Get your CSR certification: a guide to labels and best practices

Find out how to get a label to attract talent and improve your QWL. Discover effective tips and illustrative case studies.

20% of companies believe they are no longer attractive when it comes to recruiting, and 60% of recruiters find it difficult to recruit young graduates, according to a study on the talent shortage 2023, MyRHline, March 2023.

Faced with this talent shortage, how can companies increase their attractiveness?

One solution is to obtain a label or certification. This attracts more talent and makes it easier to recruit and retain employees.

By focusing on your QWL, you can not only reduce absenteeism, but also boost productivity, improve the working atmosphere and strengthen your reputation.

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The assessments or audits carried out to obtain a label or certification will give you a precise picture of your strengths and, above all, weaknesses in terms of well-being at work. This will enable you to work on your Achilles heel to become even more attractive.

Your label will enable you to demonstrate your commitment to the well-being of your employees, increase your credibility and set you apart from the competition.

Through concrete examples, discover how to obtain a CSR label or certification.

You'll see, it's not rocket science!

Best practices to improve your QWL and obtain CSR certification

Workplace health and well-being programs

If you want to improve your employees' well-being, opt for voluntary group sports sessions.

Playing sports with your colleagues will improve your QWL, the general atmosphere and team cohesion. A sports session at lunchtime will provide you with a complete break for better concentration and post-lunch productivity.

We won't go into all the reasons why you should take up sport at work again, but if you'd like to find out more, have a look at our articles: 10 unbeatable reasons to take up sport at work and Sport at work: the winning team.

You already know where to turn for company sports!

No, don't you see? It starts with S and ends with T...

So you found it?

SPART

Flexible working hours!

This is THE watchword if you want to improve the well-being of your employees and optimize your recruitment process.

Don't be too rigid about working hours, give employees a free choice between synchronous and asynchronous work, and allow telecommuting to improve your employees' work-life balance.

46% of employees are considering changing jobs because of a lack of flexibility in their current company, and 86% of young employees want more flexibility at work, reveals a France Num survey.

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Netflix is the king of flexibility with its unlimited vacation policy. Employees have the freedom to take as much time off as they want for vacation or to deal with personal issues. This promotes a better work-life balance.

Being flexible for happier, less exhausted employees. 😊

Eco-responsible actions

Taking action for the environment can take many forms: here are just a few.

First of all, you can encourage your employees to come to work by public transport, by bike or on foot. You can do this by providing secure bike racks, offering subsidies for the purchase of a bike or equipment, or setting up a reward system for employees who opt for soft mobility.

Consider establishing waste reduction policies such as recycling or composting.

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Finally, don't skimp on raising your employees' ecological awareness. It's just as important!

Levi Strauss & Co. is a good example of this. The company has set up a water conservation program by developing the "Water Less" process, which reduces the water used in the jeans finishing process by up to 96%.

This initiative has saved billions of liters of water since it was launched.

Implementing environmental actions is essential to improving your brand image. It gives you a better reputation and better recruitment, it strengthens the commitment of your employees who will be proud to make a positive contribution to the company, while enabling you to access new markets and stand out from the crowd.

Find out more about corporate eco-responsibility

Recognition and appreciation

To keep your employees motivated and efficient, it's crucial to recognize and value them. This recognition has a direct impact on your employees' state of mind and performance, but is often overlooked.

To express your gratitude, don't hesitate to set up bonuses, rewards, trophies or even thank-you letters. These initiatives help to improve well-being in the workplace.

Take Zappos, for example, with its "Hero Award", given each month to an employee elected by his or her colleagues. The winner receives a superhero cape, a reserved parking space and a gift voucher. This playful way of showing appreciation reinforces the sense of belonging and cohesion within the team.

Expressing your gratitude will benefit the company's culture and interpersonal relations, as well as improving QWL.

Mental health and psychological support programs

With mental illness on the rise, offering your employees psychological support programs has multiple benefits.

