European Business Declaration against Social Exclusion (1995)

By means of this declaration, the signatory businesses and business organisations wish to express their willingness to take part in the joint efforts to prevent and combat social exclusion.

Guidelines, annexed to the Declaration, contain suggestions for possible courses of action which businesses may like to pursue, adapt and extend in the light of their priorities, concerns and resources.

Each signatory remains free to add to this document, in any way he or she chooses, any information he or she considers useful for explaining of illustrating the extent to which he or she subscribes to the Declaration.

I. For business involvement in a joint effort against social exclusion

1. More than 17 million unemployed, 53 million living below the poverty line and between 3 and 5 million in inadequate housing: these tentative figures, issued by a number of different European organisations and institutions, suffice to demonstrate the extent of exclusion and poverty within the European Union. The information available, notably from these organisations and institutions, reveals that exclusion can be found in the fields of employment, housing, health care and education and also in access to certain services and the law. It takes on many different forms: the districts and urban areas in crisis; marginalisation of the long-term unemployed; the helplessness of young people with few qualifications; the persistence of barriers to the integration of migrants and minorities; the slide into poverty of over-indebted households; the rise in the number of homeless people. All of these situations are structural in essence; they result neither solely nor primarily from an individual's disabilities or failings, but from the economic, social and technological changes occurring throughout European societies.

2. Exclusion is a major challenge to the European Union, its Member States and all its citizens. We must fight against it by the practical application of a sense of social cohesion, justice and responsibility. It will not disappear automatically when the economy starts to grow again. Preventing and combating exclusion demands efforts and involvement on all sides: the persons concerned themselves and also the national, regional and local authorities, social welfare associations, non-governmental organisations, the social partners and businesses.

3. Many businesses are already involved in the fight against social exclusion and its prevention. They are involved for economic and political reasons: exclusion constitutes a waste of human resources and a threat to social cohesion; it is a contributory factor in the rise in collective costs and financial burdens for businesses. They are also involved for ethical reasons and, in particular, to demonstrate their awareness of the twin concepts of progress and responsibility.

4. By means of this Declaration, the signatory businesses and business organisations wish to express their willingness to take part in the joint efforts to prevent and combat social exclusion. A vade mecum setting forth some practical guidelines is attached to this Declaration so as to help each business to define, in the light of its own priorities and resources, the measures it proposes to take.

II. Principles of an overall strategy against social exclusion

5. Because of the essential part they play in employment, both private and public companies can make a special contribution to combating and preventing exclusion and in so doing enhance their productivity and profitability targets.

6. If they are to be useful and effective, the measures to be taken must form part of an overall strategy based on the following principles:

  • a dynamic strategy in the fight against exclusion requires the active involvement of the people affected, the socially excluded, the unemployed, etc. the mobilisation of public opinion and partnership-based co-operation between the public, semi-public and private institutions and organisations at all the relevant levels;
  • a comprehensive approach to exclusion requires close interaction between economic and social policies;
  • the promotion of economic and social integration of the socially excluded and restoration of social links are long-term goals necessitating a persistent and continuous effort and the regular adaptation of measures;
  • action to prevent and combat social exclusion is essential to respect for human dignity and associated rights and responsibilities.

7. This overall strategy is itself part of a balanced, long-term development project aimed in particular at recognising that each individual can bring about change, respecting the environment and contributing, beyond our own frontiers, to the changes in Eastern Europe and the developing countries.

III. Areas for action by businesses

A. Promoting integration on the labour market

8. As regards the recruitment or assignment of new staff, the signatory businesses recommend that the following principles and objectives should be taken into consideration:

  • allocate time and resources as necessary to provide special assistance to new recruits and allow them to learn and adapt, a prerequisite if they are to be effectively integrated into the business;
  • make the greatest possible use of the structures and support provided by the public authorities and also by organisations of all kinds to facilitate the recruitment of people experiencing difficulties on the labour market;
  • draw up employment contracts which take account both of the company's interests and of those low-skilled workers;
  • apply practices which do not discriminate against people experiencing difficulties on the labour market and in particular reject any prejudice against job seekers who have been unemployed for some time.

