Giving meaning
While all businesses have been affected, each has been hit by the triple shock of the health, economic and social crisis of the last few months in their own way, depending on the nature of their activities, their own specific culture and how their way of working is organised, among other factors.
Within each business, the effects are in some cases contrasting. This is the case for our Group, for which the crisis has caused difficulties particularly in Travel Retail, which has been hard hit by the decline in air transport, as well as being a source of satisfaction by demonstrating the resilience of our publishing activities and the impressive ability of all our employees to adapt to the new restrictions resulting from the crisis.
Placing people at the heart of our strategy: rarely has this main priority of our CSR policy meant as much as it has this year. This has entailed first of all ensuring the health and safety of all our employees all over the world, and then organising, as far as possible and in accordance with the applicable rules in the countries in which we operate, the implementation of employee support measures such as furlough schemes or the equivalent. We have also provided support by means of a “Covid solidarity fund”, which I set up in April 2020 for employees most severely affected by the crisis. It also means keeping ties with our employees through regular communication, as our LL Network has done during the lockdowns in order to counter isolation and maintain a sense of togetherness, even if virtually. And making progress in terms of diversity – which is at the heart of various programmes within our activities – even during the crisis.
Our second commitment of limiting the environmental impact of our products and services could also be one of the factors driving a rebound in our activities, as it responds more than ever to the demands of all our target groups and partners, be they readers, internet users, licensors or travellers. The expectations expressed by everyone of a more sustainable society, the promise of more environmentally responsible consumption and the growing threat of climate disaster are all signs emanating from our stakeholders, who already serve as a point of reference for our activities as they undergo transformation.
Lastly, sharing our social and cultural diversity with as many people as possible – the third main priority of our CSR policy – has been clearly and effectively demonstrated during what has been a difficult time for everyone. In addition to the satisfaction of the excellent results of our publishing activities, I have been particularly pleased that our Group has enabled millions of our citizens to better understand our changing world, or even to find a way of escaping it, thanks to books.
Arnaud Lagardère