Welcome to our recap of the latest news on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
As the importance of sustainable and ethical practices continues to grow, it is crucial for businesses to stay informed and proactive. In this edition, we explore a variety of topics, from the impact of legal services on CSR transformation, to new regulations affecting businesses in the area of human rights and climate change.
Happy reading!
CSR and legal services: what are the challenges for businesses?
The French Association of Corporate Lawyers (AFJE) and Pwc Legal Business Solutions have published a joint report that questions the role of lawyers in the transformation of business models linked to new CSR challenges.
Their first observation is the following: “1 company out of 2 has not evolved its legal team” to meet the CSR challenge. A figure that can only be understood in the light of another fundamental fact: the strong correlation between the size of the company and its turnover and its level of maturity on ESG and CSR issues.
Indeed, only the largest companies are concerned by European regulations, and see them as a strategic issue. However, even in this case, the legal department is not always considered as a full-fledged partner in CSR services, but rather as a support.
Arcom sanctions CNews for climatoscepticism
For the very first time, a television channel is financially sanctioned for the absence of contradiction brought to a speaker who defended a thesis questioning the human origin of climate change.
Arcom was contacted by Quota Climat, a collective that campaigns for greater visibility of environmental issues in the media. The excerpt pointed out concerns Philippe Herlin, a supporter of Eric Zemmour and supporter of an “anti-transition” energy list in the 2024 European elections.
“Anthropogenic global warming is a lie, a scam” he said, in order to justify the weight of the State in society, in his opinion. For breaching its obligation to contradict and honestly present different points of view, the channel was fined €20,000, which adds to the already extensive list of financial penalties to be paid.
“Alarming” delay by big companies on human rights
The World Benchmarking Alliance has published a report that questions the vigilance of the 2,000 most influential companies on the planet in terms of human rights. Thus, these “basic expectations of society in respect of them” show a delay that is considered “alarming”.
While the European duty of vigilance (CSDDD) will force European companies to respect human rights throughout their value chain, compliance efforts seem enormous.
In fact, the report concludes that 80% of 2,000 businesses “obtain a score of 0 in terms of the implementation of the duty of vigilance on human rights”. 90% of them have not implemented half of the initiatives allowing them to meet the basic requirements of the CSDDD for human rights...
The heatwave: a new reason for technical unemployment in the construction industry
Following a decree, the Labor Code now takes global warming into account. In fact, when an orange or red heatwave alert is issued by Météo France, employers will be able to suspend construction sites. In such a situation, employees will continue to be paid 75%.
Compensation of 75% of salaries will now come from a fund filled by various construction companies in preparation for these situations. However, this will not increase employer contributions, because this “weather fund” was designed at a time when frost and snow were much more frequent than today.
This is a telling example of the adaptation of public policies to climate change, which takes into account the well-being of employees at work.
Digital economy: the UN alerts on its environmental impact
Unctad, the UN agency for trade and development, warns of the negative impacts of the digital economy on the environment. This is due to two main factors: the excessive consumption of data centers (water and electricity) as well as the exhaustion of raw materials.
The discourse carried out by the agency is not fundamentally accusing the digital economy, but rather aims to support “solid policies to strengthen the sustainability of digital growth.”
In addition to the environmental issue, there is the social issue: those left behind by the digital revolution will suffer the double punishment of global warming and limited access to new technologies.
The UN publishes 10 best practices for businesses
The UN Global Compact, a bridge between the United Nations and businesses, publishes a set of recommendations and best practices for businesses. They aim to deepen the SDGs and to draw up an ambitious working framework towards a world of work that is more respectful of the environment and human rights.
More than 22,000 companies, including 2,100 French companies, belong to the initiative. The valorization of virtuous uses makes it possible to show concrete ways of improvement to companies through tangible examples.
Value chain traceability, parity, fight against corruption... all solutions that support the implementation of a “universal commitment framework allowing companies to implement effective and measurable actions”, says Nils Pedersen, General Delegate of the UN Global Compact - Réseau France
Record heat in the month of June
The European Earth observation program Copernicus has published data that indicates that June 2024 is breaking heat records all around the world. The measured average is 16.66 °C, which is 0.67 °C more than between 1991 and 2020 over the same period.
This observation maintains the current month of June in the ongoing series of unusually high temperatures during the year. Indeed, it is the twelfth in a row that exceeds the averages of the pre-industrial era by 1.5°C.
The measurements taken are not the result of a “statistical oddity”, but of “a significant and continuous change in our climate”, says Carlo Buontempo, the director of the Copernicus program. The latter recalls the role that GHGs play in the observation of these abnormally high temperatures.
Reconditioning electronics: towards new business models?
Electronic devices are massively produced and purchased, and represent a considerable part of the consumption of energy and raw materials. In a few years, their reconditioning went from 10 to 25% of the market.
Gautier Feld, co-founder of CircularX, compares this evolution to that of the used car market, which now represents 70% of car sales. It highlights the untapped potential of repairing and recovering electronic equipment, which is often discarded while 95% of its components are still functioning.
However, the price problem persists in a market where repair and maintenance operations can sometimes exceed the new purchase price. “It is not normal that repair is not the easiest approach” laments Christopher Santerre, ex-CEO of L'Incredible.
The French tidal turbine supported by the State
The hydraulic industrial sector says it is ready to carry out the ambition of the project of the largest hydroelectric park in Europe in Normandy. The government and Emmanuel Macron have affirmed their support for the initiative.
In this respect, the France 2030 Plan allocates 65 million euros in aid to this “Flowatt farm”, which provides for the installation of 6 tidal turbines with a capacity of 17 megawatts (MW). The aim is to reach a capacity of 250 and then 500 MW by 2030.
Tiddling is more acceptable than wind or solar, and provides energy companies with greater predictability linked to marine currents that are directly correlated to lunar gravity. This consensus supports a sector that could, in France, be among the most efficient in Europe.
Corporate sport is still too rare in France
Only 2.5 million French people practice sports in business out of the 27 million active people. Medef has published a barometer which indicates that only 13% of managers have put in place “arrangements in favor of the practice of physical and sports activity for employees”.
However, the benefits of sport are well known to all. In this case, why is it not widely established in businesses? The main reason is the cost: showers and reorganizing space are expensive and often put forward as a deterrent.
However, sports practice is directly linked to CSR: an employee who practices regular physical activity falls less ill and promotes their general well-being. Enough to convince companies of the interest of investing in adapted infrastructures.
The sources
CSR Magazine “ESG-RSE: 1 company out of 2 has not changed its legal team”
Novethic “CNews sanctioned for climatoscepticism, a first”
Novethic “Duty of vigilance: big companies far from counting on human rights”
Sustainable news “The UN warns of the damage of the digital economy on the environment”
Green “June 2024 was the hottest on record”
Youmatter “Sustainable transformation of business models: the example of electronics”
Sustainable news “Energy: tidal turbines in the starting blocks”
Carenews”Why corporate sport is struggling to establish itself in France”
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