BNP Paribas renews global worker protection deal with UNI Global Union

Michala Lafferty Head of Property Services | UNI Global Union

By Sky Industry News

Nov 13, 2024

UNI Global Union and BNP Paribas have renewed their global agreement, introducing protections for remote workers, enhancing trade union access, and establishing UNI as a partner in the bank’s due diligence plan. The four-year agreement covers 183,000 workers across 63 countries and was signed on November 4 at BNP Paribas' headquarters in Paris by UNI General Secretary Christy Hoffman and Sofia Merlo, Head of Human Resources at BNP Paribas Group.

Christy Hoffman stated: “This agreement is a big step forward for trade union rights across BNP Paribas’ global operations and includes new protections for all its workers on key issues including teleworking, AI, gender equality, diversity and inclusion. UNI is now recognized as a partner to BNP Paribas in its due diligence processes, meaning that workers’ voices will be heard at the heart of decision-making. We look forward to working with BNP Paribas to implement this agreement and continue improving workers’ lives around the world.”

The revised agreement strengthens social dialogue and respect for human rights and fundamental labor rights such as freedom of association and collective bargaining. It commits BNP Paribas to maintain neutrality on trade unions while providing improved opportunities for unions to communicate with employees.

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Sofia Merlo commented: “Our first agreement in 2018 enabled us to define a shared social framework for all our employees worldwide. The renewal of this agreement signed with UNI Global Union makes concrete and measurable commitments and enables us to strengthen the fundamental rights of our employees while considering the important changes taking place in our societies. One of our priorities is that, in all our geographies, all our employees are treated with respect and working conditions ensure the physical and mental health of our teams, including in a hybrid working environment.”

The agreement acknowledges technological transformations affecting the finance sector by involving workers in how these changes occur. It includes provisions on AI use, teleworker principles like occupational health risks, right to disconnect, work-life balance, equality commitments based on ILO standards including Convention 190 on violence and harassment.

UNI Global Union has established over 50 global agreements with multinational companies including nine within the finance sector since their initial agreement with BNP Paribas in 2018.