What is reforestation? How does reforestation impact the environment? Here’s our guide to sustainable companies that keep reforestation in mind.

Reforestation: Our Guide to Sustainable Companies

California’s Climate Corporate Accountability Act, Senate Bill 260, passed the state senate. Here’s what it could mean for large companies if passed into law.

What is the Climate Corporate Accountability Act (Senate Bill 260)?

What is the Carbon Disclosure Project, otherwise known as CDP for short – and why is it important?

Our Guide to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)

What is ESG data, and how can it be used to improve the social, economic, and governance parts of your business?

What is ESG Data and How to Use it?

Ines Gendre

After graduating in 2016 with a master’s degree in marketing, Ines began her career in project management. However she soon decided to turn towards writing, to bring her core competencies to the service of societal changes. First working as a freelance copywriter, she joined Greenly in early 2022 to help fight global warming.

Matthieu Vegreville

Matthieu is a 28 year-old graduate engineer from Ecole Polytechnique and Télecom Paris, with a background in data science at Withings. While there, he worked on watch activity detection algorithms, and developed a health study activity so that connected objects could be used to better monitor certain pathologies. He has long been involved in data science projects with his brother, who has the same training. Faced with the urgency of the climate crisis, he decided to put his know-how at the service of the environment. 

After seeking opportunities to put her various creative passions to good use, she joined Greenly in mid 2022 as SEO copywriter for the U.S. blog to provide her American perspective on the climate change issues we face today.

Stephanie Safdie - Greenly

Stephanie completed a bachelor's degree in English & Multimedia in 2020 at the University of Maryland College Park. She previously worked as a social media content video creator and freelance copywriter. After seeking opportunities to put her various creative passions to good use, she joined Greenly in mid 2022 as SEO copywriter for the U.S. blog to provide her American perspective on the climate change issues we face today. 

Kara joined the team at Greenly in 2023 as SEO copywriter for the UK market.

Kara Anderson - Greenly

Kara studied her bachelors of law at the University of Glasgow and her masters in international law at the University of Aberdeen, before looking for a more creative career path. She found this in advertising, working as a content manager in London. After a move to Paris in 2019 she decided to switch to freelance copywriting in order to scratch her creative itch. Kara joined the team at Greenly in 2023 as SEO copywriter for the UK market.  

Arnaud Delubac

Arnaud, 26 years old, trained as a designer and in digital communication at INSEEC before joining the Master Entrepreunariat at ESSEC-CentraleSupélec. Passionate about social media since his teenage years, he has created some of the biggest Twitter communities in France before joining the digital communication team of the Prime Minister’s office in Matignon. It was at the Secretaries of State for Digital, Mounir Mahjoubi and Cédric O, where Arnaud directly managed the team, that he developed a strong conviction for the need to use technology to bring awareness to the greatest causes of our time.

Alexis Normand

Alexis is a 37 year-old graduate of HEC and Sciences-Po. After his studies, he spent 2 years working in public policy consulting. He then spent 6 years at Withings, a leading company in connected objects. While there, he continued the companies operations in Boston, USA, and created the company’s health department. After the company was bought by Nokia, he joined the startup Embleema by working through Techstars, one of the best startup incubators in the United States, where he developed a taste for entrepreneurship. His return to France was an opportunity to put all his experience at the service of the environment, during a crucial moment in the climate crisis.

Justine Dumont

Justine a toujours été passionnée de lecture et d’écriture. En 2019, elle parvient justement à faire de sa passion son métier, en devenant rédactrice web indépendante. Motivée par ses engagements écologiques, elle rejoint l’équipe de Greenly en 2022 afin de mettre ses compétences au service de la cause environnementale. 

An email has just been sent to you with a link to download the resource :)

Your request has been taken into account.

4 pitfalls to avoid for an effective CSR policy

Have you decided to launch a CSR strategy? We’ve written this article to help you avoid the most common pitfalls and obstacles.

