Companies: je t'aime moi non plus
Companies are amazing: they create products from scratch, generate wealth for their investors and give jobs to employees. Companies have financed medicines that have changed patients' lives. They have connected the world to the Internet, improving our quality of life.
But all is not so rosy. Corporations also have a negative impact on our lives. Some have been convicted of poisoning us and our food.. Others use children to manufacture their products. Some go even further, manipulating the truth to elect a candidate in a political election.
But that was before... In 2019, companies no longer go unpunished. In recent years, consumers have become increasingly aware of their responsibilities. Consumers are taking back their power and demanding transparency and impeccable ethics from companies.
And consumers are prepared to go as far as boycotting to change things. Last March, for example, actor Georges Clooney called for a hotel boycott. Consumers were outraged by the new penal code introduced by the Sultan of Brunei, which provides for the stoning or flogging to death of homosexuals and adulterers. The actor decided to launch a call for a boycott of luxury hotels linked to the sultan. This appeal was followed by thousands of people.
Why should a company have a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) strategy?
For these reasons, many companies are committed to ambitious CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policies. The MEDEF, for example, wants to accelerate its CSR initiatives in France. It sees ecology as an opportunity for growth in France.
Companies know this. They will be held accountable for their actions by employees, shareholders, investors, consumers, public authorities and NGOs.
The aim of a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) strategy is twofold:
- Improving its image among the various stakeholders
- Increase profitability by investing in new areas
What's more, the younger generations no longer want to work for socially "irresponsible" companies. They are convinced that companies should invest in the betterment of society and seek solutions that will contribute to social progress. If a company wishes to continue to be able to recruit talent, it is important to highlight efforts to target these younger generations as future employees as well as consumers.
CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility): definition
The definition of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) differs from region to region and from organization to organization. In simple terms, CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) is a way of making companies aware of the consequences of their activity on the planet.
CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility): the European Union's definition
In its 3rd Communication on CSR (2011), the European Commission defines CSR as "the responsibility of enterprises for the effects they have on society".. According to the European Commission, CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) is "the voluntary integration of social and environmental concerns into companies' business activities and stakeholder relations". In other words, it means "not only complying fully with applicable legal obligations, but also going beyond them and investing 'more' in human capital, the environment and stakeholder relations".
It's a simple philosophy. A company doesn't have to accept a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policy. It can benefit and profit from them. These policies can create a new ecosystem for growth that didn't exist before.
The EU, which has exclusive competence in trade matters, also contributes to strengthening social and environmental standards worldwide through the inclusion of a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) chapter in the free trade agreements it concludes. European countries can include CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) chapters and be a driving force behind proposals. This is notably the case for France, which has made proposals to reinforce this practice in contracts with several countries..
As for the European Commission, it publishes guidelines for targeted sectors to raise awareness of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policies.
CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility): the ISO 26000 standard
In 2010, the International Organization for Standardization published the ISO 26000 standard standard, which defines how organizations can contribute to sustainable development. This standard is more educational than prescriptive.
"On the other hand, it clarifies the notion of corporate social responsibility, helps companies and organizations translate principles into concrete action, and publicizes best practices in corporate social responsibility, worldwide. It is aimed at organizations of all types, whatever their activity, size or location."
ISO 26 000 is not a certifiable standard. It can, however, be used as a label, or in assessments and audits.
CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility): obligations in France
Major French companies are required to publish a CSR report every year. This obligation follows the Grenelle II laws of 2010.
But don't panic, only a few companies are affected:
- Listed companies
- Sales in excess of 100 million euros
- And a payroll in excess of 500 employees.
Since 2017, publication of the CSR report (or corporate social responsibility report) has been mandatory. This report is better known as the extra-financial performance declaration.
So what's the point of a declaration of non-financial performance? The aim is transparency. This report provides information on :
- social and environmental consequences of corporate activities
- impact of corporate activities on respect for human rights and the fight against corruption and tax evasion
For example, you can consult Total's 2018 extra-financial performance declaration.
CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policy: examples from France and elsewhere
Companies in France and elsewhere have already implemented actions on their own scale. These actions have had a very positive effect on their employees and their image. This list of examples can provide inspiration for CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) project leaders.
What types of action can a company take as part of its CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) program?
Let's start at the beginning. There are several types of action a company can take as part of a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiative.
- Environment audit and action plan
- To implement a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policy, you need to start off on the right foot. This means identifying areas for improvement. The best way to do this is to audit what already exists, to find out what can be changed.
- Action plans depend, of course, on the company's industry. For example, if the company is in textiles, it may start sourcing its fabrics from organic or local producers in order to reduce its carbon footprint.
