WHAT DOES CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ENTAIL ?

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), also known as Corporate Social Responsibility, involves a company voluntarily incorporating social and environmental concerns into its business activities and its relationships with its stakeholders.

The approach involves the simultaneous and long-term pursuit of objectives related to the three pillars of sustainable development :

Objectifs économiques :

• Ensuring the long-term operational and financial performance of the company,
• Contributing to the economic development of the local areas of operation,
• Using sustainable development as a lever for innovation, value creation, and wealth generation.

Social and societal objectives :

• Promoting the development of employees' skills and encouraging diversity (gender equality, disability, etc.),
• Ensuring that its suppliers adhere to ethical criteria,
• Participating through actions in favor of the common good.

Environmental objectives :

• Incorporating environmental respect into the design of products, services, and facilities,
• Managing its impacts on the natural environment, waste management.

. The CSR COMMITMENT OF THE SOGAFRIC GROUP

The SOGAFRIC Group has made commitments in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Adhering to these commitments is the key to the long-term development of the Group and its services.

The sustainable and societal development policy is overseen by the Group General Management. It is implemented at the subsidiary level by designated focal points. The CSR Manager or, in their absence, the Human Resources Manager, is responsible for incorporating sustainable development principles into the Group's policy and strategy to achieve CSR objectives.

In this role, they sensitize, rally, and motivate all stakeholders around concrete projects. They report on and communicate the actions undertaken and the results achieved both internally within the subsidiaries and externally, meaning to parties who may be influenced by the Group's messages, decisions, and actions.

Dialogue with various internal and external stakeholders is the cornerstone of the Group's sustainable development approach.
It enables :

• Determining the expectations of each stakeholder;
• Comparing SOGAFRIC Group's practices to those in the industry;
• Identifying the good or bad practices within the Group's subsidiaries at their various operational levels.

In August 2022, the Group General Management commissioned an RSE diagnostic audit. Based on this study, an action plan was developed. This plan is subject to annual expenditure planning and budgeting.

Through its CSR charter, the SOGAFRIC Group reaffirms its commitment to be an active participant in sustainable development and to work towards anticipating constraints and preventing risks, including health, safety, social, environmental, legal, and reputational risks...

The SOGAFRIC Group is determined to effectively combat corruption in all its forms, including extortion, embezzlement, and conflicts of interest. It will bring before the appropriate authorities anyone found guilty of such acts in the course of its activities, to be prosecuted in accordance with the law.

Regardless of the diversity of its businesses and components, the same business ethics must be shared by all stakeholders of the SOGAFRIC Group. As a long-term institutional investor, the SOGAFRIC Group is also a major economic player in the local community. The values that form the common business ethics are as follows :
Passion, Commitment, Team Spirit, Efficiency, and Entrepreneurial Mindset.

. THE CSR OBJECTIVES OF THE SOGAFRIC GROUP

The goal of the SOGAFRIC Group is to become a sustainably profitable and socially responsible group, aiming to simultaneously achieve five objectives :

1. Financial stability and sustainable economic growth;
2. Social commitment and local presence;
3. Combating all forms of discrimination;
4. Reducing environmental footprint;
5. Promoting well-being at work.

1. Financial stability and sustainable economic growth.

The SOGAFRIC Group commits to :

• Enhance its economic performance through innovation and the opening of new markets;
• Strengthen its reputation, image and stakeholder loyalty;
• Optimize customer satisfaction nd remain attentive to their expectations and feedback for continuous improvement;
• Prioritize mutual interest respect;
• Display a transparent pricing policy;
• Respect business law and combat any abusive practices;
• Prevent insider trading, corruption, and combat money laundering;
• Maintain high-quality technological, legal, and regulatory/ethical watchfulness;
• Adhere to good governance rules :
  • Regularly organize Board of Directors and Executive Committee meetings
  • Provide all the necessary information to the Board of Directors and its specific committees, as well as independent auditors,
  • Promptly inform internal and external stakeholders of decisions made by the Executive Committee,
  • Respect the prerogatives of Employee Representatives,
  • Convene the Occupational Health and Safety Committee (CSST) and the Permanent Economic and Social Consultation Committee (CPCES) in accordance with applicable legislation,
  • Ensure clarity of strategic objectives and the proper functioning of governance bodies.
• Establish and maintain mutually beneficial and fair relationships with its suppliers,
• Utilize sustainable development as a lever for innovation, value creation, and wealth or the company,
• Expand the dissemination of the SOGAFRIC WAY
  • Raise awareness among internal stakeholders about the corporate culture of the Group,
  • Raise awareness among external stakeholders (customers and prospects) about the challenges of sustainable development and their impact on investment.

The SOGAFRIC Group upholds the principles of integrity and transparency among its subsidiaries and all its stakeholders, particularly towards its customers, suppliers, and competitors.

To contribute to the maintenance of these principles, the SOGAFRIC Group has implemented several initiatives. They aim to address all issues related to service quality, after-sales service, and other broader concerns, such as customer satisfaction.

