Martin Richer is a consultant specializing in CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), more particularly in the integration of CSR into company strategies and at the origin of the concept of “transformative CSR”. He works with general management, marketing and human resources, alongside decision-makers who wish to use CSR as a lever of transformation. His approach aims to bring new perspectives to their market. Thus, to establish a new social contract with employees. For him, CSR represents above all a powerful engine of change et a set of levers to accelerate progress within companies.

In this informative interview, Martin Richier shares his vision of transformative CSR and the added value it brings to businesses. And this, while strengthening the link with employees and stakeholders.

You recently shared our Barometer “Perceptions and expectations of French employees on their organization’s CSR approach”. What struck you in these results?

In the world of CSR, we often tend to remain politically correct. Whereas in your Barometer, what is interesting is that it brings us back to concrete reality. We can sometimes be carried away by a certain optimism, telling ourselves that things are moving in the right direction. But it is important to keep in mind that the general context is often more complex and sometimes less encouraging.

In fact, the Barometer reveals that only 9% of employees believe that CSR changes the way they work. In my opinion, if CSR does not impact the way we work, it is because we have the wrong objective. This is what I call "decorative CSR", a superficial approach that aims to look good. However, true CSR, since its beginnings, consists of integrate social and environmental concerns into the company's business activities. And not to treat them as parallel initiatives. There are still companies that have not grasped this difference, which is nevertheless fundamental.

The results show that “65% of employees have a total or partial lack of knowledge of CSR”. Why does this disconnect exist? And how can it be filled? 

First of all, the acronym itself often remains obscure to many. When I speak to my clients or students, I explain that CSR means “Return on Commitment”, by analogy with the "Return on Investment", the famous ROI that our financiers gargle with. Why? Because CSR follows a similar logic. We identifies stakeholders, we work with them on collaborative projects that aim to improve things and generate progress. And then, We follow these projects in a structured manner. This is a concrete approach.

To bridge this disconnect, we must adopt the magic square: Awareness, information, training and communication

This is a process that is found in any approach to change management, whatever the subject. And CSR is no exception. However, the Barometer clearly shows that many companies are still far from having fully adopted this approach. Many employees say they are not sufficiently informed or aware. And unfortunately, when efforts are made, they often remain very generic.

Let's take the example of Climate Frescoes. It is an educational tool that I defended for a long time when it was in gestation. But today, I am more critical. Too many companies consider that organizing Climate Fresco workshops allows them to check the box "implementation of CSR actions". However, there is not always follow-up and this can generate frustration among employees. After a workshop, employees often wonder how they can go further and get more involved. If companies are not able to respond to this expectation and to propose concrete actions, It is better not to organize a fresco at all. On the other hand, the Fresco is an excellent tool to give the starting signal to a CSR policy co-constructed with employees.

In addition, in recent years, we have seen a change in the aspirations of employees. They want get involved in CSR actions and the company's values ​​are aligned with theirs. Today, this expectation has become even more qualitative, as your Barometer shows. Employees no longer simply want their employer to commit, but also expect that This helps them to get personally involved. This also explains the success of systems such as skills sponsorship, which provides a concrete response to this demand. This is a real game changer today.

[Read also: How to align CSR strategy with employee expectations?]

Do you think that companies today have understood the importance of truly engaging in CSR actions?

In my opinion, there is still a lot of greenwashing and I think it will continue. However, I am not completely opposed to it. I am very interested in research, and I see that The more a company speaks out about CSR, the more it is encouraged to act, no matter what.. I therefore prefer a company that practices greenwashing to one that says nothing. Because the one that engages in speeches, even if its actions are not yet up to par, will be pushed by its stakeholders to move forward and put things in place. Studies show that companies that communicate a lot about CSR tend to be more effective and active in this area. Of course, the ideal is that discourse and practices are in harmony.

