CSR: 5 reasons to get started

Building a CSR approach seems to be one of the new challenges facing companies today. Quite simply, it is seen by many as a genuine tool for managing corporate performance. But what does it really involve? How can it be put in place in your company to make an impact? And above all, how do you measure its real impact? We break it all down for you in this article 👇

What is CSR?

Before getting to the heart of the matter, let's go back to the basics of CSR: its definition, the pillars and the standard that define its limits. The European Commission defines "Corporate Social Responsibility" (CSR) as "the voluntary integration of social and environmental concerns into the business activities and relationships of a given company".(Source économie.gouv)

In practice, this means that a company that implements a CSR approach ensures that its business model is economically viable and does not have a negative impact on society at large (population, environment, etc.).

CSR means "social" or "societal", but there are 3 pillars in all:

• the ecological pillar: identify and reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, preserve natural resources, limit waste production, etc.
• the social pillar: fostering quality of life at work, improving equal opportunities and diversity, ensuring full compliance with employment law, etc.
• the economic pillar: implementing a responsible purchasing policy, promoting transparency with stakeholders, etc.

As you will have understood, a CSR approach as such consists of an action plan that defines the means and tools implemented by the company in relation to the 3 pillars of CSR, which will thus contribute more broadly to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

And in concrete terms, who sets the rules? An international standard dating from 2010, ISO 26000, governs CSR around 7 central questions:

• organizational governance
• human rights
• working relations and conditions
• the environment
• fair practices
• consumer issues
• communities and local development.

These themes, which are deliberately broad in order to appeal to all types of company, are a first step towards defining concrete actions for your CSR approach.

Why implement a CSR approach?

Advantage 1: improve economic performance by reducing impact

At first glance, measuring the precise business impact of your CSR approach may seem a little complicated. Nevertheless, it's clear that your strategy will improve your company's performance over the long term. The intangible benefits will also have a significant positive impact on your image.

Benefit 2: boost employee commitment, improve well-being at work and attract job applicants

Today, companies and their involvement in CSR policies are eagerly awaited by their employees. Implementing this type of approach will have an impact on employer brandand will be a factor inattracting candidates, especially younger ones. Wenabi, for example, offers its employees the opportunity to get involved with associations, on or off the job, through missions in the field or by collecting donations.

Advantage 3: Innovate and develop your business

The innovations associated with implementing a CSR strategy are numerous. They can be found in your products and services, but also on the intangible side, such as on the social level, i.e. in the way you manage people in your organization. A company'scommitment to social responsibility is also a differentiating factor from the competition. It can also help you conquer new markets, which is all the more important when it comes to winning tenders, for example.

Benefit 4: Improved relations with stakeholders

Whether it's to satisfy the demands of your prospects or current customers, or to reassure a future shareholder or investor, committing to a CSR approach will soon make sense for you and all your stakeholders! It's an excellent way of building loyalty among your customers, partners and suppliers - in other words, all the people who revolve around your company.

6 steps to a CSR approach

Step 1: Identify means and resources

Is your approach overseen by a CSR manager? If not, we recommend that you start by finding this person within your company. As the person in charge, he or she will ensure that the approach is properly implemented (structuring, motivating teams, monitoring the project, etc.). You can choose to create a position dedicated to the approach (generally in larger structures) or propose that volunteers from other professions, such as Human Resources, Communications or Finance, be trained in the theme (in SMEs) to take on this management role in addition to their functions. The aim is for the approach to be structured around an identified person or team within the organization.

Step 2: Taking stock

Before taking concrete action, make sure you analyze what already exists. You could, for example, carry out a mini-diagnosis (see the example of a CSR maturity assessment on the Lucie agency website) of your current position on each of the 3 CSR pillars, or draw up a company-wide SWOT analysis to highlight your company's strengths and weaknesses, which can then be linked to CSR. Conducting an audit with all your stakeholders (internal and external) is also a good way to get started. This study, whether carried out by an external consultant or not, will enable you to formulate your initial recommendations.

Step 3: Define action plan and budget

This stage is certainly the most concrete of all. Your project is about to be implemented. You need to prioritize your actions according to the CSR challenges and issues facing your sector, territory and organization. You won't be able to carry out all the actions identified in step 2 at the same time. Mapping the issues according to the 3 pillars, or drawing up a materiality matrix, will enable you to identify the societal issues that are most likely to impact your company's results or the perception of your stakeholders.

Example of a materiality matrix at Edenred

A budget can be allocated to the approach, whether to recruit a new profile, call in external experts to oversee the approach or set up tools, such as a solidarity commitment platform with Wenabi. But the potential savings in the medium term (less energy and resources) and long term (fewer risks and crises) are not negligible.