From the very beginning, the SOGAFRIC Group is committed to ensuring that its fundamental ethical principles are upheld by all its employees in their dealings with clients and suppliers.

These principles are as follows :

• Conducting responsible policies;
• Respecting customers and suppliers;
• Adhering to the principles of fair competition;
• Expecting the best from our partners;
• Avoiding any conflicts of interest;
• Protecting internal, confidential information, and intellectual property,
• Recording and retaining financial and non-financial information.

This integration of ethical principles is part of an ongoing commitment to respect its customers, suppliers, and business partners. The sales teams receive specific training in this regard, especially in situations involving corruption, conflicts of interest, malpractice, abuse of rights, and so on...

Thus, it is within a comprehensive approach that each person undertakes and conducts their activities in accordance with the fundamental values of the CSR policy of the SOGAFRIC Group :

OUR AMBITION: TOGETHER FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.

2. Social commitment and local presence

The management of Human Resources and the actions of the SOGAFRIC Group with its employees align with the principles of Social Responsibility and its Code of Conduct. This is reflected in a proactive and dynamic policy.

The aim is to provide a pleasant living and working environment for employees and visitors. The SOGAFRIC Group is committed to continuously implementing a policy for preventing occupational risks, promoting workplace safety and health protection, and ensuring the well-being of its employees through training initiatives and the organization of unifying festive events.

In order to develop and promote diversity, the SOGAFRIC Group is committed to fostering a culture that promotes equal opportunities and respect for others. These commitments apply to all stages of human resources management, such as recruitment, skills development, career advancement, and more. The diversity of contracts (permanent, fixed-term, freelancers, sales agents, internships, professional development contracts, temporary workers, occasional labor) also reflects our commitment.

The SOGAFRIC Group commits to :

• Facilitate entry into the professional world through apprenticeship and professional development contracts, as well as internships;
• Promote employment and job retention;
• Be attentive to the paths of « people with disabilities » ;
• Pursue its policy of employee remuneration and profit-sharing in line with annual appraisal campaigns;
• Fostering cohesion through social dialogue;
• Enable employees to develop their skills on a regular basis to keep pace with changes in business lines and tools;
• Encourage initiatives that foster team spirit;
• Develop corporate philanthropy initiatives in the public interest.

3. Combating all forms of discrimination

Throughout its employees' professional lives, the SOGAFRIC Group refrains from applying any form of discrimination, with a constant concern for fairness.

The SOGAFRIC Group refrains from applying discrimination criteria based in particular on :

• Age;
• The genre;
• Sexual orientation;
• Belonging to an ethnic group;
• Religious convictions;
• Disability;
• The pregnancy.

4. Reducing our environmental footprint

To meet the demands of its customers and the needs of its employees, the SOGAFRIC Group produces a significant amount of waste of all kinds. The SOGAFRIC Group Group implements a waste sorting policy, by installing waste sorting garbage cans in its companies, and by setting up a special waste collection contract with specialized local companies. companies. The SOGAFRIC Group is committed to persevering in this direction, through various actions such as the recycling of printer toners.

With a view to continuous improvement and in the interests of future generations, the SOGAFRIC Group is pursuing a proactive environmental policy. This is reflected in the implementation of various initiatives to control and reduce its ecological footprint.

It is important to note that, despite its potentially high environmental impact, the SOGAFRIC Group does not present a high risk for natural environments. Nevertheless, the Group is sensitive to the need to preserve biodiversity in the vicinity of its sites.

5. Promoting well-being at work

The SOGAFRIC Group has always made it a point of honour to comply with legal and regulatory requirements concerning the management of its Human Resources. Under the impetus of Group General Management, the Human Resources Department and all subsidiaries are committed to protecting employees and maintaining a pleasant working and living environment. The aim is to promote their well-being at work, and their development.

As part of its ongoing commitment to protecting its employees, the Group is committed to providing regular training in life-saving techniques, safe driving, first-aid at work and first-response equipment. Secouriste du Travail (SST) or Equipier de Première Intervention (EPI).

Risk assessments are carried out regularly at all workstations. This is followed by the implementation of the necessary corrective measures. For example, in the SOGAFRIC Group's workshops SOGAFRIC Group workshops, staff have been trained in the handling and risks of chemical products. Employees are provided with appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Safety rules are posted in the workshops.

The SOGAFRIC Group encourages social dialogue and good management practices. In this context, various participative and proactive meetings with all employee representatives representatives.

These actions help to strengthen SOGAFRICAINS' in-house pride and sense of belonging. They also enhance the Group's attractiveness when recruiting.

The Human Resources team periodically produces a social report and social indicators. These data enable us to monitor trends in workplace accidents, occupational illnesses, restricted skills and absenteeism.

A copy of the SOGAFRIC Group's CSR Charter is given to all stakeholders. The implementation of this policy requires the involvement of all stakeholders.

Every employee, whether based at the SOGAFRIC Group's facilities or at the customer's site, is made aware of the Group's Corporate Social Responsibility policy.

The management of the SOGAFRIC Group needs everyone's support to carry out these actions and thus enter the virtuous circle of Sustainable Development, putting people at the heart of everything.