Codes of conduct and international framework agreements: New forms of governance at company level - Case study: EDF

On 24 January 2005, the CEO of Electricité de France (EDF), the representatives of all unions in the main subsidiaries of the Group, as well as the four global union federations in the Group’s sector, signed an agreement on the Group’s social responsibility. This international framework agreement (IFA) deals with the Group’s responsibility to its employees, its local communities and the natural environment. It includes provisions on the Group’s suppliers and subcontractors. Both management and workers’ representatives consider that the Group’s IFA is innovative, ambitious and realistic. This case study is based on interviews with representatives of management and workers of the Électricité de France (EDF) Group between September 2006 and April 2007.