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Sustainability - France

Updated 09/2009

Legal requirements

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

CSR encourages businesses to take account of social and environmental concerns in their business strategies, management and operation methods, and the design of their products and services.

  • Corporate Social Responsibility français

The European Council in Lisbon made CSR a top political priority, resulting in the European Alliance for CSR. France has now followed up these initiatives with its own national sustainable development strategy.

Standards

The best way for businesses to integrate CSR is via existing standards, e.g. quality management standards (ISO 9001), environmental management standards (ISO 14001, EMAS), and occupational health and safety management standards (OHSAS 18001).

  • Management standards français
  • French standardisation body (AFNOR) français

Environmental Management System (EMS)

EMS is a form of business management that seeks to reduce a business's environmental impact through:

  • cost control;
  • integrating regulatory constraints;
  • satisfying client demands;
  • improving a business's image;
  • motivating staff.
  • Environmental management system français
  • Orée (environmental management for sustainable development) français

Socially Responsible Investment (SRI)

SRI is a management method which integrates social and environmental criteria with conventional financial criteria. The SRI manager deals with financial matters (profitability and risk) while taking into account social, ethical and environmental aspects when investing.

  • Novethic - CSR and SRI research centre français

The law requires businesses to comply with minimum social and environmental rules.

Administrative procedures

Applying Corporate Social Responsibility

Businesses interested in introducing CSR can contact the CSR observatory.

  • CSR observatory français

The French standardisation agency advises businesses wanting to incorporate the standards into their business.

  • AFNOR français

Resources

The French              environment and energy management agency (ADEME) helps businesses make the commitment to environmental practices, for example via:

  • 'carbon footprint' software, which calculates a business's greenhouse gas emissions;    
  • pre-diagnostic and diagnostic specifications   to promote rational energy use;    
  • eco-business planning   for introducing environmental management;     
  • the booklet: 'Business travel: a new route for businesses'.
  • French environment and energy management agency
  • 'Carbon footprint' software français
  • Prediagnostic and diagnostic specifications français
  • Eco-business planning pdf [381 KB] français
  • Booklet: 'Business travel: a new route for businesses' français

France's waste exchange publishes adverts to help businesses looking to dispose of and/or re-use waste.

  • Waste exchange français

An energy diagnosis can reduce energy use by around 20%.

  • Information on better energy use in businesses français

Check also the legislation on this topic in:

  • References

    Legal texts

    • Commercial code français
    • Commercial code, article L.225-102-1 français
    • Environment code français

    Key documents

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Further help

The corporate social responsibility observatory (ORSE) helps businesses by:

  • collecting, analysing and distributing data on CSR and SRI;     
  • creating and promoting CSR partner networks;     
  • promoting exchanges of information about experiences;     
  • identifying best practices;     
  • raising awareness among economic, social and institutional decision-makers;     
  • facilitating partnerships between the relevant actors and networks. 
  • Corporate social responsibility observatory français