Monsanto presented Roundup as a biodegradable product, Coca-Cola repainted its cans in green and H&amp;M created a vaguely eco-sounding collection. Nowadays, these superficial actions are inevitably called out by increasingly seasoned and demanding consumers. Companies can't boast about CSR&nbsp;like they used to anymore! Nevertheless, it is now essential for companies to <a href="https://www.greenly.earth/blog/demarche-rse-entreprise" id="">adopt a sustainable approach</a>, whether start-ups or large corporations, if they want to avoid alienating their consumers. And for good reason: customers are increasingly influenced by the practical commitments made by brands, from the sourcing of raw materials to carbon offsetting, to inclusiveness and transparency. So, how do you ensure that you have implemented a truly effective CSR policy that is recognized as such? Let’s consider some of the pitfalls to avoid for companies thinking about <a href="https://www.greenly.earth/blog/rse-guide-pour-mener-sa-strategie" id="">implementing a CSR policy</a>.👉 Objective: to avoid making wild claims and to implement genuinely sustainable measures. ‍<h2 id="">Pitfall 1: Not implementing a CSR policy </h2>‍Yes, it’s as simple as that! It may surprise you, but many organisations still make this mistake, especially major corporations.With the majority founded in the 20th century, large companies and groups are often stuck in rigid (and sometimes outdated!) managerial and ecological practices, which are difficult to change and align with the expectations of today’s employees and consumers.At first glance, the strategies available to these companies may seem limited compared to those of smaller, newer and more agile structures. However, the introduction of a CSR policy within large groups will be all the more beneficial if it makes a major impact in line with the scope of the company’s operations, and it is likely to bring about a more significant change in society. A CSR policy should be implemented for social or ecological reasons, and neglecting to do so is never a good idea. This was demonstrated by a study published by Oney and OpinionWay which examined consumer behaviour in France, Spain, Portugal and Hungary. It reported that 90% of respondents expect retailers to be committed to social engagement. In the age of global warming, minimalism, questioning the status quo and the trend for second-hand goods, consumers take into account not only the commercial cost of each purchase but also the ecological cost.These findings are supported by a report published by the Capgemini Research Institute analyzing brand’s sustainability initiatives and their impact on consumers’ buying behavior and expectations. The report highlights the growing importance of sustainability as a key driver for consumers:79% of consumers are changing their purchase preferences based on social responsibility, inclusiveness or environmental impact. 67% of consumers said that they will be more cautious about the scarcity of natural resources due to the COVID-19 crisis and 65% said that they will be more mindful about the impact of their overall consumption following the health crisis.The survey found that, at present, concerns about sustainability are affecting the purchasing behavior of more than half of the population: 53% of consumers overall and 57% of consumers in the 18–24 age group have switched to lesser-known brands if they are sustainable. More than half (52%) of consumers say that they share an emotional connection with products or organisations that they perceive as sustainable. ‍<h2 id="">Pitfall 2: Not communicating at all levels of the company</h2>‍In order to implement <a href="https://www.greenly.earth/blog/rse-influence-reputation-entreprise" id="">an effective CSR policy</a>, it is important to communicate with all the company’s stakeholders. To this end, the department responsible for developing CSR should take the opportunity to attract and build loyalty among the company's employees. Employees working for companies that have set up a CSR department are more inclined to stay with the company in the long term.According to a study conducted in 2019 by HelloWork, 40% of recruiters think that candidates are more demanding than before. And the same is true for almost two thirds of respondents to the survey “Le regard des Français et leur Appropriation de la RSE” (French People’s Views and Adoption of CSR).A company's CSR policy is undoubtedly a key criterion when it comes to applying to an organisation, especially for younger people. These results were corroborated by the barometer published in 2019 by MEDEF, which stipulates that CSR is now essential for half of employees, and their performance and commitment improves in correlation with the sustainable policies adopted.