B. Helping to improve vocational training

9. To play their roles as trainers both inside and outside the company, businesses can:

  • cooperate on establishing teaching systems and methods suitable for improving basic knowledge and technological and social skills;
  • provide a link between training, working life and labour market requirements;
  • explore, in partnership with the public authorities, education managers and the trade unions, new ways of merging more appropriately work time and skill enhancement.

C. Avoiding exclusion within the business and minimising redundancies or providing for appropriate measures where they are inevitable (Vademecum)

10. Special attention must be paid to minimising redundancies and their serious repercussions both on companies and on the workers concerned and their families. Sight should not be lost of the social exclusion processes which may already be in hand with companies. Businesses will therefore focus in the short and long term on the following channels:

  • organise work and manage human resources in such a way as to make better use workers' of potential and upgrade their skills;
  • ensure cooperation from staff and their representatives so as to exploit their potential, their creativeness and their motivation;
  • this will help to improve productivity;
  • plan staff training in good time;
  • organise more flexible working time with a view to improved economic management and smoother links between working life, training, family life, voluntary work, etc.;
  • regard dismissal as the ultimate solution by making sure that it is unavoidable and taking all its repercussions into account. Dismissal imposes a burden on the company and redundancy allowances should be used above all to aid in seeking new work.

D. Promoting the creation of new jobs and businesses

11. Businesses can provide practical help to the numerous innovative measures aimed at creating new jobs and firms, notably by releasing staff who wish to set up their own businesses and entrusting certain orders to SMEs. They can also help to explore new sources of employment resulting from market requirements not so far met: all such action can help to create new productive jobs outside companies.

E. Contributing to social integration in particularly deprived areas and of particularly marginalised groups (Vademecum)

12. In some cases the expertise peculiar to businesses, their capacities or their standing can help to encourage the staging of external projects aimed at revitalising urban and rural areas where the lack of job security, plus isolation and desocialisation are prevalent and also to reintegrate deprived and marginalised people or groups.

IV. Conclusion

13. It is by mobilising not only businesses, but also all the other players in economic, social and cultural development, and all citizens, that the signatory businesses and organisations wish to play a part in meeting the challenge of exclusion. They wish to foster in particular the economic and social integration of persons excluded from the labour market and, more generally, give all people the opportunity to make a positive contribution to the well-being of society.

14. It is up to each business, depending on its particular characteristics and its resources, to identify the most suitable ways of applying its sense of responsibility to fight against exclusion and its prevention. The vade mecum below herewith can offer help in finding appropriate solutions.

15. The signatories therefore invite all businesses (through their managers or members of staff responsible for human resources) and all business organisations to take this Declaration into account. They also call on those who so wish to set up or support a monitoring committee to facilitate dissemination and signature of this text, to develop a network for the exchange of information and experience, and to decide upon all other initiatives and forms of co-operation likely to build on and publicise innovatory measures taken by businesses to prevent and combat exclusion.

16. Each signatory remains free to add to this document, in any way he or she chooses, any information he or she considers useful for explaining or illustrating the extent to which he or she subscribes to the Declaration.

 

Guidelines and Examples for Action by Businesses

This guidelines provide practical illustrations of the objectives and principles set out in the Declaration. On the basis of a preliminary identification of measures already carried out, it proposes possible avenues for action which interested businesses may choose to adapt and extend in line with their individual concerns. These guidelines will be continuously improved, notably through preparation of an inventory of experiences to be drawn up within the framework of follow-up to the Declaration.

The guidelines are structured to reflect the areas for action described in the text of the Declaration.

I. Promoting integration on the labour market

  • Promote equal opportunities in matters of recruitment and assignment. Apply the same criteria to all applicants and in particular reject any prejudice against job seekers unemployed for a long time and against other persons experiencing difficulties on the labour market (young people, the low-skilled, disabled people, for example). Avoid systematic recruitment of overqualified persons which penalises the less-skilled.
  • Introduce apprenticeship and training procedures to help integrate the less-skilled. Ensure that such training is offered in particular to low-paid new recruits. Set aside the time and resources required for the supervision, training and adaptation of new recruits.
  • Be familiar with and use the various procedures and support made available by the public authorities to promote the integration of persons in difficulty.
  • Specify in employment contracts the relation between the work performed and the pay, to ensure in particular equal treatment for persons who perform or wish to perform a part-time job or activity in order to reconcile working life and family life more successfully. This helps indirectly to extend the concept of work and recognise the value of unwaged activities (tasks connected with family needs, health care, voluntary work, etc.).

