On 18 September 2024, La Banque Postale and CNP Assurances signed the LGBT+ Commitment Charter of the non-profit L’Autre Cercle, which fosters the inclusion of LGBT+ people in the workplace.
Alongside La Poste Group, La Banque Postale and its subsidiary CNP Assurances are committed to promoting diversity in terms of gender identity and sexual orientation. The bancassurance group wishes to raise awareness of the issues related to the inclusion of LGBT+ people and help advance their recognition in the workplace.
The LGBT+ Commitment Charter is a three-year commitment during which La Banque Postale and CNP Assurances will continue to create an inclusive environment for LGBT+ employees, ensure equal rights and treatment for all regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and support victims of verbal or physical discrimination.
The action plan covers three areas:
- Raise awareness by implementing training and communications for employees and managers in order to raise their awareness of LGBT+ issues.
- Ensure that everyone feels safe, listened to and valued, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, from job interviews to promotion opportunities and administrative management practices.
A long-standing commitment for CNP Assurances
- Sanction any discriminatory statement or act.
CNP Assurances has long applied an innovative Quality of Life and Working Conditions policy, prioritising the creation of an inclusive and sustainable society where everyone can find their place. For example, it has set up initiatives to promote parenthood in all its forms.
In June 2024, CNP Assurances organised its first Pride Month (see photos attached). This month of mobilisation and awareness-raising was an opportunity to promote a fair, equitable and inclusive working environment for LGBT+ employees. It included four highlights:
- The publication of an internal guide and e-learning module on LGBT+ inclusion in the workplace for employees;
- A diversity, equity and inclusion survey of employees to measure their perceptions and expectations on these issues;
- A conference with testimonials and awareness-raising workshops on LGBT+ inclusion topics and best practices;
- A communications campaign with floor stickers to encourage employees to trample on stereotypes and preconceptions.
A commitment at the heart of La Banque Postale’s governance
As a mission-led company, La Banque Postale supports the just transition by integrating several environmental and social impact objectives at the heart of its governance. A socially responsible and committed bank, La Banque Postale strives to be as inclusive as possible with regard to the diversity of society as a whole. It has signed a new social, diversity and equality agreement with its social partners in which it has committed to take concrete action in favour of LGBT+ employees. In this new agreement, which was signed unanimously by its social partners, La Banque Postale undertakes to:
- Identify and promote role models;
- Organise information campaigns;
- Foster the emergence of an internal network of LGBT+ employees.
These initiatives will be sponsored by a member of the Executive Committee who will monitor the actions put in place and communicate on this topic.
In June 2024, La Banque Postale and the executive management team of the South-Western France region co-built an awareness-raising workshop for the regional community of managers – this operation could be rolled out throughout the country. The aim was to provide information and share ways to strengthen teams’ engagement and boost their commitment to “working well together”. A memo was provided to managers.
In addition, in the spring of 2024, banking employees from the Customer Relations and Expertise Centres participated extensively in the L’Autre Cercle survey, which measures the level of inclusion of LGBT+ staff in large French companies.
Stéphane Dedeyan, Chairman of the Management Board of La Banque Postale, comments:
"A state-owned company like La Banque Postale, which connects all French people, must reflect the diversity of its customers. By signing this new LGBT+ Commitment Charter from L’Autre Cercle, La Banque Postale is strengthening its diversity and equality policy and sending a strong signal both inside and outside the Group, in particular among our employees, our managers and our human resources teams, so that everyone can set an example and contribute to an ever more equitable working environment. This is in line with the actions we carry out on a daily basis to promote more inclusive models that reflect our values as a socially-responsible bancassurer.”
Marie-Aude Thépaut, Chief Executive Officer of CNP Assurances, adds:
"Driven by its corporate mission of helping create an inclusive and sustainable society, CNP Assurances has signed L’Autre Cercle’s LGBT+ Commitment Charter with the aim of actively advocating diversity and integration in the workplace for LGBT+ employees. Promoting equality and respect is crucial. It reflects a commitment to valuing our uniqueness and fostering a working environment where everyone can express themselves freely, without concealment or constraint."