, an
appetite for challenge, growth in knowledge, and a collec-
tive laugh are true sources of self-realization for youth,
promoting learning as well as entertainment.
Over the past two years, Ubisoft has thus had the opportunity
to create partnerships on an international scale: school pro-
grams with UNICEF in Brazil and Bangladesh, educational video
games with the United Nations’ World Food Program and with
Handicap International in France. More than forty programs
have been implemented within the subsidiaries in the context of
solidarity campaigns (Nite to Unite in the US, Centraide in
Canada), blood and bone marrow donations (from the UK to
Quebec) and donations of Christmas gifts (from Bucharest to
San Francisco), not to mention sponsorship programs with chil-
dren’s hospitals in Denmark, the UK and France.
Social projects
1.5