Corporate Citizenship

As a major stakeholder in the automotive sector and the countries where we operate, Valeo is committed to acting as a responsible corporate citizen, in line with our sustainable development policy. This means acting with integrity, being trustworthy, and contributing in a positive way to the communities in which we work.

Our corporate citizenship priorities include the following:

• Ensuring the quality and safety of our products
• Providing rules and systems to fight corruption and anti-competitive practices through our Ethics and Compliance policy
• Applying sustainable development principles in purchasing processes, by choosing suppliers who meet our ethics, integrity and sustainable development requirements
• Providing aftermarket products at the best price through Valeo Service, without compromising the environment
• Developing institutional relationships with relevant public bodies and professional associations to adhere to public and regulatory policies
• Contributing significantly to local communities’ social and economic fabric through community initiatives, donations, employee aid and development of local human capital. Read more about our community initiatives here.

Valeo in the community

Valeo encourages community initiatives at all its sites. Out of the group’s 155 sites, 100% have launched at least one community action, testifying to the strength of each site’s local ties. See below for some of our local initiatives:

FRANCE

Group headquarters is adopting three beehives installed on the roofs of Paris. Through this action, Valeo aims to make its employees aware of the role of bees in the local ecosystem and allow them to discover through specific workshops the extraordinary organization of these colonies. The harvested honey will be distributed to the site’s employees.

SPAIN

The Martos site took part in a project that was also launched in three other countries (Morocco, Romania and Poland) designed to promote the benefits of diversity and multiculturalism. This is a three-pronged initiative: it promotes both the differences and similarities between cultures, to reinforce team spirit; it offers employees the chance to work in an open, welcoming environment; it fosters their personal and professional fulfillment by enabling them to form new relationships enriched by cultural difference.

In Madrid, a women’s team sporting Valeo colors took part in the “race against cancer” held in the city’s streets. This was a first, following on from the screening and prevention program carried out every year by the site’s Human Resources Department, which covers the registration costs for all those taking part.

POLAND

The Warsaw site encourages employees to donate 1% of their total tax payments to the charity of their choice, and helps them with the relevant administration.

MEXICO

All employees at the San Luis Potosi plant rallied in support of the Cobijugueton operation. Cobijugueton derives from the Spanish words cobjia (blanket), juguete (toy) and marathon. The operation aimed to collect as many blankets and toys as possible in a short space of time, and donate them to charities. A total of 210 toys and 108 blankets were donated.

BRAZIL

The Sao Paulo site takes part in Formare School, an educational program helping youngsters from poorer backgrounds to obtain technical qualifications recognized by the Brazilian Ministry of Education. Around forty site volunteers contribute to this one-year course, which is attended by around twenty trainees.

CHINA

More than 200 employees at the Shashi site took part in Diversity Week, during which a race was held along the old city wall. The Shenzhen site initiated dialog with the Canton region’s laboratories and educational institutions, and hopes that its awareness-raising campaign will attract talented new recruits.

FRANCE

The Suze-sur-Sarthe plant launched a major campaign for the prevention of domestic accidents. All employees were issued with smoke detectors. This initiative was accompanied by a program to raise awareness about noise levels, with the introduction of molded ear protectors for production personnel – supervisors, operators, maintenance technicians, etc – who all received Play Safe® training.

Improving the quality of life for people with motor disabilities

Valeo is a founding member of the Institut Garches (France), which became Fondation Garches in 2005, devoted to encouraging independence and professional and personal integration for people with motor disabilities. The Group supports the development of the Wheelchair testing and selection center run by the Foundation. In addition to its financial sponsorship program, in 2007 Valeo set up a skills sponsorship program to make a technological link between cars and wheelchairs.

The Group’s R&D department launched a technological innovation program that aims to install an obstacle detection system on a wheelchair. The goal is to enable people who occasionally lose control of their movements to use a wheelchair and to benefit from a certain degree of mobility. Valeo is working on the adaptation of ultrasonic sensors that warn of the presence of obstacles and can slow down, or even stop, the wheelchair. Although this research is still in its early stages, it should enable numerous individuals to enjoy significant progress in the future. For more information, visit www.handicap.org.