A training module used in France by the security firm Securitas for its personnel indicates the company’s employees should attempt to follow Sharia law when administering first aid.
“In accordance with Sharia law, as far as possible, first aid should only be administered by a person of the same gender as the victim,” the training material indicates.
The module is an annual refresher course on first aid and quality, health, safety, and environment (QHSE) protocols for security agents stationed at Amazon’s French facilities.
This disclosure, first reported by the French magazine Valeurs Actuelles, comes amid growing concerns over how religious practices are being integrated into professional environments in a country historically committed to laïcité, or state secularism.
Sources familiar with the matter told Valeurs Actuelles the directive was discovered in July by managers during the validation process.
At least three supervisors refused to approve the module, citing potential conflicts with France’s constitutional principles of secularism and gender equality.
The managers reportedly cited not only legal and ethical concerns but also their personal values, arguing that such a rule could undermine emergency response effectiveness and constitution discrimination based on gender, illegal in France.
One agent told Valeurs Actuelles, “You have to understand that, as those in charge of security on the ground, we are the ones who are on the front line, I cannot apply rules that would constitute non-assistance to anyone in danger.”
Securitas is a Swedish multinational security services provider with a significant presence worldwide, including major contracts in France.
The company allegedly responded by dismissing the managers who had expressed concerns.
The official reason given for those terminations was the individuals did not represent the “group’s values.”
Responding to a question from Brussels Signal, a spokesperson for Amazon said “Amazon complies with the applicable regulations in France and requires the same of its subcontractors, who are responsible for training their employees, including in first aid.”
She added that “The company concerned became aware of the error in the module several months ago and immediately made the necessary corrections.”
At the time of publication, Securitas had not replied to questions from Brussels Signal.
