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In this week's CSR news, we'll be talking about the world of work, with the impact of skills sponsorship and CSR training for employees, as well as other topics such as the results of the Green Deal and the dropping of TotalEnergies' lawsuit against Greenpeace.
Enjoy your reading!
What is the CSR impact of skills sponsorship?
Skills sponsorship is a practice whereby a company makes an employee available free of charge to an association or public-interest organization, during his or her working hours. Sociologist Mathilde Renault-Tinacci, a specialist in this field, reveals that this scheme is much appreciated by employees.
Indeed, the benefits are numerous. Firstly, employees can develop their skills in new environments that present new challenges. What's more, it's an opportunity to give greater meaning to one's activity, by making it available to socially useful projects. Finally, it is seen as "a way of improving self-esteem by getting involved in concrete actions".
The sociologist points out that this approach sometimes appears as a managerial solution in response to the dysfunctions of the job market: accompanying older people towards retirement, avoiding burn-out, escaping pressure, etc.
AI, a solution for ethical consumption?
According to a Criteo study that aims to interrogate the links between consumer eco-consciousness and new technologies, "46% of consumers believe that AI will soon help them opt for more sustainable choices".
The study reveals an overall positive view of AI on the consumer side, with 57% saying they are willing to be recommended links that direct them to products aligned with their ethical convictions. "For many consumers, it's a real everyday tool for finding the products that suit them," says Marc Fischli, Executive Managing Director EMEA at Criteo.
Generally speaking, the study shows a trend among consumers to prefer ethical and sustainable consumption alternatives, despite a slightly higher purchase price. A welcome development for companies wishing to deepen their CSR initiatives.
CSR training for professionals
L'Info durable has selected 4 training courses to get you started in the CSR professions during the course of your professional career. It's never too late to redirect your career towards a more sustainable activity!
Essec - Sustainable development and CSR: a 6-day training course covering management issues and adaptation to climate change.
Demos - Sustainable development and CSR training: a professional training organization, this course is aimed primarily at marketing managers.
Edhec - CSR strategy training: Strategy-oriented, this 5-day course offers the keys to understanding the "challenges, rules and models of CSR".
Des Enjeux et des Hommes - Mesures et comptabilités écologiques: designed by Tek4life, this course aims to develop skills in socio-environmental accounting, uncoupled from purely financial issues.
What's the verdict on Europe's Green Deal?
With the European elections coming up on June 9, the question arises as to what role the European Green Deal (or Green Pact) has played during the current term of office, which is about to be renewed. As a reminder, the major challenge of this initiative is to achieve a climate-neutral Europe by 2050.
The EU has achieved a number of major political and regulatory successes, making it the "compass of the European economy": end of internal combustion vehicles by 2035, carbon tax at borders, CSRD, CSDDD, SFDR... All these laws and regulatory packages reflect the EU's strong ecological commitment.
However, some commentators qualify this assessment. Particularly with regard to agriculture, where, as we have seen in recent months, there have been major setbacks in terms of protecting biodiversity and nature. A case in point is the adoption of a limited version of the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) that is less ambitious than expected.
For sustainable textiles, the hemp challenge
According to a report by Textile Exchange, France was the world's leading hemp producer in 2021, with total production of 143,000 tonnes. A plant used mainly in the cosmetics, food and technical sectors, a French textile company is now betting on this local, sustainable material for its garments.
In fact, Frech Filature is banking on this plant, which is more resistant than others to the vagaries of the weather. In particular, it adapts more easily by seeking water deep in the earth. What's more, it requires no phytosanitary products, according to Karim Behlouli, Managing Director of NatUp fibres, which owns the subsidiary that manages the Normandy spinning mill.
It's also an initiative that promotes a local, low-carbon economy, and supports the French social model.
The paradoxes of French photovoltaics
Why is it so difficult to manufacture solar panels in France? Despite the fact that solar power is the cheapest and fastest way to achieve an effective ecological transition, and that many countries are promoting it as a solution for the future, European photovoltaic industries are going bankrupt or relocating.