- Company
- These are actions to be taken to improve the working environment for employees. These are policies to be implemented in factories, for example: shorter working hours, more frequent breaks, etc.
- Promote diversity: in concrete terms, promote more women to key positions or more socially diverse profiles.
- Governance
- In concrete terms, this means ensuring that company profits are reinvested in employees, combating tax evasion, and so on.
We're now going to look at examples of companies that have implemented successful CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policies. It's up to you to draw inspiration from them, or to implement them on your own scale.
Google: CSR as part of corporate culture
The American giant is known for taking a stand. Its CEO, Sundar Pichai, has often spoken out against Donald Trump's comments, for example. Google also pursues an environmentally-friendly CSR policy. Google also has the highest CSR score due, thanks in part to its data centers, which consume 50% less energy than others in the world. They have also committed over a billion dollars to renewable energy projects, and enable other companies to reduce their environmental impact through services such as Gmail.
Netflix & Spotify: employee well-being
Netflix and Spotify, meanwhile, have invested in the well-being of their employees and their families. Netflix, for example, offers 52 weeks of parental leave, which employees can choose to take when their child is born or at another time. Spotify offers 24 weeks.
Ford Motor Company: electrification
Ford plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by using its EcoBoost engine. The company also plans to introduce 40 electric vehicles (electric and hybrid) by 2022, representing an investment of $11 billion. According to Ford: "We're all in this together. We're taking our most iconic consumer vehicles, and we're electrifying them. If we're going to succeed with electrification, we need to do it with vehicles that are already popular."
What's more, Ford's American dealerships use green energy to power their sites, reducing their electricity consumption and becoming self-sufficient in energy.
Alan: transparency
French start-up Alan has distinguished itself by its transparency in a market sorely lacking in it: insurance. Internally, the company has chosen to put this transparency into practice by making public the salary scales of all its employees. The aim? To create an environment of trust within the company. Employees are paid according to their position, and each year a bonus is added with years of experience.
Starbucks: giving the most vulnerable a chance
Starbucks is looking to diversify its workforce and offer opportunities to certain socio-professional categories. Starbucks has committed to hiring 25,000 veterans by 2025 as part of its socially responsible efforts. This hiring initiative will also aim to hire more young people with the goal of "kick-starting careers by giving them their first job". Worldwide, the company has partnered with the United Nations Refugee Agency to increase its support and efforts to reach refugee candidates and hire 10,000 refugees by 2022.
Lego: reducing waste
Lego has committed to investing $150 million over the next 15 years to combat climate change and reduce waste. Lago has reduced its packaging, invested in an alternative energy source and plans to source 100% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. The company also plans to achieve a 90% recycling rate. To meet these targets, the company has hired a team dedicated to CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) issues.
[CASE STUDY] A successful CSR policy: the case of Voi Technology
Self-service electric scooters (free floating) made their appearance in the summer of 2018 in Paris to conquer several French cities. This highly practical means of transport is often used for short journeys by city dwellers wishing to cover short distances.
We went to meet Voi, Europe's leading free-floating company. Voi is an innovative Swedish mobility company offering self-service scooters in several European cities. But that's not all.
Voi works hand in hand with cities and companies wishing to provide their employees with an alternative form of transport. The brand is committed to a highly ambitious and innovative CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policy.
Lucas Bornert, Voi Technology's General Manager for France and Italy, answered our questions.
Read also - CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility): definition and examples.
Could you tell us the story of Voi?
Voi is a Swedish mobility company created in May 2018. It is now present in 11 countries, including France. It offers self-service electric scooters (free floating) in Paris, Lyon and Bordeaux. It is the leader in green mobility in Europe.
What is "free floating"?
In simple terms, "free floating" is the sharing of self-service scooters on the street, accessible to all. All you need to do is register on the application to unlock the electric scooter. You can use them freely and "park" your electric scooter when you've finished your errand. It can then be freely used by others.
Good to know: in Paris, parking on sidewalks will be forbidden and subject to fines. Scooters will have to be parked in existing parking spaces for cars, motorized two-wheelers or bicycles. City Hall is also working on a project to create 2,500 new spaces reserved for free-floating scooters.
What are your ambitions for France?
"In the coming months, we intend to strengthen our position in the French market and win as many tenders as possible" - Lucas Bornert
Voi Technology's ambition is to continue to change the way people get around town through soft mobility.
How does Voi Technology adapt to French legislation?
The French Mobility Orientation Act (Loi LOM), due to be adopted by the Senate, would give municipalities, led by Paris, the power to regulate the market for electric scooters.
However, a new decree brings electric scooters within the scope of the French highway code. Personal mobility devices (electric scooters, monoroues, gyropodes, hoverboards) are now regulated.