You can, for example, provide access to psychologists or set up group therapy sessions to reduce stress and improve your employees' mental health.

Google, for example, provides free access to a comprehensive mental health program including consultations with psychologists, stress management workshops and access to meditation apps such as Headspace.

The result: less stressed, less absent and more productive employees, and reduced health-related costs.

Continuous professional development

An employee who benefits from ongoing training feels valued and remains motivated in his or her work. That's why you need to be aware of the importance of investing in ongoing training to maintain a committed and competent workforce.

Amazon finances up to 95% of its employees' tuition fees for eligible courses with the "Career Choice" program. This support enables employees to develop their skills and encourages individual professional growth.

So invest in training your employees to develop their knowledge and skills and boost your company's competitiveness.

Diversity and inclusion

Promote inclusion and diversity in your company. Rely on mentoring programs or recruitment policies that promote equal opportunities for all.

Accenture has set up specific mentoring programs and support networks that promote diversity and inclusion. It has also set up specific resource groups for employees belonging to various ethnic and LGBTQ+ communities in particular.

Focusing on diversity and inclusion will help you strengthen the sense of belonging of your minority employees and develop team cohesion.

Employee involvement and participation

Actively involve your employees in the decisions that affect them. This will improve their commitment and satisfaction. Consider creating and promoting employee committees or conducting regular surveys to gather opinions and suggestions.

Salesforce regularly gathers the opinions of its employees through feedback surveys (V2MOM: Vision, Values, Methods, Obstacles, Measures). This enables employees to contribute to the definition of the company's objectives and methods, while reinforcing their commitment.

The ingredients of the magic potion: surveys and inclusion of employees in decision-making. The perfect blend for fulfilled employees who feel more recognized and better understood.

Safety and health at work

It's essential to teach your employees about safety if you want to avoid accidents in the workplace. Discuss safety measures with your employees to ensure a healthy working environment.

Bosch sets the example with its comprehensive workplace safety program, which includes regular training, safety audits and proactive measures to reduce the risk of accidents, in line with international safety standards.

By promoting safety in the workplace, your employees will be happier, more loyal and more productive. It is also an important issue for the company, which will avoid injuries and accidents to its employees and reduce its costs linked to work-related accidents.

Corporate social responsibility

Many companies have now integrated responsible and sustainable practices into their business models.

Patagonia sets an example by covering the transportation costs of its employees to take part in environmental volunteer work. Patagonia has also implemented sustainable and transparent commercial actions, such as donating 1% of its profits to environmental causes.

By focusing on your CSR, you'll make your company more attractive, and you'll always be one step ahead of regulatory changes, enabling you to avoid penalties while ensuring the well-being of your employees at work.

Now that you know all about good practices, it's up to you to implement them within your company. In addition to benefiting your company and your employees, these best practices will help you obtain a CSR label or certification.

Faced with the multitude of CSR labels, you may feel lost!

But since SPART is a friendly bunch, here's a selection of the most relevant labels and certifications for your company (it's a gift!).

ISO 26000 standard

We can't talk about labels without mentioning ISO 26000.  

Created in 2010, this voluntary international standard provides guidelines for corporate CSR. Its aim is to encourage socially, environmentally and economically responsible practices.

It is based on 7 main areas:

It is used as a benchmark for measuring current corporate practices, identifying areas for improvement, implementing actions and integrating CSR into corporate strategy. This standard is a veritable guide to best practice for companies, and many CSR labels and certifications are based on it.

Now it's time for our selection of CSR labels and certifications. Our goal: to be a leader in QWL!

The CSR labels and certifications you need!

Great Place to Work

THE global benchmark in terms of employee experience, this label certifies that your company is a great place to work, by assessing material conditions and managerial practices.

This certification is based on the experience of your employees, who complete the Trust Index survey to assess trust, cohesion and respect within the company, for which your company must obtain a minimum score. Great Place to Work then carries out an audit, for which a fee is charged, to assess the company's culture and climate. This certification must be renewed every year to remain valid.

