The hearing in the lawsuit brought against the Yves Rocher Group for breach of its duty of vigilance in Türkiye is taking place today. The former employees are requesting that the Group’s fault be recognized by the French courts, and hope to obtain compensation.
In March 2022, the Turkish trade union Petrol-Iş, Sherpa, ActionAid France, and 34 former employees of a Turkish subsidiary of the group filed a lawsuit against Yves Rocher before the Paris Judicial Court. Since then, 47 people have joined the action.
All laid-off in 2018 and 2019 due to their union membership, they accuse the company of failing in its duty of vigilance regarding freedom of association, discrimination against women, and occupational health and safety.
The French Duty of Vigilance Law, adopted in 2017, requires large national companies to identify risks and prevent human rights violations resulting from the activities of their subsidiaries, including those abroad. Failure to do so may result in their own liability. This action marks the first time that employees of a subsidiary of a French group have sought damages from the parent company based on a failure to comply with this law.
For the plaintiffs, the fault of the Yves Rocher Group is beyond doubt. Despite the proven risks of violations of workers’ rights in the country, the company failed to publish a vigilance plan in time, and then immediately excluded its Turkish subsidiary from the plan. This lack of vigilance led to violations of the employees’ fundamental rights. Systematic anti-union practices took place, aimed at hindering the membership campaign initiated by Petrol-Iş and deterring any form of unionisation. Workers also reported systematic discrimination against women, both in terms of wages and working conditions. More generally, employees were exposed to working conditions that affected their physical and psychological health.
More than three years after the summons, and after Yves Rocher sold its subsidiary last year, the hearing on the merits is finally taking place. These delays are due to preliminary objections raised for years by Yves Rocher.
For the former employees, it is now time to rule on the merits so that the company’s liability can be established, their rights recognised, and justice served.
As the Petrol-İş union, together with our dismissed members, we resisted for almost 300 days, under the sun and under the snow. This lawsuit in France is a sign of justice for Petrol-İş and the fired workers. Yves Rocher invested in Türkiye, made great profits, exploited the labour of workers, violated the Turkish laws and international norms, and then departed from Turkiye. This is unacceptable for us. We think that global companies must be held accountable for their violations of human rights.
I started working at Flormar in 2013. In the department where I worked, I was exposed to intense chemicals, nail polish, and acetone odors. Additionally, I faced negative conditions such as high production pressure, mobbing, and being transferred to different departments. Despite all these difficulties, the wage I received did not compensate for the work I did. To obtain better working conditions, job security, fair compensation for my labor, and to better defend my rights, I joined the Petrol-İş Union. However, following this decision, I was fired from my job on the grounds of my union membership. I will not bow down to these injustices.
In a context where workers’ rights are increasingly under attack in the name of competitiveness, it is more than necessary to listen to the voices of those affected by human rights violations by multinational companies.
Press release from :
Sherpa, ActionAid France, Petrol-İş.
For more information : presse@asso-sherpa.org