"Today, the facts are simple: ¾ of space is used for car traffic, but only 14% of trips in Paris are made by car" - Lucas Bornert
Here are the new rules for EDPs set out in the decree:
- It is forbidden to drive on the sidewalk
- In built-up areas, it is compulsory to use cycle paths and lanes or roads at speeds of less than 50km/h.
- Parking on a sidewalk is only possible if it does not hinder pedestrian traffic in Paris.
- Wearing a helmet is not compulsory, but recommended. It is compulsory in certain cases (especially for children).
But Voi hasn't waited for the new decrees to be published, and has already innovated: for example, by introducing compulsory parking zones in the capital for its Parisian users. If you're taking a trip on an electric scooter, you're now obliged to park in one of the 4,500 designated parking spaces.
#THREAD #MOBILITY
- Ministries Ecology Energy Territories (@Ecologie_Gouv) May 4, 2019
At the start of the 2019 school year, the @governmentFR will modify the highway code allowing the development of electric scooters, hoverboards... while ensuring the safety of users and other users.
Explanations 🔽 pic.twitter.com/iufszfymlV
You've chosen to equip your company with electric commercial vehicles. Why did you make this choice?
Voi Technology is a free-floating electric scooter company, and it seemed obvious that we should also equip ourselves with electric utility vehicles. The electric utility vehicles are used to collect unloaded electric scooters for recharging in dedicated warehouses. A team is responsible for transporting the unloaded scooters, recharging them and returning them to the city.
This effort is part of Voi Technology's global CSR policy.
"We can talk for hours about our CSR policy" - Lucas Bornert
What other CSR practices do you apply internally?
But this is not Voi's only CSR policy. "We can talk for hours about our CSR policy" - Lucas Bornert
Voi has set itself the target of offsetting the emissions linked to its activities. Electric commercial vehicles have replaced diesel-powered commercial vehicles.
The warehouses are powered by green electricity and numerous technological efforts to to extend the life of its scooters..
"We plan to extend the life of scooters by several months to 1 year".
This will enable the company to stock up less on new electric scooters and to reduce the carbon footprint of scooter production..
On the social front, Voi Technology is proud to work exclusively with employees on permanent contracts.
"We're a Swedish company, environmental policy is in our DNA".
What feedback do you get from your employees?
Electric vehicles are very popular with employees. This choice has completely changed the quality of work for employees: there is no noise and the vehicles are very easy to drive. Driving comfort goes hand in hand with ease of recharging. Voi Technology has installed charging stations in its warehouses as part of the Paris City Council's subsidy program. Drivers simply plug in at the warehouse and pick up a charged vehicle on their way out.
The company has also benefited from help from the town council to equip itself with electric cargo bikes.
How do you see tomorrow's mobility in cities?
"Today, the facts are simple: ¾ of space is used for car traffic, but only 14% of trips in Paris are made by car" - Lucas Bornert
Lucas Bornert believes that the future will see more bike lanes in Paris, which will encourage city dwellers to opt for new means of transport such as electric bikes, 2-wheelers, electric skates and, of course, scooters.
CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policy: examples
How can you implement a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policy within your organization? Contrary to popular belief, you don't necessarily need to make colossal investments. You can run a successful CSR policy without massive investment. Let's take a look at what you can easily do to make a difference.
- Reducing waste within the company
Here too, it's a practice that's more or less easy to put in place. Waste within a company needs to be reduced and sorted. In your office, you can simply remind your colleagues to sort their waste, or give preference to glass over plastic.
- Don't print documents unnecessarily
We all know a colleague who systematically prints out e-mails or reports. Reducing this type of behavior helps to cut down on paper waste and reduce your carbon footprint.
- Encouraging teleworking
As well as allowing employees to work more calmly from home, letting employees telecommute has a double benefit: it shows them that you trust them, and means they don't have to suffer the commute to the office. It's progressive and environmentally friendly. Companies such as Zapier, Buffer and Trello have decided to go office-free and create 100% telecommuting teams.
- Switching to electric cars
If you use cars as part of your job, it might be time to switch to cleaner modes of transport. An electric car not only saves you money on your TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), it also reduces your CO2 emissions and improves your image with employees, suppliers and customers.
These easy-to-implement actions are concrete examples of what you can start doing today at the level of your team, your floor or the whole company.
In a nutshell
Every company has an impact on its environment (social, environmental or societal). CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) enables these companies to become aware of their impact and to improve it. Properly managed, a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) approach creates opportunities. These opportunities create growth for these companies. Even if there is no obligation for organizations today, it is strategically important to address this issue as early as possible.
