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Get your CSR initiative off to a good start: participatory audit, prioritized action plan and selection ofoCSR tools for your company in 4 weeks.
97% of customers of Mon Entreprise Durable say they have carried out their CSR projects without slowing down their business operations.
Discover the essential steps for an effective csr approach!
CSR stands for Corporate Social Responsibility. It refers to all the practices a company can implement to meet sustainable development goals.
Businesses are part of our ecosystem. They produce goods and services, play an active part in the economies of countries and territories, employ people and maintain partnerships with each other, but they also emit greenhouse gases and waste.
As an integral part of society, companies have a role to play not only in the well-being of their employees, but also in environmental impact, the reduction of inequalities, access to employment and regional development. The UN’s sustainable development goals cannot be achieved without them. These objectives are structured around 5 pillars: environment, social, economy, governance and territory.
This is the primary goal of CSR: it aims to encourage participation and increase the contribution of businesses toward achieving the 17 goals set by the UN.
What is the ISO 26000 standard?
The official definition of ISO 26000 is “an organization’s responsibility regarding the impacts of its decisions and activities on society and the environment, as reflected in ethical and transparent behavior.”
This standard was published in 2010 and developed by experts. The purpose of this standard is to provide guidelines for companies wishing to engage in CSR. It identifies seven core elements: respect for human rights, working conditions, the environment, fair business practices, respect for consumers, and local development. It can help companies launch an effective and meaningful initiative across all these areas. It was developed to be relevant to all types of companies and organizations.
This standard does not lead to certification, but many others do! Seeking certification allows you to set specific goals and, above all, to prove to your employees and customers that you are truly committed to a CSR initiative and that you have achieved results.
In fact, some certification programs use the ISO 26000 standard to evaluate companies’ CSR initiatives. Upon obtaining certification, you receive a certificate of CSR compliance, which reinforces the credibility of your actions.
Why Implement a CSR Initiative?
There are many reasons to adopt a CSR approach. This approach benefits a company not only in terms of its internal operations but also in terms of its appeal and the well-being of the community in which it operates.
First, French employees often expect their companies to adopt a CSR approach and show greater commitment to environmental and social issues in particular. In a 2016 survey published by Cone Communication, 58% of respondents said that a company’s CSR initiatives are an important factor in their choice of employer. And 51% said they would not want to work for a company that is not socially or environmentally responsible.
This approach enables companies to build employee loyalty and enhance team spirit and a sense of belonging. It also enhances the company’s attractiveness for recruitment, as well as for customers and potential partners.
Identifying the environmental and social impacts of your activities helps you work toward making them positive. In addition, it helps raise awareness among your employees. Through a CSR approach, you can ensure that your impacts on the environment and the local community where you operate are positive. You can also view it as an opportunity to evaluate your company’s production methods. You can reap financial benefits and enhance your brand image.
How to Implement a CSR Initiative?
A CSR initiative can be implemented in any industry. Whether in the hospitality industry, consulting firms, the restaurant industry, insurance, or real estate agencies, all companies can implement a CSR initiative. Currently, 50% of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have implemented a CSR initiative, according to a 2017 survey by BPI France. However, only half of them have established a structured approach.
To ensure the success of your CSR initiative, we recommend following several steps. These steps will help you build a viable and sustainable project over the long term. Once your CSR initiative is in place, it is important to communicate your actions and, above all, to track your performance.
Step 1: What is your goal?
The first step is to set clear objectives. You need to define your priorities. For example, do you want to improve the well-being of your employees above all else? Do you want to limit your greenhouse gas emissions? Do you want to contribute to the economic development of your region?
Once you’ve listed your objectives, you’ll need to decide who will be involved in the project. You can involve your employees, suppliers, contractors and partners, and even your customers. It’s best to involve all your employees and communicate with everyone you interact with. You can start with a few employees and then expand your approach as you go along.
At this stage, you can take the opportunity to ask your employees about their expectations and ideas regarding this CSR policy. According to a 2020 study on employees and responsible companies conducted by the polling institute Occurrence, Des enjeux et des Hommes, and Ekodev, 70% of workers want to be more involved in CSR, and 75% want to contribute ideas. However, they are actually involved in only 21% of cases.
Next, you need to decide who will lead this initiative. You can hire a consultant or a specialized consulting firm from outside your company, or recruit someone from within your organization. In any case, you’ll need an in-house CSR coordinator to oversee the initiative and ensure its feasibility.
Step 2: Preparing the ground
The second step is to gather the information you need to draw up your action plan. To do this, you can take stock of all your activities as a company. This ranges from your purchasing and production methods to waste management and employee travel. Ideally, everything is taken into account.
You can also learn more about your partner companies’ CSR initiatives.
With this information, you can carry out a diagnosis (audit) of your current performance. This audit can be carried out in-house or by a specialist company.
This study must be detailed. Its aim is to enable you to identify the actions that will help you achieve your objectives. The inventory of your activities and the audit should enable you to identify all your environmental, social and societal impacts, and make it easier to identify areas for improvement. Your objectives must be adapted to your current performance. The audit also enables you to assess your financial, human and material resources.
Current performance needs to be assessed both internally and externally. Obviously, you need to ensure your economic sustainability. You can also focus on social performance, by assessing your organization, the skills of your employees and your reputation, for example. On the environmental side, you can measure your impact on biodiversity, your greenhouse gas emissions or your consumption habits.
Step 3: Set precise objectives
With the results of the audit, you can establish quantified objectives. This will give you a better chance of achieving them. For example, if you’ve estimated that 14% of the waste generated by your company is recycled, you can set yourself a target of 50% by the end of the year. Similarly, if you want to make a commitment to your local area, you can set a percentage of local partners with whom you work.
Your goal is to obtain the EcoEntreprise certification? Put your trust in a company that has been through the same programme. We also support you with the standards B Corpand CSRD and EcoVadis.
