In the past, whenever I heard about CSR, it sounded to me either like the latest trendy topic, or a blatant communication tool. I've changed my mind about it though – there are indeed good deeds worth promoting. The following examples of engagement struck me the most.
1. Solidarity initiatives – showcasing employee engagement
Even the smallest contribution can make a difference towards building a better world. This is why some employees opt for "arrondi solidaire" – the French equivalent of payroll giving – to tackle poverty. French Group Soparind Bongrain is offering its employees this option to demonstrate their generosity. Under this arrangement, cents of Euros are collected on the payroll and given out to charity.
Time is money, so others choose to give out some of their time. On an average, these workers are offered one to three extra days off as a compensation for helping out on CSR initiatives. These often reflect the company and its employees. For instance, Société Générale chose to focus on the topic of employability, by sponsoring the youth coming from underprivileged neighbourhoods through an organization named "Nos quartiers ont du talent". SAP employees can help out organizations dedicated to childhood and education. Anne-Christine Maisonneuse, HR Manager at Dimension Data, has another, original example: along with her colleagues, she's contributed to setting up stages and installing carpets at the Solidays concert, a huge music festival set up every year near Paris, whose proceedings are donated to organizations fighting against AIDS. A brilliant idea indeed!
As a result, employees are offering their knowledge and skills, and give out some of their time to assist such organizations. The time spent on these charity actions values the initiatives of these workers, which in turn values the support of engaged leaderships.
2. Environmental initiatives – time to respect the planet
Other CSR approaches aim at preserving the environment. Schneider Electric has chosen this path by participating in the building of the recent "refuge du Gouter", near Mont Blanc's peak, in the French Alps. Amongst employees helping out, Gabrielle Leroy says she will keep "fond memories of this beautiful human adventure, and a great field experience." Now that is a great example!*
Heineken has another great success to share. To promote its sustainability approach, the group chose the H2O building for its Paris offices. This building has obtained the Breeam Good-level certification. This is a win-win situation because the aim of this decision was also to contribute to the well-being of Heineken's 500 employees. The people working there can enjoy ergonomic furniture, powerful IT tools, Wi-Fi, rationalized printing facilities to reduce paper waste, and very cozy, lounge-type sharing spaces.
3. Diversity initiatives
But CSR isn't limited to charity or sustainability. It also means respecting each and every one – men and women, disabled workers, the underprivileged... Speaking about diversity, hats off to Valeo and Ing Bank France.
Valeo is actively committed in favour of women. The company strives to promote their employment and equal opportunities, while supporting cultural diversity. The latter is a significant competitiveness challenge for Valeo – women account for a third of the group's workforce. Not a small feat knowing that we're mainly talking about engineer positions.
In another industry, namely banking and finance, Ing Bank France boasts an impressive 51% percent of feminine workforce – an obvious, tangible sign that this company does indeed care about women! During a conference on the topic of Top Employers and diversity, Muriel Rocher, HR Manager of Ing Bank France, revealed that one of her company's initiatives in this field was their active support of organizations such as
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Elles Bougent or Financi’elles, "for benchmarking purposes, to obtain management tools, access think tanks on news topics, and participate on the banking industry's consultancy on the matter".
4. Ethics and transparency
CSR also means being clean both on the outside and the inside of the company. Several businesses have chosen to promote transparency of their finances. In favour of this approach, Soparind Bongrain Group has adhered to the United Nations Global Compact, which implies complying with ten universal principles related to human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption.
Other companies even go further by contracting specialized organisations providing CSR analysis services. Amongst these, GAIA or EthiFinance provide independent, non-financial reviews. They specialize in measuring Corporate Social Responsibility and guiding managers in taking responsible investment decisions. Both Soparind Bongrain Group and Solucom have obtained the Gaia index 2012 seal of approval.
5. Well-being at work
CSR also focuses on companies caring about their employees' well-being. And on that matter, some of them are really spoiled. Examples? Free fruits, massage sessions, Pilates training, etc. The latter example comes from JT International. Its HR Manager, Denis Rouquayrol, also told me they were organising runnings with his colleagues to stay in shape. At ING Bank, Muriel Rocher promotes sophrology and the month of quality of life. But I have to admit that the most appealing idea to me is PepsiCo's concept of "relaxation bubbles" between every office. Can you imagine?
I believe this is what CSR is all about: concrete actions highlighting corporate values. Please share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
