sain t-gobain annu al report 2008 annual report

(see page 47). Technical courses accounted for 48.8%
of all training in 2008, demonstrating our commitment
to strengthening operating expertise.
Another goal of training is to expand our marketing
capabilities. The School of Marketing, now in its third year,
focused on training marketing professionals in 2008,
with more than ten courses organized and attended
by more than 150 employees during the year.
The Institute also began to extend its activities into Asia,
offering its first course in Kuala Lumpur in December.
At the same time, the “SMKT2” sales and marketing training
program has been launched in China, modeled on the “MKT2”
program used in the production facilities.
The Building Distribution Sector is also developing the skills
it needs by training low- or unskilled employees directly
in-house. Since 2004 Point.P has been offering front-line
employees (storeroom attendants, drivers, sales people)
and local managers (store managers, shift supervisors, etc.)
in France programs that enable participants to earn a
Vocational Qualification Certificate. By the end of 2008,
more than 2,000 employees had successfully completed
certification.
Consolidating and instilling our corporate culture
Training courses and workshops also offer a prime
opportunity for strengthening ties among the members
of our corporate community. This is especially the role
of the School of Management, which supports managers
at every step in their career and serves as a unique crucible
for cross-fertilization among our cultures, businesses
and functions. In 2008, the Institute offered 23 sessions
attended by 683 people. Its courses are designed both
to teach and develop managers’ skills expertise in fields
targeted for improvement and to promote interaction
and closer ties among managers from different Sectors,
professional backgrounds and countries.
The School of Management increasingly mirrors our cultural
diversity, with participants drawn from 46 different countries
in 2008, compared with 26 in 2001.
At the same time, a new-hire orientation program known
as FIND (Fast INDuction) was deployed on a trial basis
in the Benelux countries during the year. Designed to ensure
the smoother induction of new employees, the program
combines traditional training techniques with distance
learning as a way of introducing participants to the Group,
our values and our culture.
THE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT:
REACHING OUT TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
One of our priority objectives is to enhance local expertise
in countries targeted for expansion. Reflecting this
commitment, employees from emerging markets have
come to make up a substantially larger proportion of the
School of Management participants. In 2001, for example,
there were just 15 students from developing countries,
compared with 220 in 2008. Most of these participants are
from the Asia-Pacific region and Eastern Europe.
100.0 100,
School of Management students by nationality,
2001 vs. 2008
80.0
60.0
40.0
20.0
00.0
85 %
2 %
1 %
2001
9 %
3 %
59 %
14 %
12 %
7 %
6 %
2008
Western Europe
Eastern Europe
Emerging Asia
North America
South America
Developed Asia
Rest of emerging countries
1 %
1 %
Expanding diversity and equal opportunity
Respect for diversity and opposition to every form
of discrimination are enshrined in the Group Principles
of Conduct and Action, and specifically in the principles
of respect for others and respect for the rights of employees.
These principles shape our Human resources practices
at every step in an employee’s career.
Saint-Gobain fully supports France’s Diversity Charter,
a business initiative launched in 2004, and has pledged
to educate its executives and employees in the principle
of non-discrimination and to strive to ensure that
its employees reflect the diversity of its host communities.
Moreover, since 2006, an annual report has been submitted
to France’s Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discrimination
Commission (HALDE) on the programs underway to promote
diversity in every aspect of our business. In late 2008,
it was further decided to initiate negotiations concerning
diversity as part of deployment of the Forward Management
of Jobs ans Skills (GPEC) agreement in France.
In addition to these commitments, the Group is actively
developing local initiatives in each host country, effectively
aligning them both with local practices and culture
and with the specific needs of each business.
MANAGEMENT REPORT
65
Saint-Gobain - 2008 Annual Report