Annual report 2014

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Policy

Societal, Social and Environmental Information

video clips by age rating or content descriptor and then to initiate

a dialog with business partners to roll out the guide,

–– promotion of this guide to best practices in all the countries where

UMG is active; and

valuating and protecting personal data:

–– commitment by UMG to expand employee training in the area of

personal data protection beyond those who are already trained

(Legal, Customer Relations or Marketing departments),

–– development of the training of Canal+ customer relations agents.

1.2.3.

Non-Financial Reporting as a Management Tool

Vivendi has built an innovative non-financial reporting process that

clearly shows the group’s CSR positioning, opportunities, and risks to

stakeholders. The indicators, grouped together in the Reporting Protocol

created in 2004, are linked to concrete and relevant issues.

In Vivendi’s “Communication on Progress” report, which is prepared every

year as part of its adherence to the 2008 United Nations Global Compact,

Vivendi reports on its implementation of the Compact’s ten principles

within its sphere of influence and, in particular, provides clear information

on the first objective relating to human rights. In this report, the group

presents all the CSR initiatives to which it is committed (including

diversity of cultural expressions, local capacity for content production,

access to information and communications technology, 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 defining quantitative and qualitative sector indicators for the

media industry. In May 2012, this work resulted in the publication

of a Media Sector Supplement to the GRI’s reporting guidelines.

This is a significant advance in the reporting process for the media sector.

Several topics are covered: freedom of expression, editorial independence,

the representation of cultures, privacy and data protection, accessibility,

taking into account the interests of young audiences, responsible

marketing, and media literacy.

Vivendi followed the same innovative approach when implementing the

French Grenelle II law, by providing societal data according to themes

specific to the content industries sector.

The Protocol for reporting environmental, social, and societal data on

Vivendi group companies is updated annually, leading to an exchange

of views with the subsidiaries. This update makes it possible to fine-

tune the definitions of the monitoring indicators so they can be better

understood by the contributors. It also helps to adapt to any strategic

changes made by Vivendi. The Reporting Protocol enables Vivendi to

meet the reporting 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 operational departments (Legal, Human

Resources, and CSR) regularly evaluates reporting improvements within

the group.

The Statutory Auditors assessed the relevance and materiality of

the indicators and non-financial information identified and defined in

Vivendi’s Reporting Protocol. For fiscal year 2014, one-third of this data

is presented in this chapter of the Annual Report and was audited by

Ernst & Young.

In the media and cultural industries sector, Vivendi has spearheaded the

reporting and assessment of societal 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 partners.

In 2014, the CSR department consulted 40 external stakeholders to better

understand their perception of Vivendi’s CSR policy. This consultation was

a two-step process. First a meeting was held at Vivendi’s headquarters,

after which a questionnaire was sent to all the stakeholders targeted.

The questionnaire was completed by 65% of recipients.

Five categories of stakeholders were consulted: shareholders/investors

representatives, public authorities, the institutional environment,

academic institutions and associations/NGO/experts. The three “historic”

strategic issues defined in 2003 (promoting cultural diversity, protecting

and empowering young people and fostering knowledge sharing) were

recognized as “highly relevant” to the group’s activities. The need to

better communicate with the public at large on these “core” objectives

was emphatically stressed. Following this consultation, and to meet the

request for a better identification, out of the eight priority CSR issues,

of those related directly to the group’s positioning in the media and its

strategy, the decision was made to add to the three historic CSR issues

the one relating to the valuation and protection of personal data (see

Section 1.1.1 p.42).

Aside from this consultation, Vivendi shared its thoughts throughout

the year with its partners and with other public and private players.

In particular, Vivendi participated in the ministerial committee “Gender

equality in culture” established by the French Ministry of Culture, and

presented its works on the place of women in artistic creation. Vivendi

also contributed to the discussions of the International Integrated

Reporting Council, of the UNESCO chair “Forwardance in sustainable

digital development”, of the Sustainable Finance Commission of Paris

Europlace, and also of the European Youth Parliament.

Vivendi responded to invitations from several organizations such as the

Council of Europe, the European Network for Cultural Administration

Training Centres (ENCATC), the French CSR Institute, UNICEF, the

University of Poitiers, and the employers’ union MEDEF to present its

CSR policy and the changes made in non-financial reporting.

As a founding member and active contributor to the CSR Media Forum,

which brings together the French media companies committed to CSR,

Vivendi participated in the conference held at France’s National Library

to launch the handbook “CSR in the Media Sector.” Vivendi had a part in

the preparation of this handbook, the aim of which is to present issues of

responsibility that are media specific, to share the initiatives of the sector

and to develop sector reporting tools. The handbook thus contributes

in the strengthening of dialog among CSR specialists and the sector’s

various players and observers.

Annual Report 2014