The Group signs a European Charter on Teleworking

The development of teleworking, which is part of the Group’s Smart Working project, responds to  matters shared accross European entities, whether in terms of attractiveness, retention, mobility or work-life balance.

In this context , the representatives of the European Trade Union Federations, a delegation of the European Works Council and the management of BNP Paribas have expressed the wish that teleworking should developed and strengthened within a common framework for the Group in Europe, whenever this way of organising work is possible and agreed upon by the entity’s management. This common framework, defined through negotiation, has been formalised in a European Charter on Teleworking.

This charter applies in the 22 countries covered by the BNP Paribas European Committee and concerns more than 132,000 employees. In concrete terms, regardless of the entity and the country where these 132,000 people work, they all benefit from the same general principles, namely:

• implementation of teleworking based on a collective team approach;

• compliance with the principle of double volunteering, expressed by both the employee and the manager, allowing everyone to choose whether or not to telework;

• possibility of permanent reversibility, at the initiative of the employee or the manager, depending in particular on major personal or operational constraints;

• maximum rate of 50% of working time to be spent remotely, combined with a minimum of one day of on-site presence per week (excluding holiday periods);

• full-day teleworking, with periodic rotation in the choice of days to preserve equity within the teams;

• participation in the cost of teleworking and/or meals for regular teleworking, according to at least one of the methods defined;

• a place for teleworking which remains in principle that of the employee’s main residence.

There are a number of possible rhythms and options for teleworking to suit the different activities of the Group:

• regular rhythm organised by week, fortnight or month on the basis of a weekly average of 1, 2 or 2.5 days,

• which can be combined with flexible days,

• or a rhythm exclusively organised in the form of flexible days.

Entities may supplement this common base for the Group in Europe, if necessary, in order to meet their specific needs, provided that they do not depart from the provisions of the Charter in a less favourable manner.

Signed unanimously by representatives of the two European trade union federations (UNI Europe and FECEC), a delegation from the European Works Council and representatives of BNP Paribas management, the charter is applicable until 2024. It complements the three European agreements in force in the Group on employment, professional equality and stress prevention.

“For UNI Europa Finance, this innovative approach of a European Charter on Teleworking is a good illustration of BNP Paribas’ desire to promote European social dialogue through its European Group Committee, in order to develop teleworking and new working methods within the Group in their European dimension.”

Hélène Danesi, representative of the UNI Europe Federation

“This European Charter on Teleworking is a good example of what social dialogue produces. Both management and employee representatives were able to move forward step by step on a new subject, which is a source of opportunities and challenges, in order to meet a concrete need of 133,000 employees in Europe. Our colleagues now have a tool and benchmarks.”

Maxime Legrand, President of FECEC

“I am particularly satisfied that, as regards regular teleworking, the Charter provides that the methods for contributing to the cost of teleworking and/or meals must be examined in each entity or country concerned, according to at least one of the methods defined in the Charter, in compliance with local regulations in countries within the scope of the European Committee.”

Gabriel di Letizia, Secretary of the European Committee

Sofia Merlo, Group Human Resources Director “We are constantly adapting to changing environments and new forms of work, while preserving the quality of life of our employees wherever they are. The signing of a European Charter on Teleworking between the social partners is another example of our proactive policy in this area.”

Sofia Merlo, Group Human Resources Director