DNFP 2020

2020 DECLARATION OF NON-FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF THE DESCOURS & CABAUD GROUP 20 Governance DEPENDENCE ON KEY ROLES: SUCCESSION PLANNING The formal definition and consolidation of our succession planning continue to be a major challenge for the Group’s Human Resources policy. The continuing process of identifying key roles and introducing procedures to guarantee in advance the occupancy of such posts is of vital importance. Any delay in the Group’s capacity to fill rapidly such key posts either through internal mobility or external recruitment exposes us to numerous risks, such as for example: • A potential loss of turnover or of customers • A delay in strategic projects • A delay in negotiations with suppliers • An inability to reply to customers’ requests or invitations to tender • Difficulties in delivering on time to major customers • Disorganisation in the deployment of staff It is therefore appropriate to put in place mechanisms for advance planning so as to leave key roles vacant for the shortest possible time. It is the responsibility of the Human Resources Department in partnership with the Senior Management of the Group and of its subsidiaries introduce the relevant procedures and means of control. The means of control: The system established in 2019, consisting of identifying future candidates for posts with the potential to develop over latency periods of between 6 months and 5 years, was continued during 2020. This procedure concerns all French subsidiaries, together with the largest European subsidiaries in terms of turnover. It has specifically enabled us to map the potential talent available so as to anticipate the announcement of future departures. With regard to the French subsidiaries, we have thus in the vast majority of cases been able to ensure or encourage internal candidates so as not to leave any posts vacant. In addition to the natural process of identification through management structures, internal communication about posts available has also been reinforced. The target audience has been enlarged thanks to both the publication on the company’s intranet and automatic emails concerning the search for management positions. This lever enables us to seek out candidate profiles that otherwise might not have appeared in our succession planning. This give a wider cross-section of employees the chance to signal their desire to advance their careers, thus enlarging the pool of internal candidates. It should, however, be noted that internal sources cannot by themselves systematically cover all key roles, especially when the need for new skills becomes apparent. In such cases it can be useful to have recourse to the external recruitment of promising candidates. Tools to help in the selection process, such as online personality tests designed to give a more accurate assessment of “soft skills”, have therefore been maintained and reinforced. The ability to adapt, a spirit of initiative and the capacity to motivate staff during periods of change have emerged even more clearly in 2020 as vital behavioural characteristics. This process of consolidation will continue in 2021, thanks in particular to the introduction of internal “Development Centres” and a redesigning of our leadership development course.