SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY : AGENCY EVALUATES COMPANIES' COMMITMENT TO UNION RIGHTS.(Viego evaluates measures for Trade Union rights and collective bargaining)

Of the 55 enterprises that signed the global framework agreements, Vigeo - a European corporate social responsibility rating agency, headed by Nicole Notat, former president of France's CFDT trade union with Social Democratic tendencies(1) - has evaluated the consistency and lack of effectiveness of measures devoted to respect for trade union rights and collective bargaining.

According to the authors of the study, which was published at the end of February, trade union rights and collective bargaining are still "marginal parameters in defining the goals of social responsibility and the conception of companies' performance factors. The principles are often formulated in general terms only in groups' strategic targets and these objectives remain vague when refering to performance indicators of managerial bodies. The management processes and measures which have been specifically allocated to the respect of trade union rights or promoting collective bargaining are rare or brief. One third of companies provided no information on their commitments or procedures on trade union rights and collective bargaining".

While there are allegations that there have been violations of trade union rights and the right to collective bargaining, these companies remain a minority.a According to Viego, only 8% of companies were the subject of controversies (including ...