Supporting France's military reservists and victims of war

Thales supports France’s national defence interests by encouraging the 260 Thales employees who are military reservists. The Group releases reservists to join their units for up to 20 days a year on full pay - double the amount required under French law.

Proud to serve

As a partner of the National Guard, the Group actively supports the commitment of its reservist employees, who play a role in both civilian and military life. We encourage Thales reservists to promote defence issues on a day-to-day level, and to raise awareness of the nation's history within the company, in particular by taking part in commemoration ceremonies.

Supporting reservists

Military reservists in France provide important reinforcements for regular army units, the Gendarmerie and the National Police, helping to protect the population when the national security alert level is raised.

Thales is proud of the reservists in its workforce, and of their commitment to serving the country. The Group does everything it can to support them in their dual role as reservists – civilians at Thales, and military personnel with the armed forces. 

In France, an agreement between the National Guard (under the authority of the French Ministry for the Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior) and Thales to support the military and police reserve policy, originally signed in 2006, extended by Patrice Caine in 2022 and renewed in 2024, makes provision for the following: 

• Release of reservists for 20 working days each year.
• Release for 10 additional working days in the event of operations to reinforce homeland security.
• Reservists continue to receive full pay on release days.
• Reduced notice period for informing employers of upcoming military activity

Provisions are in place for special social security protection/coverage, with continued Humanis health coverage during reserve periods, and AGPM group insurance also covering reserve periods. Arrangements can additionally be put in place on a case-by- case basis in the event of long-term operations (suspension of contract, advance on salary pending military pay, continuation of Humanis coverage, etc.).

"The initiative between Thales and the French Ministry for the Armed Forces represents a great continuous civic commitment on the part of our CEO, supported by our Thales HR teams since 2006, and renewed since by Patrice Caine.

This is a very exciting human adventure for the men and women of all military and Thales “ranks”, across all the armed forces (land forces, naval forces, the air force, and the National Gendarmerie), contributing to the sharing of knowledge between Thales, the armed and security forces, supporting the defence and security of France and the world, and reflecting Thales’s values in a positive manner: Building a future we can all trust!"

— Laurent de La Burgade , Chairman of the Thales French Reservists’ Club, Frigate Captain (reservist), and Trade Compliance Director at Thales’s DMS GBU.