Bank of France affiliate's employee took own life, expert report points to 'psychosocial hazards' in corporation's work environment
News Article: Psychosocial Risks and Employee Distress at EuropaFi
A recent report has shed light on psychosocial risks within EuropaFi, a subsidiary of the Bank of France that manages a paper mill in Vic-Le-Comte, Puy-de-Dôme. The report, conducted by the Technologia firm, was prompted by concerns raised by the Works Council (CSE) and made public on July 25, 2025.
The report highlights several warning signs of distress, some of which were noted as early as 2019, a year after the employee in question was promoted to foreman. The employee, who had been working at the paper mill for 11 years, had recently separated from his partner, who also worked at EuropaFi and was under his supervision.
The report states that a worrying fracturing of the social body exists at EuropaFi, with tensions between employees under private status and MADs, the former agents of the Bank of France. The employee had regularly expressed difficulties related to his workload, due to the accumulation of technical and administrative aspects of his position.
Tensions and a poor atmosphere, as well as an excessive workload, were pointed out in all annual reports. The organizational responses to these warning signs appear to be late or insufficiently calibrated, according to the expert's analysis.
Anthony Perruca, CGT delegate on the site, has denounced the situation, stating that employees prefer to suffer and stay at the Bank of France due to remaining benefits. Hugo Coldeboeuf, the general secretary of the CGT Banque de France, has called for the recognition of the suicide as a work-related accident.
The Bank of France, in a July 1st statement, has claimed that the report contributes to an attempt to exploit a human tragedy. However, the Bank of France has initiated an investigation by its Inspectorate General, following the publication of the report.
This is not the first time such issues have been reported in the French paper industry. Multiple suicides and employee distress linked to psychosocial risks have been reported in other paper mill subsidiaries, notably Condat (Lecta) and International Paper-related sites. General insights from the sector indicate that major paper companies and their subsidiaries in France have faced significant workplace psychosocial risks due to industrial restructuring, job cuts, and management decisions focused on profits over worker well-being, prompting union actions and strikes.
However, there is no public specific information available about EuropaFi in these search results. If EuropaFi is a lesser-known or newly named entity, more specific details may be needed from internal reports or news outside the provided results.
According to the CGT, this is the third suicide at the Bank of France in less than two years, linked to working conditions. The conclusions of the Bank of France's Inspectorate General investigation were only communicated to the CSE and the company's proximity representatives.
- The report conducted by Technologia on EuropaFi, a French paper mill, revealed that the employee's distress, which was noted as early as 2019, could be linked to psychosocial risks in the workplace-wellness and mental-health aspects of his role as foreman.
- The CGT Banque de France has been actively raising concerns about the mental-health impact of psychosocial risks at various paper mills in France, including EuropaFi, citing this as the third suicide at a Bank of France subsidiary in less than two years.
