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In the name of diversity **

Objectives:

equal recognition and opportunities for all employees, whatever their country of origin, gender, age, culture or profile
drive and coordinate diversity policies that are adapted to particular contexts, and implement tools to monitor and report on diversity that are also adapted to context
develop diversity in management, notably by increasing the number of foreign and female executive staff
inform and train mangers and staff on the importance of diversity,
pursue the active recruitment and long-term employment of disabled employees

Highlights in 2008:

renewal of the “label égalité professionnelle” (Professional Equality Label) awarded by the independent certification company, AFAQ-AFNOR, for the Group's activities in France
17.5% of Group executive committee and management board members are women (+1.3% on 2007)*
40% of management positions are held by women in Société Générale in France (35.7% in 2005)
1,778 disabled employees in the Group
launch of a e-learning module for managers to heighten their awareness of the importance of non-discrimination

Diversity, a strong commitment and a daily reality

Société Générale’s diversity stems from its "open-minded" approach, from its capacity to foster a variety of talents from a variety of nationalities, cultures and social brackets, and from its ability to ensure an equal balance between gender, generation and minority group.
Diversity is a key performance driver, a source of creativity and innovation that contributes to the Group’s development. Our policy is offer each individual their chance, whatever category of the population they belong to.
Société Générale is committed to the following concrete targets:

an increase in the recruitment of disabled employees through Mission Handicap in France,
the recruitment of young people with no academic qualifications in France,
the mentoring of young graduates from underprivileged areas in the UK.

The Group has also signed a number of company agreements in various domains, notably equal opportunities between men and women:

Czech Republic: to increase the number of women returning to work after having children, KB has implemented a series of measures including the protection of women’s salaries while they are on maternity leave, systematically providing them with the resources (internet connection, newsletters, and so on) they need to stay in touch with the company, and access to training during and after their period of absence.
France: in December 2008, an agreement was signed with the unions marking the commitment of the management and staff representative bodies to pursuing the progress made since 2005 in promoting and improving gender equality.

Mission Handicap

Set up in May 2007, Société Générale’s Mission Handicap coordinates all of the Group’s initiatives in France aimed at promoting the employment and integration of disabled employees within the workplace. Run by local “relays”, Mission Handicap focuses on four key areas: the recruitment and training of disabled employees, the implementation of concrete aids and subsidies for their long-term employment and the setting up of partnerships within the protected sector. *
Some of the initiatives carried out in 2008 include:

The SOGElive recruitment fair in September. Attended by more than 4,000 applicants, specific stands and areas were set up for Mission Handicap to make interviews easier and to give applicants the chance to make video CVs – a highly effective way of dedramatizing the issue of disability ahead of recruitment interviews
Participation in more than 50 forums on the recruitment of disabled employees throughout France
Partnerships with leading universities and business and engineering schools to enable their 9,000 disabled students to learn more about Société Générale,
Development of work placement schemes leading to qualifications to ensure that disabled people acquire the necessary skills *
Work experience programmes to encourage the employment of disabled staff. One of these programmes is an inter-bank initiative by the association HandiFormaBanques. Set in place one year ago, its aim is to train disabled people as telephone advisors and reception staff

Société Générale has an active policy governing the long-term employment of disabled staff. Committed to making their lives easier, the policy is also in place to ensure that their disability does not “handicap” their professional lives. In 2008, the Group carried out over 200 initiatives aimed at helping disabled employees to “do their jobs”. A further 62 disabled people also joined the Group in France during the year, a 41% increase compared with 2007.
Two brochures were published in 2008: a generic brochure on the objectives of Mission Handicap which was distributed to 41,000 members of staff, and a second on recognising the quality of disabled workers (“Reconnaissance de la qualité du travailleur handicapé”), which is available in the waiting rooms of the doctors’ surgeries when staff go for their medical check-ups and from social workers.

The purpose of the brochures is to guide disabled persons in declaring their disability and obtaining the numerous forms of subsidy and assistance provided for in the agreement signed in 2007. Société Générale is committed to taking the necessary steps to ensure all disabled staff have a job that matches their qualifications and that they benefit from suitable working conditions and training.

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* Vérified by Ernst & Young (see Rapport du commissaire aux comptes )

**As per our commitment under the Global Compact