CSR, how to make a societal issue a business issue?
CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) is a societal issue that companies must consider as a strategic issue, because it is a lever for growth. It can also be seen as a tool to prepare for the risks that business stakeholders may face if they do not change their behaviour and ensure medium- and long-term sustainability.
We will return to this notion of sustainability at the end of this article with Isabelle Albert, author of the book Tech it Green. Digital transformation and ecological transition: building the 21st century’s twin revolution”.
To start, what are we talking about?
CSR refers to the positive contribution of companies to sustainable development issues through various initiatives: social, economic and environmental. The objective is to give companies the opportunity to measure the social, economic and environmental impact of their activities in order to identify the issues and inherent limits.
THE SOCIAL PILLAR
This pillar aims to ensure social equity and the well-being of employees through these measures:
- Ensure equal opportunities
- Fight against all forms of discrimination
- To fully respect labour law and human rights
- Implement a QWL (Quality of Work Life) approach
At the level of the company’s challenges, this ensures its image as a responsible employer brand, it keeps employees loyal and increases their productivity.
On the other hand, through its CSR activities, it can attract potential investors who will favour sustainable companies.
Therefore, the company’s performance is assured and recruitment and rotation costs are low
THE ECONOMIC PILLAR
This pillar takes into account all the company’s stakeholders (internal and external) in order to sustainably improve production and consumption patterns.
CSR then allows for a shared value approach that can be done by:
- Ensuring good relations with local suppliers
- Customer satisfaction and loyalty through quality of service
- Transparency towards customers on production processes & manufacturing
- Dialogue with all stakeholders to integrate them into its CSR approach
- Cost optimization and clear information for investors
- The anticipation of social and economic risks.
Thus, CSR and economic performance go hand in hand to ensure its long-term sustainability. Standards such as ISO 26000 are awarded to strengthen its brand image and enable it to distinguish itself ethically from its competitors.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PILLAR
This last pillar fights against any negative impact on the company environment. Preserving the environment, biodiversity and natural resources is more than a concern today, it is necessary to ensure tomorrow’s needs.
Actions can be made on a small and large scale in the company for a global well-being such as:
- Adopt a process to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
- Design its products or services in an eco-friendly way
- Reduce energy consumption
- Implement a deliverable on actions to preserve the environment and natural resources (waste sorting, use of prints, use of devices etc.).
Other useful tips for digital use in this post;
These measures have a particular impact on the financial economy of the company and contribute to the achievement of strategic and financial objectives. For example, resource depletion and climate change (floods, droughts) can affect operations and compromise the sustainability of a business.
CSR therefore helps companies to be proactive and innovate on little known eco-responsible practices.
*Pour aller plus loin avec Isabelle Albert (COO Satgana Climate VC • Auteur « Tech it Green » • Membre du conseil d’administration • Conférencier (TEDx) • Durabilité GreenTech expert)
What if we went beyond the “simple” CSR issue: it is urgent to move CSR from its simple communicational role to integrate sustainability issues at all levels of the company into the heart of its business model and with all its external and internal stakeholders.
Integrating sustainable development allows employees to regain meaning in their daily activities, to mobilize them around sustainable projects within the company.
It is a real asset for an employer brand today in terms of attractiveness for recruitments. There is a real demand today, like the climate frescoes.
The second challenge for organizations is to truly integrate sustainability and climate change at the heart of their value proposition and business model. Be careful, it is not a question of greenwashing but rather of transforming the model: putting sustainability at the heart of the company’s activities and practices.
Sustainable development and the sustainability of a company are not contradictory, on the contrary: management of material flows or energy can allow significant cost savings for example. We must now go further and integrate climate risk (in terms of raw materials, supply chain, energy costs, location of establishments) into the management of companies. “Business as usual is no longer an option”: companies that anticipate can make it a force for tomorrow instead of undergoing the changes that are coming.
In order to raise awareness among CSR leaders, managers and decision-makers, IDEP (Institut du développement et d'expertise du multimédia) has asked ITycom to design a Serious Game on the eco-construction of a printing house.
ITycom supports you to inform and train your company in the implementation of the CSR approach.
CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) is a societal issue that companies must consider as a strategic issue, because it is a lever for growth.