CSR approach: strategies for sustainable development

What is CSR?

CSR or Corporate Social Responsibility is the integration of environmental and social concerns into business. The aim of the company is to have a positive impact on the environment and society while remaining economically viable. CSR applies to both large and small companies. CSR approaches are based on 7 core issues, defined by the ISO 26000 standard. Any CSR company must have a positive impact on the following issues :

• Fair practices;
• Consumer issues; and
• Communities and local development;
• Organisational governance; Human rights;
• Labour relations and conditions;
• The environment.

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What are the pillars of the CSR approach?

 

CSR is also based on three main pillars (sometimes called CSR guidelines):

• The environmental pillar : the company uses natural resources efficiently. It reuses materials where possible, recycles and limits its production of waste (especially hazardous waste). It also reduces its greenhouse gas emissions and promotes biological diversity.
• The social pillar : diversity and equal opportunities are respected. Workers' rights are respected. They work in complete safety and in perfect hygienic conditions. Finally, staff have access to training so that they can gain skills and develop within the company.
• The economic pillar : the company builds customer loyalty by offering high-quality services. The rates offered are fair, and invoices are paid in full and on time. Local suppliers are supported and used as much as possible. Finally, the company is totally transparent with its partners.

Why define a CSR approach in your company?

 

You now know all the principles of a CSR approach in a company. As you have no doubt understood, this approach has many advantages for the company:

• An ethical and socially responsible company benefits from a better image with the public. It easily attracts new customers, who trust it more easily.
• A company that implements a CSR policy maintains better relations with the various stakeholders and all the company's partners.
• A company that takes into account social and environmental concerns and respects each of its partners will more easily retain its employees. All the above points allow the company to reduce its costs (legal, insurance, materials, etc.). Finally, the company improves its overall performance.

How to set up a CSR approach?

Do you want to set up a CSR approach within your company? Do you want to act in favour of sustainable development while making your company prosper? Discover our advice.

Define the people in charge of CSR

The first thing to do is to appoint a CSR project manager. This person will be the head of the CSR project and will be responsible for steering the process. Choose someone with environmental management skills.

Take stock of the company's practices

Taking stock of the company's current practices is essential for the success of the CSR approach. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Are the actions carried out by the company in favour of environmental protection?
• Are our activities ethical from a societal, environmental and economic point of view?
• Who are the company's partners?
• Do they themselves have a CSR policy?
• How are resources managed?
• Who are the company's suppliers?
• Do the employees work in good conditions? And so on.

The answers to these questions will enable you to take stock and to engage in a continuous improvement process by measuring your environmental and social impact. You will then be able to communicate with all the company's stakeholders to take their needs into account and assess the situation.

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Defining your CSR strategy

It is time to define your CSR and sustainable development action plan. We recommend that you work step by step and involve your employees. Employees trained in this approach will more easily adopt the new practices that are essential to the success of your CSR plan. There are many short and long training courses that allow you to move towards a corporate social responsibility approach. Among them, the CSR master's degree, the CSR training or the energy market penetration strategy.

Defining CSR indicators

Defining KPIs (performance indicators) will enable you to measure the success of your project. Do not hesitate to regularly review these indicators to make sure you are moving in the right direction. Also consider drawing up an annual report to analyse your company's economic performance (if your action plan is correct, it should not decrease, but rather increase).

 

Promote your CSR approach

Communicating about your actions and commitments will help you to promote your approach. Think about taking steps to obtain the various labels and certifications linked to the CSR approach and environmental protection. They will enable you to strengthen your brand image and make your CSR approach credible in the eyes of everyone.

Would you like to go further in your discovery of good practices in companies? We can enlighten you on extra-financial rating.