When Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on the morning of 24 February there were 160 French companies with a presence in the country, operating in industries ranging from banking to agri-food, and from metals to luxury goods. All of them say that the safety of their employees is their number one priority, but their reactions to the crisis have varied, depending on their sector, the size of their sites and whether their local workforces include expatriates.
With 30,000 local employees, French companies are the leading international employer in Ukraine, according to France’s economy ministry. Like German companies operating in Ukraine (see article n°12937), French firms with a local presence are very well established in the agri-food, industrial and trade sectors. Several firms listed on the CAC40 specialising in these sectors are present in the country.
Ensuring staff safety. At the end of last week, French companies’ first priority was to ensure the safety of their Ukrainian employees.
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