‍<h2 id="">Pitfall 3: Getting involved in CSR for the sake of appearances </h2>‍<a href="https://www.greenly.earth/blog/greenwashing-definition-exemple" id="">Greenwashing</a>, i.e. using false ecological claims to promote a brand and make it appear more eco-friendly in the eyes of the public, is no longer an option.Not only is greenwashing easily identified by increasingly suspicious consumers, it has also been criticised by ARPP (French Advertising Self-Regulatory Organization), ADEME and the National Assembly, which in 2019 adopted an amendment banning the terms “biodegradable” and “environmentally friendly” on packaging.‍ Similarly, CSR-washing no longer fools anyone. So, rather than extolling empty measures (the use of green products by a company that is not green, suggestive images, misleading slogans or green jargon etc.), companies must provide transparent, accurate, quantifiable and verifiable data on their operations. To ensure that the actions taken are legitimate, reference should be made to certain internationally recognised standards: ISO 26000 (sustainable development), ISO 14001 (environment) and the SA 8000 standard (working conditions).💡A tip from Greenly: The most effective way for a company to demonstrate its ecological commitment is still to reference an internationally-recognised and certifiable methodology, such as the carbon assessment. Along the same lines, obtaining certain labels, such as the B-Corp Label, proves the authenticity of the actions implemented. Another tool that can be used is the Pacte Law of 22 May 2019, which gives companies the right to declare a “purpose” defining their mission in a way that goes beyond simple profitmaking.‍<h2 id="">Pitfall 4: Not including digital technology in the CSR policy</h2>‍It is important to remember that the digital sector is not an ethereal, abstract concept, it is embodied through a series of highly energy-intensive physical structures which generate <a href="https://www.greenly.earth/bilan-carbone-entreprise" id="">significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions</a>. The sector is estimated to be responsible for 3.7% of total GHG emissions and 4.2% of global primary energy consumption. In France, the digital sector accounted for 2% of total emissions in 2019! According to studies carried out by INSEE and the think tank The Shift Project, 44% of the digital carbon footprint can be attributed to the manufacture of computer terminals, IT centres and networks, and 56% can be attributed to their use, which ranges from sending emails to watching videos. Therefore, reducing this carbon footprint must also involve consolidating a company’s mobile phone fleet and its use. Furthermore, aligning the use of technology with your CSR policy means carefully considering certain issues, such as data security and respect for consumer privacy, as well as all associated tools such as internal use and artificial intelligence. For example, in its 2019 CSR report, Microsoft set out some principles to guide sound and responsible AI development and use: fairness, inclusiveness, reliability, transparency, privacy, and accountability. In short, they represent simple common sense, but this can sometimes be sorely lacking. ‍‍‍🚀 For more information:<ul id=""><li id=""><a href="https://www.greenly.earth/blog/bilan-carbone-secteurs-economique" id="">What is the carbon footprint of the main economic sectors?</a></li><li id=""><a href="https://www.greenly.earth/blog/comment-realiser-mon-bilan-carbone-personnel" id="">How do I assess my personal carbon footprint?</a></li><li id=""><a href="https://www.greenly.earth/blog/communication-rse" id="">How do you implement a CSR communication strategy?</a></li><li id=""><a href="https://www.greenly.earth/blog/compensation" id="">How can you reduce and offset your carbon footprint?</a></li><li id=""><a href="https://www.greenly.earth/blog/demarche-rse-entreprise" id="">Why and how do you commit to a CSR approach?</a></li><li id=""><a href="https://www.greenly.earth/blog/empreinte-carbone-alimentation" id="">How can you assess the carbon footprint of your food?</a></li></ul>‍‍

We share green news once a month (or more if we find interesting things to tell you)

Your request has been taken into account.

4 pitfalls to avoid for an effective CSR policy

Green-Tok, a newsletter dedicated to climate green news

More articles

Reforestation: Our Guide to Sustainable Companies

What is the Climate Corporate Accountability Act (Senate Bill 260)?

Our Guide to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)