Environmental responsibility within a company encompasses all the actions and initiatives put in place by an organisation to reduce its environmental impact and actively contribute to the preservation of the planet. In the face of the climate crisis and growing environmental challenges, more and more companies are recognising their responsibility and seeking to initiate an ecological approach. But where do you start?
Why engage in an environmental approach in your company?
Engaging in an environmental approach is no longer optional but a necessity for modern companies. Here are the main reasons that justify this environmental commitment.
Responding to consumer and employee expectations
Environmental awareness is increasingly strong within society. Consumers are now attentive to company practices and favour those that demonstrate a real environmental responsibility. Similarly, employees, especially the younger generations, are sensitive to their employer's values and appreciate working for responsible companies. By initiating an environmental approach, you meet these expectations and enhance your attractiveness.
Complying with environmental regulations
Environmental regulations are becoming increasingly rigid. By anticipating these changes and implementing a proactive environmental policy, you ensure that you are not only compliant with the law but also ahead of your competitors. This helps you avoid potential sanctions and adapt more easily to future regulations.
Achieving long-term savings
Contrary to popular belief, environmental responsibility can lead to significant savings. By optimising your energy consumption, reducing waste, or favouring durable products, you lower your operational costs in the long run. Marine Varret, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Supply Chain at Manutan, explains: "Reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and developing sustainable initiatives allows us to achieve long-term savings."
Improving the company's brand image
A sincere and well-communicated environmental commitment significantly strengthens your company's brand image. It allows you to differentiate yourself from the competition and attract clients and partners who share the same values. This positive image can result in increased customer loyalty and new business opportunities.
Stimulating innovation and creativity
The search for ecological solutions often drives companies to innovate and rethink their processes. This approach can lead to the emergence of new, more efficient product ideas or innovative services, giving you a competitive edge in your market.
Contributing to combating climate change
Beyond the direct benefits for your company, engaging in an environmental approach allows you to actively contribute to combating climate change. By reducing your environmental impact, you help preserve the planet and assume your societal responsibility.
Steps to initiate environmental responsibility within your company
Initiating environmental responsibility requires a structured and methodical approach. Here are the steps to establish an effective and sustainable environmental approach.
1. Conducting an environmental audit
The first step is to assess the environmental impact of your company. This audit should cover all aspects of your activity:
- Energy consumption;
- Waste management;
- Use of natural resources;
- Greenhouse gas emissions;
- Procurement practices and supplier choices;
- Production and logistics processes.
This audit will help you identify the priority areas to focus your efforts on.
2. Defining clear and measurable objectives
Based on the audit results, set quantifiable and specific objectives. For example:
- Reduce energy consumption by 20% within 2 years;
- Achieve 50% sustainable suppliers in the next 18 months;
- Decrease CO2 emissions related to business travel by 30% in 3 years.
These objectives should be ambitious yet realistic and align with a long-term vision of your environmental responsibility.
3. Involving employees
Environmental responsibility must be supported by the entire company:
- Organise awareness and training sessions for your employees;
- Encourage their initiatives and create a committee to steer actions.
The more your employees are involved, the more effective and sustainable your approach will be.
4. Implementing an action plan
Develop a detailed action plan to achieve your objectives. This plan should include:
- Concrete actions for each objective;
- An implementation schedule;
- Necessary resources (human, financial, material);
- Responsible individuals for each action;
- Performance indicators to measure progress.
5. Integrating environmental responsibility into your procurement policy
Rethink your procurement policy to make it more environmentally responsible. This can include:
- Selecting responsible suppliers by establishing a sustainable procurement charter and evaluating their environmental practices;
- Purchasing durable, eco-designed, and certified products (Eco-label, FSC, Energy Star, etc.);
- Reducing packaging;
- Optimising logistics to reduce the carbon footprint by consolidating orders, favouring local suppliers, and using less polluting transport modes;
- Integrating total cost (including usage and end-of-life) in your purchasing decisions;
- Training and raising awareness among your procurement teams about sustainable practices;
- Implementing indicators to track the impact of your sustainable procurement policy.
6. Monitoring and sharing progress
Set up a regular monitoring system for your environmental indicators. Communicate regularly about your progress both internally and externally. Celebrate successes and analyse difficulties to adjust your strategy if needed.
7. Committing to continuous improvement
Environmental responsibility is an ongoing process. Regularly reassess your objectives, stay informed about new technologies and best practices in your sector. Do not hesitate to set new challenges to continually progress.
8. Considering environmental certification
Ultimately, you can aim for recognised environmental certification, such as the ISO 14001 international standard. These certifications validate your commitment and can be a significant competitive advantage.
What concrete actions can you implement to reduce your environmental impact?
To concretely reduce the environmental impact of your company, several actions can be implemented:
- Start by optimising your energy consumption by installing energy-efficient equipment and raising employee awareness of sustainable practices;
- Set up an effective sorting system and aim to reduce waste at the source;
- Promote sustainable mobility by encouraging carpooling, public transport use, remote working, or installing infrastructure for electric vehicles;
- Choose sustainable office supplies and reduce paper consumption;
- Rethink your production processes to minimise resource use and favour recyclable or biodegradable materials.
To engage sustainably in the ecological transition, it is essential to integrate sustainable development into the overall strategy of the company. This involves revising your economic models to make them circular and resilient. Invest in green innovation and technologies to stay at the forefront of ecological solutions.
