Since the founding of the European Work Council in 1995 and the Global Forum in 2017, employees worldwide have benefited from carefully negotiated agreements that secure and protect their social interests. In 2024, after the partial demerger of the Solvay Group and the formation of the Syensqo Group, Syensqo committed to maintaining and upholding the agreements previously achieved, by the EWC and the SGF, through strong dialogue and collaboration.
Syensqo Cares Agreement
The Syensqo Cares agreement offers a minimum level of protection for all Syensqo employees worldwide in terms of welfare and healthcare.
The global universal minimum benefits offer the following:
- 16-week parental leave for all parents, co-parents and adoptive parents at full salary.
- At least 75% of medical fees covered in case of hospitalization or severe illness.
- Disability insurance with two years of salary covered.
- Life insurance covering up to two years of salary.
- Employee Wellbeing Support, providing free and confidential mental health and other support services to employees and household members.
- Caregivers leave: Syensqo grants up to 5 days of paid leave for employees to care for a loved one in unforeseen circumstances.
Syensqo Shares
The Syensqo Shares agreement enables all employees to become a full shareholder with real shares, voting rights, compliant information and dividends.
By making Syensqo shares available to all employees worldwide, regardless of their position or grading, Syensqo wants to involve employees in the success of the Group and bridge the gap between shareholders’ and employees’ perspectives.
Global Performance Sharing Agreement
Non cadre employees worldwide can take advantage of a performance sharing plan based on both quantitative and qualitative criteria, linked to the achievement of financial and sustainable development targets.
An annually negotiated budget is distributed in line with each country’s total payroll and total headcount.
Charter on Recognition of Employee Representative Experience
The European Work Council negotiated a charter that recognizes that the work of employee representatives should be considered as standard business activity, and that the skills and knowledge they require should be valued equally to any other business-related skills.
By recognizing the importance of employee representatives and the roles they perform, we can enhance social dialogue across Europe and encourage staff engagement in employee representation activities.
The new Global Framework Agreement on Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence (2025)
The new Global Framework Agreement on Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence was signed in January 2025 by Syensqo and the Global Forum Syensqo (GFS) and European Works Council (EWC)
AI and digital: The benefits and the challenges
Integrating AI and other digital tools into the way we work is critical to enhancing our productivity and competitive advantage. These tools are revolutionizing research and development, production processes, safety and environmental management, and they offer unparalleled opportunities for predictive analytics, process optimization and the personalization of customer experiences. However, integrating AI and digital tools into the way we work also presents significant challenges. These include the risk of job displacement due to automation, potential bias in AI algorithms that could lead to unfair practices or decisions and a heightened risk of cyberattacks due to increased digitalization. There is also a concern that over-reliance on AI systems may lead to a loss of critical human skills and expertise.
The agreement acknowledges the transformative potential of AI and digital tools at Syensqo, while recognizing the importance of governance, ethical use and the continuous development of human expertise alongside technological advancements.