II. Helping to improve vocational training

  • Help to establish suitable teaching methods and systems to improve basic knowledge (general, linguistic and scientific, for example), to develop technological skills to familiarise people with technological change, and to improve communications, contact and organisational skills which enhance the potential of the individual.
  • Establish links between training (school, vocational or university), working life and the needs of the market. Combine apprenticeship and training so as to improve the qualifications of future recruits and accordingly productivity.
  • Welcome into the business vocational trainees and young people attending sandwich courses; this could provide companies with higher skill standards.
  • Take account of the importance of retraining and continuing training. Get to know and utilise, together with the parties concerned, the new possibilities for an improved merging of work time and skill enhancement (training credits, training leave, for example).

III. Avoiding exclusion within the business, minimising redundancies or providing for appropriate measures where they are inevitable

  • Involve employees themselves in the efforts aimed at preserving a business or restoring its economic viability. Develop qualifications through short, medium and long-term functions and also the modern forms of work organisation such as multiple skills, teamwork, and so on. Increase autonomy for individuals within businesses to encourage responsibility and motivate employees: this can also improve productivity and profitability.
  • Give consideration to ways in which flexitime could improve productivity, reduce costs and minimise redundancies. Look at patterns of work-sharing where this could be practicable and economically justified.
  • Adopt flexible, gradual measures in preference to brusque action having adverse repercussions on staff and the company. Where savings have to be made, for example, consider firstly, in preference to staff cutbacks, measures such as limits on overtime, reducing absenteeism, renegotiating benefits in kind, staff training, etc. As a last resort, where redundancies may be envisaged, consider all possible temporary or longer-term agreements on working time and pay. Tap in good time all counselling and outplacement resources and services, both public and private, to provide further employment opportunities for the persons concerned.

IV. Promoting the creation of new jobs and businesses

  • Take an active part in the numerous initiatives and innovations that foster job creation by taking into account international environmental constraints and macroeconomic policy incentives.
  • Facilitate the release of those members of staff who would like to set up their own businesses.
  • Identify, in-house or in other smaller businesses, dormant projects which do not form part of any development plans and could be realised by releasing staff or allowing their temporary secondment or transfer to local SMEs.
  • Share with other local businesses, with due regard to the rules of competition, any know-how which your business has acquired in its field of competence and excellence.
  • Support innovation within SMEs by: helping them to acquire the necessary technological expertise and to develop exports; placing resources or managerial staff at their disposal to study their development strategy and help them to obtain information on regulations and initiatives, particularly European ones; helping them with financial management and engineering.
  • Contribute, by using public incentive schemes targeting both supply (business start-up aid) and demand (tax concessions, local issue of "vouchers" or "service cheques", for example) and continuing with earlier projects aimed at satisfying needs largely neglected by market forces such as:
    • neighbourhood services (home help, child care, assistance for young people, residential building security, local retail trade, for example);
    • improvement of amenities (renovation of housing and rundown areas, development of local public transport, for example);
    • protection of the environment (maintenance of nature areas and public land, sewage treatment, clean-up of polluted areas, energy conservation, etc.);
    • audio-visual technology, leisure, sport and culture.

V. Contributing to social integration in particularly deprived areas and of particularly marginalised groups

  • Place managerial staff at the disposal of bodies which play an active role in the sensitive areas concerned.
  • Support social development operations by using the financial structures and resources of the conversion companies they have established.
  • Earmark corporate resources, particularly through sponsorship, for the creation of businesses or other activities likely to generate social advantages and income.
  • Accept trainees from social groups with difficulties and provide quality instruction, for example by using properly trained trainers.
  • Place work sites at the disposal of the bodies working on the reintegration of persons with difficulties so that such persons can regain access to the world of work.
  • Develop priority partnerships with players from associations, co-operatives and mutual societies, who can offer particularly marginalised persons special assistance with a view to ensuring that they can satisfy basic needs (having their voices heard, having access to shelter, food, washing facilities, care, for example) and have access to a job or other activity giving them resources, a regular lifestyle and social recognition.