Groupe BPCE attends the Cancer@work symposium

The Cancer@work association stages its 6th symposium in Paris on January 31 attended by companies committed to its cause, including Groupe BPCE.

The Cancer@work association was founded in 2012 to heighten awareness of this disease in the world of work. Since then, it has successfully mobilized 40 companies – including 14 in Groupe BPCE – and heightened the awareness of one million employees. It was natural that the association’s sixth annual symposium should wonder: how can we have an even greater impact? To answer this question, the organizing team called on “inspirational” individuals, including Merete Buljo, Chief Digital & Customer Experience officer at Natixis EuroTitres and President of the Digital Ladies network, to discuss ways to transform the attitudes of business organizations. Merete emphasized the contribution made by diversity and “soft skills,” especially those developed for people suffering from the disease. In December, Natixis joined the Group’s companies that had signed the Cancer@work charter and adopted the “cancer, chronic diseases and work” approach designed to bridge the gap between these two worlds.

The other speakers shared several areas for further reflection and action: in the political arena for Joshua Adel, President of the Spin & Strategy consultancy specializing in corporate strategy; at the corporate level for Paul Allibert, General Manager of the Institut de l’Entreprise organization; and within communities for Sandrine Chauvin, Europe Editor of LinkedIn France. The network has also supported the creation of the “Fighting Cancer” competency that individuals closely or remotely confronted with the disease can display on their profiles.

A program and an announcement

In addition to its presentation of progress reports, the association presented an action plan based on 4 topics submitted to the public authorities (training, changes in the legislative framework, information, and support), the fruit of 2,500 posts received on the civic platform maladie-et-travail.com launched in 2018. The association also announced the creation of the Cancer@work label, the first of its kind that measures the social progress generated by the inclusion of cancer sufferers in the place of work. “With this tool, we have a new way to improve the efficiency of our actions with employees, to give shape to policies in the area of occupational health and the quality of life at work, to enhance our CSR policies, and to work together for the greater good of individuals, business organizations and society at large,” explained Anne-Sophie Tuszynski, founder of Cancer@work.

A few figures:

– 15 to 25% of the French salaried working population suffers from a chronic illness (the figure varies according to the definition used),
– 1 in 4 people lose their jobs in the two years following the diagnosis of their cancer,
– 14 Groupe BPCE companies are involved in the “cancer, chronic diseases and work” approach,
– “When the disease affects an employee, the entire company is concerned,” says Nicole Etchegoinberry, President of the Management Board of the Caisse d’Epargne Loire-Center, which is sponsoring the approach, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Cancer@work association.

Photo: Merete Buljo, Chief Digital & Customer Experience Officer at Natixis EuroTitres and Anne-Sophie Tuszynski, founder of Cancer@work.