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2016 REGISTRATION DOCUMENT
HERMÈS INTERNATIONAL
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Corporate social responsability
2
Stakeholders and local integration
2.6
Stakeholders and local integration
Harmonious relationships with our stakeholders ensure successful local
operations in the long term, contribute to Hermès’ reputation and stren-
gthen employees’ pride in belonging to the company. Hermès plays a role
as a socially responsible company wherever it operates.
Hermès seeks to contribute to value creation and the sustainable deve-
lopment of the countries, regions and cities in which it operates, notably
by generating sustainable jobs, but also through local economic, social
and cultural initiatives, and in other ways that express its uniqueness.
Hermès’ founding values are also expressed through the Fondation d’En-
trepriseHermès, founded in2008, which supports sponsorship projects
that seek to enhance savoir-faire, transmission and biodiversity.
2.6.1
A role in host communities
All of Hermès’ production and distribution sites maintain constant dia-
logue with local authorities and stakeholders to ensure that they are
fully integrated within the host community and that they nurture rela-
tionships of trust and good neighbourliness. Hermès operates on more
than 50 sites in France (production units, stores, logistics sites, offices).
2.6.1.1
Local involvement
Each business line and each site grows roots in its host community
through local actions designed to forge bonds between the House, its
employees and its local environment.
Leather Goods
The Héricourt production unit inaugurated in April 2016 was built in a
rehabilitated site formerly housing a textile factory. It is located in a green
setting in the city centre, and aims to revive a lost industrial tradition.
The project, carried out in close consultation with elected representa-
tives and the local population, employed 149 artisans at the end of
December 2016, all dedicated to the manufacture of leather goods.
A film was made telling the story of this project, and shown to residents
of the town early in 2017.
The Seloncourt production unit, located in the same region of Franche-
Comté, celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2016. It has deep roots in
the region, and employed nearly 250 people at the end of 2016. In the
same vein, leather workshops in L’Allan in Franche-Comté and Vaudreuil
in Normandy (which is scheduled to open in 2017) rely on a framework of
expertise and partnerships with schools, already developed by Hermès
locally.
Meanwhile, the Ganterie de Saint-Junien is to become home to a new
leather goods production unit in a site currently being rehabilitated; it will
be part of the “Cité du Cuir” project currently being implemented by the
Saint-Junien local authority.
Tanneries
The tanneries maintain constant dialogue with the local authorities
(departmental fire and rescue departments, local council, DREAL/
DRIEE, labour inspection) throughperiodic exercises and visits. Because
of their geographical and often long-standing operations in these areas,
they play an important role in the local economic fabric. Use of local
companies is accordingly favoured for construction and finishing work.
Textiles
Companies in this sector are located in municipalities of very different
sizes, mainly in the Rhône-Alpes region. Regular exchanges are held with
local authorities or groups of local communities. The division is one of
France’s largest garment manufacturers. It plays an active role in profes-
sional bodies: Intersoie, Unitex and Techtera.
Tableware
The CATE site is located in the heart of the city of Nontron, where Hermès
is a leading employer. The use of local tradespeople is promoted for
regular plumbing, electrical, roofing or mechanical works.
2.6.1.2
Open days
At the initiativeof its sites, Hermès regularly organisesmeetings between
its employees and local communities to showcase their expertise.
Leather Goods
In Seloncourt, the two open days held in 2016 provided the opportunity
for 800 visitors to see demonstrations of the gestures and expertise of
their family members and friends working as artisans in the production
unit. Employees once again demonstrated their pride in their profession
and their attachment to Hermès, which allows them to contemplate the
next20yearswithconfidence.LaMaroquinerieIséroiseopeneditsdoors
to the employees of the Savoie Dauphiné division, 70 people from the
Maroquinerie de Belley and 50 people from the Manufacture de Haute
Maroquinerie production unit. Building on its success, Maroquinerie des
Ardennes welcomed about a hundred people for the third consecutive
year, spread across two mornings.
Tanneries
Other than themeetings with the local authorities, site visits are occasio-
nally organised at the initiative of the tanneries. As part of collaborative
efforts with universities, schools and professional training bodies, the
tanneries can open their facilities to visits by students and people under-
going training, or present their professions in forums.