Every year, a ranking of the best companies is published by Great Place to Work with the aim of encouraging companies to improve their working environment (Top, isn't it? 😉 ).

B Corp (Benefit Corporation)

Renowned worldwide, this label is awarded to companies that commit to high standards of social responsibility, environmental protection, government and transparency in addition to their economic performance.

To qualify, you'll need to score a certain threshold (80 points minimum) on the impact questionnaire (the BIA) available on the bcorporation.fr page. This score will be made public, and you will be required to pay the fee. Incorporate the Benefit Corporation concept into your legal status. B Lab will evaluate and verify your application. Finally, you'll need to sign the B Corp agreement and pay the certification fee. The process can take from 6 months to 1 year, and B Corp certification is valid for 3 years.

Find out more about the B Corp certification process

TopEmployers

This internationally recognized label rewards the quality of the working environment, human resources and employee professional development.

To obtain it, the company fills in a questionnaire covering various aspects of human resources practices:

- Recruitment

- Training

- Talent development

- Remuneration

- Employee benefits

- Corporate culture

It must then provide proof of this. After TopEmployers Institute has evaluated the questionnaire, the company receives a report highlighting its strengths and areas for improvement. The company then receives certification if it meets the criteria.

Lucie 26000

This label, based on the guidelines of the ISO 26000 standard, certifies your company's commitment to CSR and covers issues such as governance, human rights, the environment and stakeholder relations. This French certification is becoming increasingly established and recognized worldwide. It is based on the 7 pillars of CSR established by the ISO 26000 standard:

To be awarded the label, a company must commit to a CSR approach and train its staff in the principles and requirements of ISO 26000.

It then carries out a performance diagnosis in line with the ISO 26000 standard and, on the basis of the diagnosis, draws up an action plan for improvement. The company must then implement these improvement actions. The company's compliance is then assessed by an independent body, and if it meets the criteria, it can be awarded the LUCIE 26000 label for a fixed period.

More about Lucie 26000

Committed to CSR

Created by AFNOR (Association Française de Normalisation), this label recognizes companies and organizations committed to a CSR approach, i.e. companies that integrate socially, environmentally and economically responsible practices on a daily basis.

To obtain this CSR certification, companies must follow a demanding process to assess their practices.

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HappyAtWork

Well-recognized at national level, it assesses the level of employee satisfaction. It rewards companies committed to employee well-being and satisfaction. It is an indicator of the quality of working life within a company.

The process includes employee surveys to gauge satisfaction levels. It also includes audits to assess the company's policies and practices in terms of well-being at work.

Positive WorkPlace

The Positive WorkPlace label, a European and North American initiative, recognizes companies committed to creating a positive, fulfilling work environment that promotes well-being for their employees. It highlights companies where employees feel fulfilled, valued and motivated.

The label is awarded after an assessment of certain criteria, such as employee well-being and satisfaction, as well as the company's policies and practices in terms of human resources management, corporate culture and internal communications.

HappyIndex AtWork

Measuring employee happiness and satisfaction at work, the HappyIndex AtWork, created by the French company ChooseMyCompany, evaluates the working atmosphere, management, recognition and career prospects.

Employees complete an anonymous satisfaction survey about their experience at work.

Every year, Choosemycompany publishes a ranking of the best companies to work for.

PME+

The French PME+ certification is reserved for small and medium-sized enterprises, and demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainable development and corporate social responsibility. You can qualify if you adopt ethical, social and environmental practices in your business strategies and operations. The certification process is rigorous, and assesses your CSR practices, human resources management and carbon footprint.

Now you know all about labels and certifications!

In short, obtaining a CSR label is like standing on the podium at the Olympic Games for the test of good corporate conduct. 🏆

You build a team of superheroes who work together to create an environment where everyone feels valued and fulfilled. You'll attract new talent and retain your own, improve your QWL and enhance the working atmosphere. What more could you ask for?

So who's ready for a medal for social responsibility? 🏅

Contact us for more information!

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By Candice Lhomme