More than 10,000 employees in 46 countries took part in the 2013 Citizen Commitment Week organised throughout Societe Generale Group

9-7-2013 — /europawire.eu/ — More than 10,000 employees in 46 countries took part in the 6th Citizen Commitment Week, organised at the beginning of June throughout Societe Generale Group. The numerous solidarity challenges organised each day helped bring in more than €600,000. These funds will be given to the charitable associations that are partners of Societe Generale Corporate Foundation for Solidarity, dedicated to employability.

This year, the focus was on mentoring job-seekers. Group employees could dedicate some time to replying to the questions of job-hunters supported by partner associations. Employees provided 1,100 pieces of friendly advice, including some on video: from the comfort of a sofa in the “Advice booth”, employees were asked to reply to mentees’ questions which appeared on a plasma screen (videos available on www.citizen-commitment.com).

The Paris to London Bike Ride is always a big success not only with employees, but also with their families and friends. With more than 220 competitors and 4,030 donors, it raised nearly €220,000, a 10% increase on last year’s event. Meanwhile, the traditional Special Olympics inter-company race organised at La Défense generated €40,000 of donations and involved 520 Societe Generale runners.

The French regional network was also mobilised, with around 20 encounters proposed between employees, clients and partner associations. In Nantes, a solidarity breakfast brought together 170 people who found out about the concept of organic fruit and vegetable baskets distributed by “Les Jardins de Cocagne”, a charity that promotes social inclusion through employment.

International Group entities also pitched in. Events were planned in the 46 participant countries, and the “Advice booth” was duplicated in the UK, Brazil and China, providing more than 700 pieces of advice.

“Once again this year, employees both in France and abroad showed the strength of their commitment to these solidarity initiatives. Citizen Commitment Week, which embodies the values of team spirit and solidarity, strong values in our Group, has become a much-anticipated event for our staff, who share this memorable human experience,” said Cécile Jouenne-Lanne, Head of Societe Generale’s Citizenship team.

During Citizen Commitment Week, employees also voted to reward their favourite project among the solidarity initiatives supported by Societe Generale Corporate Foundation for Solidarity. There were more than 5,120 votes across 35 countries. The first prize was awarded to the “Fondation Inocenti” & BRD, for their programme to combat illiteracy among young people and adults in Romania.

The complete list of the initiatives organised around the world is available on www.citizencommitment.com Societe Generale Societe Generale is one of the largest European financial services groups. Based on a diversified universal banking model, the Group combines financial solidity with a strategy of sustainable growth, and aims to be the reference for relationship banking, recognised on its markets, close to clients, chosen for the quality and commitment of its teams.

More than 154,000 employees, based in 76 countries, accompany 32 million clients throughout the world on a daily basis. Societe Generale’s teams offer advice and services to individual, corporate and institutional customers in three core businesses:

• ƒ Retail banking in France with the Societe Generale branch network, Credit du Nord and Boursorama; 
• ƒ International retail banking, with a presence in Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, in the Mediterranean basin, in SubSaharan Africa, in Asia and in the French Overseas Territories; 
• ƒ Corporate and investment banking with a global expertise in investment banking, financing and global markets.

Societe Generale is also a significant player in specialised financing and insurance, private banking, asset management and securities services.
Societe Generale is included in the socially-responsible investment indices FTSE4Good and ASPI.

For more information, you can follow us on twitter @societegenerale or visit our website www.societegenerale.com.

Contacts:
AGENCY
FLORENCE GILLIER COMMUNICATION
www.fgcom.fr

Valérie HACKENHEIMER
33 (0) 1 41 18 85 63
valerieh@fgcom.fr

Virginie BELLOIR
33 (0) 1 41 18 85 55/(0) 6 46 05 26 31
virginieb@fgcom.fr