Committing to our people

SDG 8

RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

Sotexpro grows talent and the company!

At Sotexpro, sustainable development is also about people.

Training, listening, and fostering growth: we believe in building skills and the desire to progress together.

In a healthy and stimulating work environment, everyone can get involved, innovate, collaborate… and thrive!

This is our way of contributing to SDG 8: promoting sustainable, inclusive, and meaningful economic growth.

Maintaining and upscaling industrial expertise

Sotexpro is committed to preserving textile expertise. Instead of seeking cost advantages through offshoring, we choose local value-added production, technical specialization, and maintaining a manufacturing base in France.

Context: The textile industry is a historically devastated sector in France, with a loss of nearly 80% of jobs between 1990 and 2015. (Source: INSEE, “The textile industry in France”) In this context, maintaining and developing textile activity in a rural area like Panissières is a powerful commitment.

This represents a strong act of industrial sovereignty, going against the trend of massive offshoring seen in the textile industry since the 1990s.

Creating and maintaining skilled industrial jobs

Preserving textile expertise is not just about producing locally: it requires creating conditions for decent, sustainable, and skilled employment. Sotexpro invests in its employees to ensure deep-rooted stability within the region.

89 employees on permanent contracts (CDI), with over 69% having been with us for more than 5 years.
Zero precarious employment on-site: all production positions are filled via permanent or long-term contracts (excluding apprentices and interns).
90% of employees live within a 30 km radius of Panissières.
We also support over 100 subcontracted jobs (weaving, dyeing), all rooted in our local region.

Working conditions designed for the well-being of our employees

We believe that optimal working conditions are essential to both company performance and the well-being of our employees. This is why we have established an ergonomic and secure work environment, while actively promoting quality of life at work.

Psychosocial Risk (PSR) Prevention Policy: We identify and prevent psychosocial risks, ensuring a healthy and respectful atmosphere is maintained across all our teams.
Diversity and Inclusion Policy: We encourage diversity in all its forms and promote inclusion, ensuring that every employee feels valued and heard. We have implemented a Diversity and Inclusion Charter which has been shared with all employees.

Training for our employees

CSR training was integrated into the onboarding process for all employees in 2025. Our goal is to strengthen these training programs to fully integrate these issues into all departments and the Group’s global strategy. We aim to train 100% of our employees in CSR every year.

CSR Breakfasts Interactive video conferences for the sales force, covering key themes such as eco-contribution, eco-design, the AGEC law (anti-waste and circular economy), and recycling/upcycling. These sessions help strengthen knowledge and improve dialogue with customers.

Targeted information meetings Organized for specific departments to delve deeper into major CSR topics and foster a shared internal culture.

A dedicated documentation area on the intranet Providing educational resources on CSR.

In parallel, specific job-related training sessions were conducted, notably regarding worker safety. Our management system is based on a preventive and proactive approach, including:

→ Regular risk assessments in the field

This approach helps maintain a safe work environment, as evidenced by our very low accident rate in 2024.

QWLH Initiatives (Quality of Work Life and Health)

We have implemented various initiatives to strengthen team cohesion and improve the daily well-being of our employees. These actions are designed to foster a pleasant and inclusive work environment, while encouraging a better balance between professional and personal life.

“Happy Hours for All” bring all our employees together for a convivial moment of relaxation.

Exemples

4.5-Day Work Week: We have implemented a 4.5-day work week to offer our employees a better balance between their professional and personal lives, while promoting their well-being and productivity.

Onboarding Process: We have designed a structured onboarding process so that every new employee can quickly feel at ease and integrate into our corporate culture.

Company Run with Employees (CORPORACE): As part of our commitment to physical and mental well-being, we organize events such as charity runs and team sporting activities.

Various activities: On the occasion of International Women’s Day, we gave a mug to all the women in the Group as a token of appreciation for their contributions. This event celebrated women’s achievements and fostered constructive dialogue around the theme of equality.

A “meet and pétanque” evening was also organized, offering an informal and convivial setting to encourage interaction between colleagues. These relaxing moments helped strengthen team bonds while creating an environment conducive to collaboration and solidarity.

QWL Survey Barometer As part of our continuous improvement approach, we have implemented a Quality of Work Life (QWL) barometer to measure and analyze changes in employee perceptions of key themes year after year. This system involves surveying all employees every two years through an anonymous consultation.

Each year, more and more participants join the “Corporace” run, the proceeds of which are donated to a charitable organization.

Concrete actions in 2024

Based on this analysis, 15 actions were implemented to meet the expectations expressed, including:

→ A general action plan led by the Executive Committee (CODIR) → A specific action plan for each department → The creation of an internal newsletter to improve communication → The installation of water fountains at all sites → The organization of convivial meals to strengthen cohesion → The redesign of office spaces → The implementation of a program to discover colleagues’ professions

Furthermore, suggestion boxes have been installed to allow everyone to propose ideas and actively contribute to the continuous improvement of QWL within the company.

The objective for the 2025-2026 period is to launch a new survey to establish a new QWLH action plan.

“La Navette” (The Shuttle) highlights the key moments of the past six months.

Acting for the Planet

Our actions to reduce our environmental footprint and develop increasingly responsible products.

Learn more

Promoting our local region

Our choices to sustain local textile expertise and strengthen our regional roots.

Learn more

Download the CSR Report

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Our sales team supports you and provides expert guidance on standards tailored to specific types of establishments (schools, hospitality, retirement homes, healthcare facilities, etc.).

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Technical documents

Fabric library