Priority No. 2: be a responsible purchaser
The Group’s larger entities, CNP Assurances and the Caixa Seguradora group, were the first to integrate CSR principles into their sourcing policy.
CNP Assurances – Fulfilling a commitment on an everyday basis
CNP Assurances’ CSR principles are also put into practice by the Purchasing department, with all buyers aware of these issues and most of them trained in CSR compliance. The Group’s Ethical Purchasing Charter and the code of ethics govern buying practices.
The main calls for tenders and consultations include a CSR component that proposals must address in order to be considered.
Having pledged to uphold the United Nations Global Compact, CNP Assurances systematically promotes its commitment to human rights among subcontractors and suppliers. Agreements include contractual clauses to protect workers. A CSR assessment of key suppliers is performed by EcoVadis (see “A platform for supplier ESG audits” on page 20).
Nearly all of CNP Assurances’ suppliers of goods and intellectual or other services are based in France. The use of subcontractors is mostly limited to intellectual services, as well as printing, mailing, enveloping, archiving, bulk data entry, call centre and maintenance services.
The Caixa Seguradora Group – CSR clauses in all contracts
Since 2008, the Caixa Seguradora group has included CSR clauses in its supplier contracts based on the Global Compact principles (ILO, the fight against organised crime and drug trafficking, the environment, combating fraud and money laundering). Contracts signed before 2008 have been amended to include these provisions. Suppliers and subcontractors working for the Caixa Seguradora group pledge to comply with regulations and act responsibly towards the environment. Non-compliance is grounds for termination of the contract or other appropriate legal responses.
A platform for supplier ESG audits
CNP Assurances has signed a partnership agreement with EcoVadis to pool supplier environmental, social and ethical performance tracking processes. The information is compiled through a collaborative platform that covers 150 business sectors and 95 countries.
Following the audit, suppliers receive detailed feedback on their CSR practices, including a rating in four categories (environment, social, ethics, responsible purchasing) and a list of their strengths and areas for improvement.
Supplier assessments are requested for major tenders and approvals, as is the EcoVadis rating. At the same time, an annual rating campaign is conducted among CNP Assurances’ 200 biggest suppliers. At 31 December 2015, 153 suppliers representing 45.4% of total purchases had been assessed.
The “CNP Assurances’ CSR Commitment” leaflet has also been included in tender documents since last July.