Moreover, companies no longer have the choice today not to make a real commitment. They are subject to a multitude of expectations from their stakeholders. The pressure is strong, especially from employees. Let me give you an example. The manifesto for an ecological awakening, developed by students from leading grandes écoles, aims to alert companies by telling them that they will no longer work with them if they do not implement a serious and concrete decarbonization plan. Another example: we also observe the rise of employee collectives who are joining forces to challenge their leadership in order to accelerate environmental initiatives. Public authorities, too, with regulations such as the CSRD, encourage companies to take action and improve.

In short, all stakeholders are exerting increasingly convergent pressures. Finally, the competitiveness model of companies, which was historically centered on cost control, quality, deadlines and reputation, is changing. Today, CSR issues are increasingly determining criteria in business performance.

Only a minority of employees perceive the impact of CSR on their job. How can we bring CSR closer to employees on a daily basis and make them actors in this process? 

Here again, I apply my magic square: awareness, information, training and communication. The first step is to assess where the company is on these 4 themes. For example, many companies believe they communicate on CSR. But we note – and this is still the case with your barometer – that the message is not clear because their communication is often too institutional. As long as employees do not feel involved, things will not move forward. If we want to rely on our social body to make progress on these issues, it is crucial to involve employees from the start of the process. However, today this involvement is lacking. As your barometer shows, where again, very few employees know what their company is doing in terms of CSR.

The annual Barometer "Opinions and Expectations - The 2024 Executive Barometer" was recently published. It reveals that 66% of executives do not feel involved in their company's strategy. This is considerable, especially when one advocates the participating management for years. The executives, who are supposed to be the intermediary link between management and employees to carry out and explain the strategy, are, in fact, not sufficiently integrated into the process.

So, my advice: in terms of CSR, you have to apply the principles of change management as in any other project. It is essential to have a steering committee and rely on ambassadors who can pass on information and act as a relay to deploy the CSR strategy. Companies think they can do without it. They have made progress on change management but do not do so or rarely with CSR.

You have developed the concept of “transformative CSR”. Could you explain to us how this approach fundamentally differs from the traditional CSR that we still see in the majority today? 

Indeed, transformative CSR is at the heart of my thinking. And that is why I founded my consulting company " Management & CSR" The idea is that transformation and CSR are inseparable. Transformative CSR must be seen for what it really is. That is, a transformation tool that must be integrated into the business model, processes and corporate culture.

In this perspective, theCSR becomes a powerful lever for change, progress and transformation. To achieve this, it must permeate the entire organization and all its functional departments. For example, the CFO should be interested in green bonds, a new financing method focused on environmental objectives. Similarly, the purchasing director should adopt responsible purchasing practices. Or the communications director should ensure responsible communication. In short, each department must take ownership of CSR and apply it in its daily practices.

CSR must be everyone's business!

You emphasize the role of management and employees in the success of transformative CSR. What are the concrete levers to ensure that CSR is supported by all teams, and not just by management? 

To achieve lasting success, it is crucial to rely on the entire management chain. And this, from the local manager to the management committee. Middle managers' involvement is key, because they are the ones who will transform CSR from what it initially is, that is to say a strategy, to what it must become, that is to say a change in behavior that really impacts stakeholders.

There are levers to achieve this:

• Essential training : In terms of CSR, we need to create a common language and shared points of reference so that everyone understands CSR in the context of their profession and knows how to use it.
• Link between CSR and business : Middle managers, in their busy schedules, must be sufficiently “political” to prioritize projects. It is therefore important to demonstrate how CSR can enrich their practices and those of their teams.
• Integration into human resources management processes: CSR must be included in recruitment criteria and in the professional development of employees.
• Use as cement of the team project: A good local manager must establish team projects that include CSR and bring members together to discuss their collective organization.
• Involvement of younger generations: As your Barometer shows, younger people have a different perception of CSR. It is therefore important to include them in the process to take advantage of their expectations and motivation.
• Cohesion tool: CSR successes should be celebrated. It is essential to identify “quick wins” to show the positive impact and share successful actions. This creates collective momentum and encourages the deployment of these initiatives elsewhere in the company.

“55% of employees do not feel sufficiently informed about their organization’s CSR approach”. How, in your opinion, can companies respond effectively to this expectation? 

