The implementation of a CSR approach in business to improve overall performance

The CSR approach represents a major development path. Engaging in a CSR approach is strategic for companies concerned about their sustainability and attractiveness. By making CSR and well-being at work a point of honor in their global policy, they benefit from a Economically promising model, which contributes to growth and employee commitment while demonstrating their ethical commitment. Discover how CSR policies contribute to the competitiveness of businesses.

What is CSR?

RSE is the acronym for Corporate Social Responsibility, which is a voluntary approach integrated into the brand's global strategy, which aims to meet the challenges of sustainable development. To this end, companies choose to take into consideration the impact of their activities on the environment and on society, to make it as positive as possible while remaining competitive. La CSR approach in business therefore includes all the social, environmental and economic measures that an entity can put in place in order to adopt a behavior that contributes to the well-being of employees and the planet.

The pillars of CSR

Les CSR policies are based on three concepts:

• Economic: the company must satisfy its customers by ensuring the quality of its products and services. It is committed to supporting and considering its suppliers and service providers. It must also be fully transparent to investors;
• Social: the company must be an example, respect labor law and guarantee the safety of employees. It is responsible for training its staff, strengthening equal opportunities and promoting diversity and inclusiveness in its teams;
• Environmental: the company must strive to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and waste. Its consumption of natural resources must remain rational, responsible and sustainable.

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria

ESG criteria (Environmental, Social and Governance) have been defined in order to offer lines of thought to companies that are involved in a CSR approach. They respond to the three CSR pillars and serve as indicators for monitoring the integration of sustainable development into CSR policies.

The environmental criterion takes into account the direct or indirect impact of the company's activity on the environment (waste management, greenhouse gas emissions, etc.). The social criterion, for its part, relates to the impact of the company's activity on stakeholders, employees, customers and partners (respect for employee rights, social dialogue between all employees and partners, etc.). Finally, The governance criterion ensures that the company is managed, administered and controlled according to the rules of law (independence of the board of directors, fight against corruption, etc.).

The ISO 26000 standard

The ISO 26000 standard brings together the guidelines related to social responsibility for all companies, regardless of their size and sector of activity. The mission of this International Organization for Standardization standard is to encourage and assist organizations in sustainable development. It revolves around 7 themes and objectives :

• the governance of the organization
• Human rights
• relationships and working conditions
• The environment
• the loyalty of practices
• consumer issues
• communities and local development

The challenges and advantages of a CSR approach

In addition to representing a concrete response by companies to the challenges of sustainable development, the CSR approach applied to the company is a management tool with a verified impact on health.

Improving its overall performance

The CSR approach is presented as a genuine policy that integrates the company's overall strategy. It forces you to question your actions, the use of your resources and the impact on your environment. CSR and well-being at work are two closely linked concepts: employees who are listened to, supervised and fulfilled will be much happier and more productive. Both improve performance and corporate culture and optimize processes to obtain more results.

Increase its attractiveness

Companies involved in a CSR action become attractive and gain in transparency: they recruit more easily, retain their customers and establish healthy partnerships with their suppliers and investors. They have every interest in integrating CSR and well-being at work in their strategy, in order to meet a high level of social and environmental requirements. More and more, we see that they have to prove their CSR action with convincing indicators, in particular to respond to a call for tenders. Consumers are also becoming sensitive about the operations they carry out to minimize their impact on the planet. According to the study conducted in 2019 by Bpifrance, PwC and ORSE, “more than 70% of the suppliers surveyed are regularly contacted by their customers on CSR topics”.

Engaging your employees

Engaging its employees depends on the ability of a company to create a climate conducive to development. Confident employees, with a clear vision of their goals, will find meaning in their work and project themselves more easily. In this sense, the CSR approach federates the company around positive values and promotes employee commitment. The Medef 2021 CSR perception barometer shows it: employees of companies conducting CSR policies 75% believe that they have a positive impact on society, compared to 44% for those working in structures that do not pursue it. 82% of employees still see themselves working in 3 years for the committed company, compared to 68% for the others. Les CSR policies contribute to the sustainability of the company and to involving its teams, for more productivity and well-being at work.

Attracting talent

Today, the challenge for companies lies in attracting young talent, who are very attentive to their commitments. This generation in search of meaning wants to identify the raison d'être of their work and its impact. They are looking for structures that question corporate social responsibility; because their values impact their decisions, but also the work environment. A company focused on CSR and well-being at work is experiencing better productivity, development and increased investment by its employees. Les CSR policies bring teams together and strengthen the competitiveness of businesses, which can hope to stand out and develop more quickly.