The first cause is competition from China, which is 10 years ahead of Europe: it has invested over 50 billion euros in the sector since 2011. As a result, Chinese photovoltaic giants have sprung up, exporting panels that are up to 4 times cheaper to produce than in Europe.
The other reason identified is the late political response of the EU and France in this area. However, measures to enhance the value of European production chains are planned, in order to boost the photovoltaic industry in the EU.
AGMs pit investors and companies against each other on CSR issues
Come the Annual General Meeting (AGM) season, shareholders try to influence the management of the companies in which they invest. Although the environment is increasingly important in shareholder dialogue (according to Scalens), divergences can generate tension between investors and the company.
Thus, a company's resolutions may not be in line with a shareholder's vision, who may then vote against them. While some observers claim that such situations are rare, the NGO Reclaim France denounces investors' "lack of ambition in their shareholder engagement".
While some large investors (BNP Paribas AM, Mirova, Amundi...) may oppose resolutions, in France "most resolutions proposed by the company's management have been passed with over 95% of the votes".
TotalEnergies drops its case against Greenpeace
The Paris judicial court has declared inadmissible the proceedings brought by TotalEnergies against Greenpeace for "disseminating misleading information". Indeed, the environmental NGO had published a report in April 2023 which denounced the oil group for largely "underestimating its greenhouse gas emissions for 2019".
To be precise, Greenpeance and Factor-X had calculated a carbon footprint 4 times higher than that claimed by the group, i.e. 1.4 billion tonnes of Co2 eq. instead of 455 million. These results seriously called into question the company's stated ambition of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, deemed "downright fanciful" by the NGO.
While Greenpeace is on the lookout for other opportunities for condemnation, TotalEnergies is planning to join the New York Stock Exchange.
High Court rules UK government's climate policy illegal
The UK's Hight Court has ruled that the Rishi Sunak government's climate action plan is illegal. According to the court, there is insufficient evidence that effective measures will reduce GHG emissions.
The government now has 12 months to comply with the Court's demands. In particular, it has two obligations: to ensure that the UK achieves legally binding carbon budgets, and to meet its commitment to reduce emissions by more than two-thirds by 2030.
The decision was prompted by the environmental groups Friends of the Earth and ClientEarth, who brought a joint legal action against the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
SIAL 2024: food puts CSR in the spotlight
This October, the Salon International de l'Alimentaire will be held in Paris. This is the world's largest event for food industry professionals. For this 2024 edition, the gathering intends to promote "energy sobriety, rigorous waste management and increased promotion of circularity".
As a reminder, the events sector is particularly carbon-intensive: between purchasing, transport of goods and people, and waste management, the balance sheet can be very high.
The show's stated ambition is a 30% improvement in the recycling rate by 2023. In addition, power supply and lighting will be as close as possible to 100% renewable energy.
A re-use platform will be set up for exhibitors, promoting the "circularity of resources" with a view to making the event more sober, and highlighting sustainable and sober practices to visitors.
Sources :
Novethic "With the elections just a month away, has the Green Deal become Europe's compass?"
Reporterre "Solar panels: why is it so difficult to manufacture them in France?"
Youmatter "Skills patronage, between a quest for meaning and a remedy for the ills of the workplace"
RSE Magazine "SIAL Paris: towards a 2024 edition under the sign of CSR".
L'info Durable "Preparing shareholders' meetings: from dialogue to arm wrestling between investors and companies".
Novethic "Made in France: La French Filature bets on hemp, ecological and local"
L'info durable "4 training courses to get involved in CSR and sustainable development".
RSE Magazine "Consumption: the importance of ethics and sustainability".
La Tribune "Climate: TotalEnergies drops its appeal against Greenpeace".
The Guardian "Britain's climate action plan unlawful, high court rules".
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