To find out more: CSR labels and certifications: everything you need to know to make the right choice!

Step 4: Train and engage teams

For a CSR approach to be truly effective, it is essential that it be supported by all employees, as well as internally and externally by all stakeholders. You can therefore train your teams in CSR so that everyone has the necessary basic knowledge of social responsibility and sustainable development. These training days will also provide an opportunity to review the fundamentals of the CSR approach and the issues at stake for the company.

Step 5: Communicating on actions

Communicating your strategy takes place at several levels and in a very precise order. First of all, internally, to get your teams on board and ensure that they implement the actions listed, in terms of infrastructure (no more individual waste garbage cans, waste sorting is generalized in offices) and/or their job (reduce the digital impact of the organization's website for technical teams). This information must be simple (in form and content) and easy to access, so that every employee can make it their own. Promote your company's sustainable actions externally, to enhance your image or influence future recruitment decisions, for example.

Don't hesitate to communicate regularly on your CSR approach, in addition to the traditional annual report generally shared by companies. You can talk about it in video on your social networks, or in writing in your newsletter, on your website or blog. However, beware of greenwashing: only communicate about changes that have actually been implemented.

Step 6: Measure results

Since change management is designed to promote continuous improvement, transparency and evaluation, it is essential to measure impact and adjust certain actions if necessary. For this reason, it is also essential to associate expected objectives and measurement indicators with each action. For example, you can measure the company's carbon footprint, absenteeism rate, gender pay gap, training hours, etc., all of which will help you to assess the effectiveness of your actions.

Evaluation can also be carried out at the level of stakeholders' CSR approach, in order to train them, raise their awareness and question them about their social responsibility. It's a way of exchanging best practices and working together towards a common goal.

Also note that in France, from January 2025, companies with more than 250 employees and a balance sheet exceeding 20 million euros and/or sales exceeding 40 million euros will be required to publish an annual non-financial report on the social and environmental issues related to their activities. This framework is established by the CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive), which came into force in January 2024.

A successful CSR approach

If you've planned to follow the steps suggested below to launch and manage your approach, there's no doubt that it will be a real success. But if you're looking for a simple checklist to make sure you're on the right track, here it is:

• Surround yourself with ambassadors from different teams, so you can carry the project together and not be alone;
• Disseminate CSR culture as soon as you onboard new employees;
• Communicate the approach over the long term through regular meetings and the sharing of news at traditional events: meetings, annual greetings, anniversaries, communications to managers, solidarity team-building, etc. A little tip: use Wenabi's CSR calendar to make sure you don't miss a single event.
• Always prioritize stock quality over quantity.‍

The social pillar of CSR: examples of corporate approaches

The social pillar at EDF

By way of example, let's look back at the CSR approach of the EDF Group Foundation, with which Wenabi has organized the Prix des e.n.g.a.g.é.e.s in 2021. Globally, the approach covers 3 areas of intervention in France and internationally: Environment - Education - Inclusion. By 2021, 269 projects had been carried out in these 3 areas, with a total budget of 10 million euros. Employee commitment is one of the Group's key initiatives: 1,500 employees took part in solidarity actions last year, thanks in particular to the Prix des e.n.g.a.g.é.e.s. (e.n.g.a.g.e.e.s. prize). This internal call for projects, carried out with Wenabi on the EDF Group Foundation's commitment platform, rewards the volunteer commitment of 200 Group employees by awarding a €2,000 donation to their nonprofit. This program has made it possible to highlight the mobilization of our teams and the associations they support. The 3 associations receiving the most votes were : L'nonprofit Adrien, Andi'chiens and Jardin botanique de Marnay sur Seine.

Download the complete case study on the implementation of the EDF program

Best practices in SMEs

Are you looking for a few simple best practices to put in place to frame the social pillar of your CSR strategy? You could, for example, host a nonprofit charity in your offices if space permits, or contact your local council to develop a partnership to promote employment for priority groups. Social responsibility is also an integral part of your human resources policy. Make sure you vary the profiles that join your teams. Put your trust in young people, seniors and people with disabilities. And why not launch a platform to enable every employee to get involved both inside and outside the company? Wenabi is here to help you!

Do you come away from this reading with a host of ideas for launching or managing your CSR approach? Can't wait to get started? Then we've succeeded! If setting up a solidarity platform for your employees is one of your challenges, don't hesitate to contact us. Don't forget that every gesture counts, and that you now have all the keys you need to make corporate social responsibility your new credo.