Social and environmental performance assessment

The Innovest assessment

The Innovest assessment offers managers an in-depth diagnosis of their commitment to SER issues. This enables them to assess associated risk factors and undertake progressive improvement initiatives as appropriate.

This assessment is carried out on site according to parameters agreed with the group or group entity.

Assessments involve a survey of policies, processes, resources and results, and their evaluation against standard criteria which are both universal but are also tailored to the sectors and regions in which the company operates.

The Innovest assessment covers several areas: strategic governance, the environment, human resources and stakeholder relations.

January 2005 assessment: performance above the sectoral average

AREVA requested an initial assessment from Innovest in January 2005.

AREVA obtained an A rating on a scale from CCC to AAA. This assessment positions the group above the average BBB rating for its sector (Electrical Equipment, as classified by Standard & Poors - GICS 201040). 

[Read or download a summary of the Innovest report (January 2005).]

August 2006 assessment: progress, particularly in better communication with stakeholders

AREVA requested a second assessment from Innovest in August 2006.

Innovest confirmed the A rating awarded during the initial assessment exercise, with a development trend noted as "positive" as opposed to "stable" in the previous exercise. The assessment demonstrates that the group has progressed in the 4 areas (strategic governance, the environment, human resources and stakeholder relations) and in stakeholder relations in particular 

The Vigeo assessment: uranium extraction performance indicators

To complement the social responsibility assessment for the entire group performed by Innovest, AREVA commissioned Vigeo to evaluate social responsibility in the uranium extraction managerial system. Uranium extraction is part of AREVA’s Mining business group.

The assessment covers the year 2004 and takes into account developments seen over the previous 3 years. The evaluation was carried out in the first quarter of 2005.

Vigeo defines social responsibility as a consistent and codified managerial commitment that is responsive to stakeholders' expectations. The standard assessment criteria consist of a number of action principles which are binding for the company.

For each of the analysis criteria (Human Rights, Human Resources, Environment, Clients/Vendors, Societal Commitment) 3 aspects of the managerial system are assessed: policies, policy implementation and results obtained.

Vigeo evaluation result: social responsibility performance is improving

Extract from the summary:

"The Mining business group is assessed as being "active" in Societal Commitment and Human Resources, receiving a grade 3 rating. This indicates that the company is in full control of the major social responsibility issues associated with the societal commitment and human resources fields. The business group is assessed as being "conservative" in the other 3 analysis criteria (Human Rights, Environment, Clients/Vendors) having been rated at grade 2/2+. No areas of particular weakness were recorded (i.e. no area rated at grade 1) but neither are there any areas of excellence (i.e. no area rated at grade 4).

[...] These findings show a social responsibility management system which enables key risks to be controlled but which does not systematically promote high social responsibility performance levels. There is an upward trend in the 5 assessment areas, reflective of the general drive for progress to which the Mining business group is committed, having embarked on numerous initiatives to improve social responsibility performance over the previous 3 years.”