CSR is intrinsically linked to the need to engage stakeholders. Without dialogue, there is no real CSR approach. It is therefore essential to adopt a "bottom-up" approach. I particularly appreciate an American approach called "Employee Advocacy". This consists of identify motivated employees wishing to engage in CSR initiatives. It is therefore no longer management that talks about CSR but rather those who experience it.

For example, some companies integrate this approach into their recruitment process. When a company is interested in a candidate, it can offer to discuss CSR initiatives with an employee. Of course, it is crucial to keep the promises made and to proceed cautiously and gradually.

It is also important to multiply the approaches that involve employees in the design and development of the CSR strategy. For example, create a team of 10-15 people from different geographical locations of the company. They meet two or three times a year to discuss what worked well, and what needs adjustments. This allows us to gather valuable feedback from the field and to ensure that information does not come solely from the management line.

You assure that transformative CSR can be a lever for innovation and competitive differentiation. Can you give us concrete examples of companies that have succeeded in innovating thanks to this approach? 

Take Picard, for example, which has developed an eco-friendly cooler. To consume their products, customers need electricity. This has given them access to new markets in developing countries that were previously inaccessible to them. Thus, CSR translates into significant impacts, particularly through the products that companies market and/or the services they offer.

Another example is Levi's. They realized that a large part of a pair of jeans' environmental footprint happens after they're purchased, with 70% of the water consumption and 60% of the energy spent on washing. In response, they developed materials that allowed jeans to be washed less often and at lower temperatures. This approach illustrates a systemic thinking essential to maximizing the impact of CSR.

Among other things, transformative CSR consists of:

1. Examine its business model to integrate CSR into value creation.
2. Analyze your corporate culture to identify behaviors that are respected or, on the contrary, rejected.
3. Evaluate its processes, such as recruitment for example, to guarantee its ethics.

It is therefore fully integrating CSR into what constitutes the company itself. And this is what will interest local managers: integrate CSR into each existing project and not add additional CSR projects.

Companies must therefore, depending on their sector of activity, determine how to reduce their negative impacts, while optimizing their positive impactsThis is how a genuine CSR approach can be developed, while being in line with the business and consistent with the strategy.

How can a company reorient its corporate culture so that CSR truly becomes a lever for transformation, and not just a simple obligation or communication operation?

If CSR is seen only as a compliance approach, it will not get you very far. The company will spend resources to comply with the standards but without getting any real benefit from it. On the other hand, adopting a transformative CSR approach allows you to: making CSR a lever for competitiveness and differentiation. This brings real added value. And it is this awareness that is pushing more and more companies to truly commit to CSR.

Transformative CSR has a direct impact on the economic performance of companies

And for that, my advice is to inject more CSR into your business, but also more business into your CSR. The two must be closely linked for CSR to become a real driver of transformation, and not an administrative constraint.

Collective intelligence platforms like Beeshake promote collective mobilization and the emergence of innovative ideas. How do you see the use of this type of platform as part of a transformative CSR approach?

collective intelligence platforms like Beeshake are indeed powerful tools. But as with any tool, their impact depends on how they are used, the goals pursued and the implementation modalities. In my experience, these platforms can greatly contribute to the transformative CSR approach. In France, we sometimes have difficulty in creating a "bottom-up" dynamic because it is not part of our spontaneous culture. However, Getting teams on board is essential for any successful transformation.

These tools offer a means of promote active employee participation. For example, Danone used a platform to involve its 100 employees worldwide in developing its strategic plan. Employees could not only vote but also propose ideas and scenarios. This allowed them to be able to take their needs into account and obtain feedback.

Moreover, these platforms are not limited to employees: they can also integrate suppliers, partners, customers, etc. Which makes it a large-scale consultation and innovation tool. I have supported companies in defining their purpose and those that used these platforms, by combining face-to-face and remote, have seen a real appropriation of the projects by their teams and their external stakeholders. This makes the approach more sustainable and mobilizing because employees feel truly involved.