With the increase of social and economic inequalities, the degradation of our environment and the climatic challenges, companies must reinvent themselves and implement new ways to create and share value.

CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) is becoming an essential strategic issue to make the global economy evolve in the “right direction”. But what do we mean by CSR? And what does it mean for small and large companies? Our answers in this article.

CSR : what does that mean ?

All companies can implement a CSR approach, regardless of their size, status or sector of activity.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR), also known as corporate social responsibility, is defined by the European Commission as “the voluntary integration by companies of social and environmental concerns into their commercial activities and their relations with stakeholders. In other words, CSR is the contribution of companies to the challenges of sustainable development.

CRS : What are the main benefits for companies ?

A company that practices CSR will therefore seek to have a positive impact on society while being economically viable.

• To perpetuate the company’s activity
• To make savings
• Differentiate commercially and enhance its image
• Build customer, partner and supplier loyalty
• Attract talent, mobilize staff around a project and increase performance by giving meaning
• Anticipate risks and identify opportunities

CSR is not just for big companies!

YES: the social and environmental transition of our country, and in Europe, will be made with SMEs and VSEs as well. Since 2020, the french government has launched a plan “for the ecological acceleration of VSEs and SMEs” with ADEME (Agency for the Environment and Energy Management) and BPI France (Public Investment Bank) to boost the trend and sustain social, economic and environmental initiatives. How and where do we start?

Since its publication in 2010, the ISO 26000 standard has been the reference framework in this area. It provides guidelines and does not provide a framework of requirements for certification. It is a voluntary process for organizations.

Building a CSR approach, where to start?

From diagnosis to awareness, through the definition of priorities, marketing and the mobilization of employees and partners, CSR constitutes a whole value chain that companies will have to understand, interpret and improve. Here are the main steps to follow to implement this transformation at the heart of your company.

Conducting an inventory:

The first step for the company is to identify its stakeholders. As a reminder, a stakeholder is defined as any individual or group of individuals who participate closely or remotely in the economic activity of the company. Thus, this can include suppliers, customers but also employees … You will then have to observe all the practices and activities of the organization.

Establish a CSR strategy and an action plan:

In a continuous improvement process, you will have to allocate a precise budget to your approach and elect a CSR manager. Just like the development of the CSR approach, it is just as important to include employees in its implementation. Indeed, the employees are the real actors of the CSR approach in the whole company.

• Establishment of a steering system and indicators of results of the CSR approach;
• Integration of CSR at all levels of responsibility and activity of the organization;
• Development of skills, organizational and technological innovations.

Building your CSR indicators : 

CSR indicators allow you to know where your company is hurting, what needs to be changed in your practices and where to turn for improvement. In short, an indicator allows you to measure your company’s performance in the area of sustainable development.

• Economic indicators ;
• Social indicators;
• Environmental indicators.

Communicate, promote and give credibility to your CSR approach:

Enhancing your CSR approach is an opportunity to prove your societal maturity to your internal and external stakeholders. It is also a way to differentiate yourself and attract new customers who are sensitive to responsible commitments.

Promoting the responsible actions implemented in your company can therefore be a key asset of your approach: from simple attractive reporting to labeling, many means are available today.

• CSR report ;
• Communication ;
• Committed CSR label.

Colever and the CSR approach

Conscious of the environmental, social and economic stakes, COLEVER’s values are based on a responsible and respectful approach based on the principles of sustainable and economically viable development in order to have a positive impact on society and the environment.

For a service company, greenhouse gas emissions due to employee travel can amount to 54% of total GHG emissions.

Aware of the current environmental challenges, in particular the weight of work-related travel on greenhouse gas emissions, the legislator has progressively imposed on companies the preparation of a “Mobility Plan” (formerly “Company Travel Plan”) through the Energy Transition Law (2015) and the Mobility Orientation Law (2019).