.svg){kind=logo}
This week, CSR news from around the globe.
In France, we are seeing an encouraging drop in emissions, even if it remains insufficient. We're on the right track!
The European Union is stepping up its fight against greenwashing, adopting a law to restore nature, and the CSRD is generating debate. A real movement is taking shape.
And at global level, achieving the SDGs is stagnating or even regressing, so we're going to have to make real efforts to succeed in improving the situation.
And the World Bank has agreed to disburse capital to those countries most vulnerable to the damage caused by climate change.
Find out more about the 10 CSR news items in this article.
European companies see an opportunity in CSRD
PwC has published a survey revealing that the majority of European business leaders see CSRD as a business opportunity. In fact, 60% of the 547 people surveyed disagreed with the now widespread notion that CSRD is essentially a constraint.
It's the companies with the most advanced reporting processes that are positioning themselves in this way. In other words, the economic opportunity represented by CSRD is mainly open to those who play the game responsibly.
A competitive lever for improving environmental performance, it is also a "way of better engaging external and internal stakeholders".
The cultural industry is also concerned by CSR
The media used to disseminate artistic and cultural productions (films, exhibitions, books, etc.) are liable to propagate hate speech, going against women's rights, against the facts established by climate experts, against human rights... In this respect, the cultural and creative industries have a major responsibility with regard to their editorial choices.
With social networks acting as massive relays for ideas and discourse, companies need to question their social impact through the dissemination of cultural productions.
Today, many cultural productions are distributed by economic giants such as Amazon, Meta, Google... The latter have a major responsibility in verifying the ethical dimension of the content they market.
Achievement of the SDGs stagnates in France and worldwide
The United Nations publishes its annual Sustainable Development Report. In 2024, this report revealed that internationally, "none of the SDGs are on track to be achieved". Despite the long way to go, France climbed from 6th to 5th place among the 167 nations in the ranking.
84% of SDG targets show limited progress, or even regression, worldwide. What's more, trends in SDG performance vary considerably from country to country.
The UN has identified 5 areas of work to improve a situation they describe as a "major challenge" of the 21st century:
- Sustainable development and financing
- International peace and security
- Science, technology and innovation and digital cooperation
- Youth and future generations
- Transforming global governance
Encouraging" drop in emissions in France
The Haut Conseil pour le Climat (HCC), an independent advisory body, has published its 6th annual report. In it, it urges France to stay on course for an "encouraging" reduction in its GHG emissions.
According to the HCC, provided that the efforts already made continue in the long term, the prospect of achieving the targets set for 2030 is credible.
On the other hand, they claim that current policies are "insufficient" to achieve the 2050 target of carbon neutrality. In addition, they claim that France is insufficiently prepared for the effects of climate change and its impact on its territory and populations.
"We're not yet on the right trajectory, but we can get there, which is encouraging," says Corinne Le Quéré, climatologist and president of the HCC.
The EU steps up its fight against greenwashing
EU member states have adopted a text designed to "ban misleading environmental claims from labels and advertising". In other words, a company will have to justify each element of communication with factual evidence and data.
Objective, measurable criteria are at the heart of this approach. Frequent checks will support the distribution of labels and other official European certifications.
Material and educational support is provided for SMEs, to help them achieve compliance. In this way, the text aims to relieve the smallest structures of an excessive administrative burden.
WHO: 4 harmful industries responsible for 2.7 million deaths in Europe
The World Health Organization (WHO) has published a major study blaming 4 major industries for the deaths of 2.7 million Europeans:
- Alcohol,
- Fossil fuels,
- Tobacco,
- Ultra-processed food.
Cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, diabetes, cancer... so many illnesses caused by excessive consumption of these substances.
Why are we talking about responsibility? Because these industries carry out lobbying campaigns, highly targeted marketing and sometimes even misinformation. Practices that "consist in exploiting vulnerable people (...), in misleading consumers", says Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director.
France to make it easier for SMEs to electrify their trucks
Heavy goods vehicles account for 23% of the road sector's GHG emissions. Electrifying their fleets can be very costly, and represents a real risk for VSEs and SMEs in the sector. The government is therefore setting up a "dedicated window for the acquisition of electric heavy-duty vehicles" to support its energy transition.
This window takes the form of a call for projects, and potential beneficiaries will have to put together a dossier which will then be studied. A list of winners is scheduled for December.
As a result, very small businesses will be able to send in their applications as early as August, in the hope of benefiting from a share of the 20 million euros reserved for them within a larger envelope of 130 million.
Europe adopts nature restoration law
The unexpected adoption of the bill as part of the European Green Pact is the result of a political U-turn by Austria's Minister of Ecology. It aims to restore 20% of the EU's land and sea areas, and more generally "all degraded ecosystems by 2050".
Following a bitter political battle between the agriculture ministers of the various EU member states, a consensus was reached. Remarkably, Austria's Leonore Gewessler voted in favor of the text against the advice of her government.
From now on, European countries will have to transcribe it and equip themselves with the necessary means to implement it. They will have to restore 30% of degraded habitats on their national territory by 2030, "then in the medium term 60% by 2040 and 90% by 2050".
AMF urged to take action against greenwashing
Greenwashing is the promotion of falsely sustainable financial products through misleading advertising. NGOs and public figures have urged the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) to do more to combat this practice, which delays and discredits sustainable finance initiatives.
More specifically, they are calling on the Group to "take firm measures" to sanction and dissuade all economic players from resorting to greenwashing practices. Their aim is to "clarify the rules of the game".
This initiative aims to put an end to a situation where, according to Reclaim Finance, more than 2/3 of funds labelled "sustainable" actually invest in highly emissive, fossil fuel-intensive development projects.
Countries vulnerable to climate damage will soon receive funds
The World Bank has agreed to make capital payments to the countries most vulnerable to the damage caused by climate change. Decided at COP28, the first payments from this fund are expected "as early as 2025", according to Jean-Christophe Donnellier, Inspector General of the French Treasury.
The next step is to select the beneficiaries of this $661 million fund . It will be financed by those countries that voluntarily feel most responsible for the climate crisis.
Finally, the philosophy of this approach is to take into account non-economic damage: "social and cultural losses, forced relocations, loss of heritage".
The sources
Novethic "The majority of European companies see CSRD as an opportunity".
Les Echos "CSR: culture also in the firing line".
Carenews "According to SDSN's 2024 report, achieving the SDGs worldwide remains a real challenge"
Le Monde "High Climate Council calls on France to stay on course for 'encouraging' emissions cuts".
RSE Magazine "Greenwashing: the EU adopts new, reinforced measures".
Novethic "Four industries are responsible for the deaths of nearly 3 million Europeans every year".
RSE Magazine "VSE/SME: a portal to accelerate the electrification of heavy vehicles".
Youmatter "Nature restoration law finally adopted by Europe".
Sustainable news "NGOs urge AMF to take action against greenwashing".
Novethic "Losses and damages: "a first payment could be made as early as 2025".
.jpg)