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52
Annual Report -
2013
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Vivendi
Societal, Social and Environmental Information
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Policy
1.2.3.
Non-Financial Reporting as a Management Tool
Vivendi’s non-financial reporting is a management tool used by the
Group to improve its risk management and to capitalize on opportunities.
By defining the formal scope of responsibility of the media sector and
cultural industries, Vivendi has created an innovative non-financial
reporting system that clearly indicates the positioning, opportunities
and risks for the Group to its stakeholders.
In the Vivendi “Communication on Progress” report, prepared every year
as part of its adherence to the Global Compact in 2008, Vivendi reports
on its implementation of the ten principles within its sphere of influence,
and in particular provides clear information on the first objective, which
relates to human rights. In this report, the Group presents all the CSR
initiatives to which it is committed (including diversity of cultural
expression, local capacity for content production, access to information
and communications technologie, promotion of heritage and protection
of young people).
In 2009, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) invited Vivendi to become
a founding member of an international working group responsible for
devising quantitative and qualitative sector indicators for the media
industry. In May 2012, this work resulted in the publication of a “sector
supplement” following GRI’s reporting guidelines. This is a significant
advance in the reporting process for the media sector. Several
topics are included: freedom of expression, editorial independence,
the representation of cultures, protection of personal data, accessibility,
taking into account the protection of young audiences, responsible
marketing and media education.
Vivendi adopted the same innovative approach when implementing the
French Grenelle II law, by fitting societal information into themes that
are specific to the content industries sector.
Thus the three strategic issues on which Vivendi has focused its CSR
policy (please refer to Section 1.1.1. p. 48), and for which it has been
gathering data since 2004, are related to human rights. These issues are
therefore included in the scope of the “other actions taken to promote
human rights” (mentioned in the French Grenelle II law):
protecting and empowering young people is provided for under
the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
(Art. 27) and the “Children’s rights and Business Principles”
established by the United Nations Global Compact, UNICEF and the
NGO Save the Children (March 2012);
promoting cultural diversity refers to the 1948 Universal Declaration
of Human Rights (Art. 27), to UNESCO’s 2001 Universal Declaration
on Cultural Diversity (Art. 5) and UNESCO’s 2005 Convention on
the Protection and Promotion of Diversity of Cultural Expressions
(Art. 2); and
knowledge-sharing contributes fully to the exercise of human
rights, as stated in the European Union’s Charter of Fundamental
Rights (2000) in Article 11, relating to freedom of expression
and information, and by the United Nations in their Millennium
Development Goals (2000-2015).
The Protocol for reporting environmental, social, and societal data on
Vivendi Group companies is annually updated leading to exchanges with
the subsidiaries. The Protocol enables Vivendi to meet the requirements
of Article 225 of the French Grenelle II law and includes the media
sector supplement of the GRI, to which Vivendi actively contributed. A
Steering Committee made up of members of the General Management
and functional departments (Legal, Human Resources, and CSR)
regularly evaluates reporting improvements within the Group (please
refer to Integrated reporting pilot project, p. 50).
The Statutory Auditors assessed the relevance and materiality of all
non-financial information identified and defined in Vivendi’s Reporting
Protocol. For fiscal year 2013, one-third of this data is presented
in this chapter of the Annual Report, and as such, was audited
by Ernst & Young.
In the media and cultural industries sector, Vivendi has pioneered the
reporting and verification of indicators directly related to its activities.
1.2.4.
Dialog with all the Group’s Stakeholders
The Group maintains regular and constructive dialog with all its
stakeholders: with the academic world (New York University, Université
Sorbonne Nouvelle and ESSEC), with institutions (including the Ministry
of Culture, Ministry of Women’s Rights, French Data Protection
Authority (CNIL), French Defender of Rights, French Broadcasting
Authority (CSA), EU Commission, EU Parliament, UNESCO and the
United Nations Alliance of Civilizations), with associations and
professional organizations (including the French Society of Financial
Analysts, French Institute of Administrators, French Study Center
For Corporate Social Responsibility - ORSE, Laboratoire de l’Égalité,
Enjeux e-médias, Convergences Forum and the TRANSLIT Network of
European Researchers on Media Education). The Group also meets with
the financial and non-financial communities, as well as with individual
shareholders. The labor unions have been made aware of this policy of
societal responsibility in their annual training program.
As think tanks and public dialog are sources of ideas and new
suggestions, Vivendi remains sensitive to any concerns of its
counterparts. Vivendi has launched a webradio program Vivoice, and
added a new section “De Facto” to its website “Culture(s) with Vivendi”
In February 2013, Vivoice was launched on the occasion of Safer
Internet Day, a day dedicated to enlisting support in Europe for the
promotion of a safer digital environment for young web-users. During
the year, nearly fifty guests participated in eleven web radio broadcasts.
They shared their thoughts on strategic CSR topics for Vivendi, including
the financing of artistic creation in the digital era, the opinions of young
people on their Internet use, online reputation, CSR integration by
investors, the influence of the Canal+ documentary policy, the promotion
of cultural diversity and the support of artists within Universal Music.
Social networks, which were highly active during these shows, are
making it possible for personal accounts to reach the Company’s
different audiences.
Launched in 2012, the website “Culture(s) with Vivendi” is aimed
at providing a concrete illustration of the role played by the cultural
industries and the media sector in stimulating economic growth,
reinforcing social cohesion and promoting innovation.