How to build your CSR approach?

La CSR approach offers to the company development opportunities, while guaranteeing a more positive impact of its actions on an economic, social and environmental level.

Identify stakeholders

The CSR approach concerns all internal and external stakeholders of an organization. For this purpose, all structures related to the activities of the company must be affiliated to the approach. Internally, the integration of a CSR manager remains relevant to define, manage and measure the effectiveness of the CSR plan CSR action.

Conduct an audit

Conducting an audit is essential in order to understand where the company is currently located. It highlights the challenges facing society, as well as its development opportunities. Examining business practices allows you to build a business planCSR action, based on an assessment of whether or not the various ESG criteria were taken into account.

Establishing an action plan and setting indicators

The deployment of a CSR approach in the company requires a management system: the commitments to be monitored and their implementation are assessed by defining and measuring indicators of economic, social and environmental results.

Communicate about your CSR approach

The implementation of a CSR approach in a company is a subject to be integrated into the entity's communication actions. Speaking out about your approach gives it credibility and values it, internally and externally. It requires adapting information to the target and to the channels that the company wishes to mobilize. Communication based on figures and concrete actions will have weight with professional audiences, through the publication of a white paper or a report byCSR action in particular. For consumers, the tone must be lighter and more pleasant to gain an impact on social networks or via a newsletter. In both cases, it is important to be in tune with your vision in order to develop a relevant discourse.

Unfortunately, CSR policies are rarely put forward internally, in favor of communication that is almost exclusively oriented to the outside world. However, it impacts employee engagement and increases well-being at work. The Cenareo solution for digital signage makes it possible to manage the distribution of multimedia content on the fleet of screens deployed from within. Relay your Instagram or Facebook publications within the company space thanks to the social media feed associated with digital signage. In a simplified, automated and centralized manner, these communications benefit employees, who are more informed and involved in the CSR approach. Cenareo and his internal communication software increases the reach and engagement of its publications and participates in the involvement of all collaborators around CSR and well-being at work.

Examples of innovative CSR approaches in business

Many structures are involved in a CSR approach for their company, in order to meet the challenges of sustainable development. In addition to deploying strong CSR policies, they communicate extensively to unite their audiences around them and their values.

CSR at Shine

The neobank dedicated to freelancers, Shine, is committed to building the most responsible bank there is. La corporate social responsibility is one of its pillars, for which it has deployed concrete measures for its customers and employees. In order to promote equal working conditions, Shine has made public its salary schedule. It guarantees a fair level of remuneration for each profession, as well as absolute fairness and transparency.

CSR at Nature & Décoveries

Nature and Discoveries offers products segmented around well-being and nature. The company has implemented numerous actions in order to provide a concrete response to CSR and well-being at work. The maintenance costs of employee bicycles are covered to promote soft mobility, while its providers are invited to educational trips to be inspired by exemplary ecological construction practices. Internally, more than 4,000 workshops are made available free of charge or at a reduced rate to employees, in order to make them aware of the values of the company.

CSR at Nespresso

Nespresso is committed to the preservation of the environment with one objective: to offer coffee that is 100% carbon neutral. The company strives to reduce its carbon footprint as much as possible, by minimizing the energy consumption of its machines, by deploying LED lighting systems in its stores and by providing a system for recycling used capsules. With more than 25,000 tons of recycled capsules since 2009, the company adopts a communication focused on its CSR action, to serve its committed brand image.

CSR at AXA

The AXA insurance group stands out for its CSR action very socially committed. She created the AXA Atout Cœur association, in order to mobilize its employees internally around solidarity actions. Together, they fight against exclusion and work to protect the environment. With the Le Refuge Foundation, AXA is committed to the protection of young LGBT victims of homophobia and transphobia.

In view of the climate-social context in which we operate and the interest of all on issues related to sustainable development, the deployment of a The sustainable and responsible CSR approach in the company has become a real priority today.. Employee engagement is a real result CSR actions undertaken and communicated within a structure and a way to improve the overall performance of your company and to maintain it. To do this, The Cenareo solution goes beyond the functions of digital signage software and actively participates in corporate CSR action by facilitating communications. Speak out about your commitments to your employees, for a internal communication tailor-made, impacting and unifying. Bring your teams together around strong values and raise awareness of your actions. Cenareo offers an innovative tool to integrate your employees into the challenges of CSR and well-being at work.

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