SoLocal Today Announced the Signature of Four Agreements with Trade Unions Dedicated to Socially Support PagesJaunes SA as Part of « SoLocal 2020 » Transformation Plan

BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT, France--()--Regulatory News:

SoLocal today announced that it reached a major milestone in the implementation of “SoLocal 2020” transformation plan, with the signature of four agreements with the largest trade unions (CFDT, CFE-CGC, Autonome and FO) which will oversee the social aspects of the reorganisation project of PagesJaunes SA, which was presented on 13 February 2018. These agreements were signed after a rich social dialogue conducted over several months with the Employee Representative Committee (Comité d’Entreprise) and the CHSCT (health and safety committee).

The quality of the dialogue with social partners has led to reach agreements:

  • Giving priority to the provisional job and skill management (“GPEC”) in order to favour departures on mobility leave for employees positioned on job categories impacted by the reorganisation plan. This mobility leave gives access to volunteering for the greatest number of employees. It is opened to a large number of job categories impacted by the plan – and not only to the employees which job is likely to be impacted – and to employees that would refuse a change in their employment contract in case of geographic mobility. The Volunteering is dedicated to limit forced redundancies;
  • Defining measures of an Employment Protection Plan (“PSE”) for employees which job is likely to be impacted, if the provisional job and skill management phase does not allow to avoid forced redundancies;
  • Integrating specific measures for older employees which are close to retirement;
  • Allowing the organisations representing employees (Instances Représentatives du Personnel or “IRP”) to follow the deployment of the new organisation;
  • Guaranteeing a volume of jobs over the deployment period of the new organisation;
  • And allowing a mechanism for sharing the value created by « SoLocal 2020 » strategic plan with employees and the introduction of an important skills development plan.

Through those agreements, SoLocal’s management and trade unions have demonstrated their willingness and ability to address together all the social impacts of the reorganisation project, including accompanying measures for employees leaving and the deployment of the new organisation for the employees who will be staying and who will actively contribute to create value for the group.

On 27 June 2018 will be launched the first phase of the mobility leave which will end on 31 July 2018. An advisory unit dedicated to mobility will be available to answer questions of employees concerning accompanying measures.

The state agency for companies, competition, consumption, work and employment (Direction des Entreprises, de la Concurrence, de la Consommation, du Travail et de l'Emploi or « DIRECCTE ») is called to validate the agreement on the PSE by the end of July 2018.

SoLocal remains fully focused on delivering the key drivers of its transformation plan to meet its commitments towards clients and users.

« We would like to thank the elected representatives and trade unions as well as all the employees of SoLocal for the quality of the social dialogue and substantial and intense work that was carried out over the last past months in order to reach those agreements. We are convinced that the proposed measures will allow accompanying conditions that are important, personalised and up to the responsibilities the company is able to assume. In line with the commitment we made on 13 February 2018 when we presented our project, these provisions make it possible to accompany each employee with the required listening, attention and respect, without burdening the future of the company and of the 3 600 employees which will continue to share ‘SoLocal 2020’ plan », stated Richard Cuif, Head of Human Resources of SoLocal.

« SoLocal 2020 » transformation plan aims at releasing the company’s full potential and return to growth by restoring its competitiveness. It is based on an expanded offer of digital services and a service of digital coaching to become the one-stop shop for businesses, a reinvented media platform through a new user experience on PagesJaunes and Mappy and a streamlined organisation. In order to meet clients’ expectations, the organisational structure would be redesigned, the business units would be eliminated, support functions would be centralised, locations would be rationalised, the hierarchy would be streamlined, and certain activities would be consolidated. This should lead to cutting around 1,000 positions over the 2018-2019 period. In parallel, 100 positions are likely to be created in 2018 as part of the transformation plan, in order to recruit new digital skills.

About SoLocal Group

SoLocal Group is positioned as the trusted and local digital partner supporting business companies to accelerate their growth. To succeed in this transformation, it relies on its six key assets some of them being unique in France: media with very high audiences, powerful geolocated data, scalable technological platforms, commercial coverage throughout France, privileged partnerships with GAFAM and numerous talents (experts in data, IT development, digital marketing, etc.). SoLocal Group's activities are structured around two axes. First, a range of "full web & apps" digital services on all devices (PCs, mobiles, tablets and personal assistants), offered in the form of packs and subscriptions, ("Digital Presence", "Digital Advertising", "Digital Website"," Digital Solutions" and "Print to Digital"), and integrating a digital coaching service, to support clients success. Second, flagship owned media (PagesJaunes and Mappy) used daily by Frenchs and offering an enriching and differentiating user experience. With more than 460,000 customers across France and 2.4 billion visits on its media, the Group generated revenues of €756 million in 2017, 84% coming from Internet making it one of the leading European players in terms of online advertising revenue. SoLocal Group is listed on Euronext Paris (LOCAL). More information is available at www.solocalgroup.com.

Contacts

SoLocal Group
PRESS
DELPHINE PENALVA ,+33 (0)1 46 23 35 31
dpenalva@solocal.com
or
EDWIGE DRUON, +33 (0)1 46 23 37 56
edruon@solocal.com
or
ALEXANDRA KUNYSZ, +33 (0)1 46 23 47 45
akunysz@solocal.com
or
INVESTORS
NATHALIE ETZENBACH-HUGUENIN, +33 (0)1 46 23 48 63
netzenbach@solocal.com
or
SEBASTIEN NONY, +33 (0)1 46 23 49 03
snony@solocal.com

Contacts

SoLocal Group
PRESS
DELPHINE PENALVA ,+33 (0)1 46 23 35 31
dpenalva@solocal.com
or
EDWIGE DRUON, +33 (0)1 46 23 37 56
edruon@solocal.com
or
ALEXANDRA KUNYSZ, +33 (0)1 46 23 47 45
akunysz@solocal.com
or
INVESTORS
NATHALIE ETZENBACH-HUGUENIN, +33 (0)1 46 23 48 63
netzenbach@solocal.com
or
SEBASTIEN NONY, +33 (0)1 46 23 49 03
snony@solocal.com