This week CSR news is going around the world.
In France, we are seeing an encouraging drop in emissions even if it remains insufficient. We are on the right track!
The European Union is strengthening its fight against greenwashing, adopting a law to restore nature and the debated CSRD. A real movement is taking place.
And at the global level, the achievement of the SDGs is stagnating or even regressing; real efforts will be needed to successfully improve the situation.
And the World Bank has accepted the payment of capital to the countries most vulnerable to the damage caused by climate change.
Discover the details of the 10 CSR news in this article.
European companies see an opportunity in CSRD
The firm PwC has published a survey that reveals that the majority of European business leaders see in the CSRD an economic opportunity. In fact, 60% of the 547 respondents oppose the idea, which is now widespread, that the CSRD would be essentially restrictive.
It is the most advanced companies in reporting processes that position themselves in this way. In other words, the economic opportunity that CSRD represents is offered above all to those who play the game of responsibility.
A competitive lever for improving its environmental performance, it is also a “way of better engage their external and internal stakeholders.”
The cultural industry also concerned by CSR
Media for the distribution of artistic and cultural productions (films, exhibitions, books, etc.) are likely to spread hate speech, going against women's rights, against the facts established by climate experts, against human rights... As such, cultural and creative industries have a strong responsibility for their editorial choices.
With social networks as a massive relay of ideas and discourses, companies must question their social impact through the dissemination of cultural productions.
Today, many cultural productions are distributed through economic giants such as Amazon, Meta, Google... The latter have a great responsibility in verifying the ethical dimension of content that they market.
Achievement of the SDGs is stagnating in France and around the world
The United Nations publishes its Sustainable Development Report annually. In 2024, the latter reveals that internationally “no SDG is on track to be achieved”. Despite the long way to go, France moved from 6th to 5th place among the 167 nations in the ranking.
84% of SDG targets show limited progress, otherwise in decline globally. Moreover, the evolution of SDG performances varies considerably between countries.
The UN identifies 5 areas of work to improve a situation that they describe as “major challenge” of the 21st century:
- Sustainable development and its 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 High Council for Climate (HCC), an independent advisory body, has published its 6th annual report. In the latter, he enjoins France to maintain the course of an “encouraging” reduction in its GHG emissions.
Provided that the efforts that have been started are continued on a lasting basis, the prospect of achieving the goals set for 2030 is credible, according to the HCC.
On the other hand, they claim that current policies are “inadequate” to achieve the carbon neutrality objective set by 2050. Moreover, France would be insufficiently prepared for the effects of climate change and its impact on the territory and populations.
“We're not on the right track yet, but we can get there, it's encouraging.” explains Corinne Le Quéré, climatologist and president of the HCC.
The EU strengthens its fight against greenwashing
The member states of The EU adopted a text aimed at “banning false environmental claims from labels and advertisements.” In other words, a business will have to justify every piece of communication, factual evidence, and supporting data.
Objective and measurable criteria are therefore at the heart of this approach. Thus, frequent checks will support the distribution of labels and other official European certifications.
It is planned material and educational support for SMEs, in order to support their compliance. The text thus intends 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 large study pointing to the responsibility of 4 major industries in the deaths of 2.7 million Europeans:
- The alcohol,
- Fossil fuels,
- Tobacco,
- Ultra-processed food.
Cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, diabetes, cancers... so many diseases caused by the excessive consumption of these substances.
Why do we talk about responsibility? Car these industries conduct lobbying campaigns and highly targeted marketing and sometimes even misinformation. Practices that “consist in exploiting vulnerable people (...), in deceiving consumers”, says Hans Kluge, regional director of WHO.
France will facilitate the electrification of heavy goods vehicles from VSEs/SMEs
Heavy-duty vehicles represent 23% of GHG emissions from the road sector. Electrifying your vehicle fleet is very expensive and represents a real risk for SMEs in the sector. Thus, the government is setting up a “window dedicated to the acquisition of heavy electric vehicles” for support its energy transition.
This window takes the form of a call for projects, and potential beneficiaries will have to prepare a file that will be studied. A list of winners is expected in December.
Thus, VSEs/SMEs will be able to send their applications in August to hope benefit from a share of the 20 million euros which are reserved for them in a larger envelope of 130 million.
Europe adopts a law to restore nature
Unexpected, the adoption of the law as part of the European Green Deal is the result of the political reversal of the Austrian Minister of Ecology. It plans to restore 20% of the EU's land and sea areas, and more generally “all ecosystems degraded by 2050".
Following a bitter political battle between the various agriculture ministers of the EU Member States, a consensus was reached. Remarkable fact: the Austrian Leonore Gewessler voted in favor of the text against the opinion of her government.
From now on, European countries will have to transcribe it and equip themselves with the necessary resources for its implementation. They will have to restore up to 30% of degraded habitats on their national territory by 2030, “then in the medium term by 60% by 2040 and 90% by 2050".
The AMF called upon to act against greenwashing
Greenwashing is the promotion of falsely sustainable financial products through misleading advertising. Thus, NGOs and public figures have urged the Autorité des Marches Financiers (AMF) to better fight against this practice, which delays and discredits sustainable finance initiatives.
More specifically, they call on him to “take firm measures” in order to punish and deter any economic actor to use these greenwashing practices. Their aim is to “clarify the rules of the game.”
An initiative that 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 and fossil development projects.
Countries vulnerable to climate damage will soon receive funding
The World Bank has accepted the payment of capital 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” by Jean-Christophe Donnellier, Inspector General of the Treasury.
The next step is to select the beneficiaries of this $661 million fund. It is powered by the states that would, voluntarily, feel most responsible for the climate crisis.
Finally, the philosophy of this approach includes take into consideration non-economic damage : “social and cultural losses, forced relocations, losses of heritage”.
The sources
Novethic “The majority of European companies see CSRD as an opportunity”
Les Echos “CSR: culture also in the crosshairs”
RSE Magazine “Greenwashing: the EU adopts new reinforced measures”
Novethic “Four industries cause the death of nearly 3 million Europeans every year”
RSE Magazine “VSE/SMEs: a window to accelerate the electrification of heavy vehicles”
Youmatter “The law to restore nature finally adopted by Europe”
Sustainable news “NGOs urge the AMF to act against greenwashing”
Novethic “Losses and damages: “a first payment could be made as early as 2025”
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