Reading time : 5 minutes
From theory to practice, placing social and environmental issues at the heart of the company’s strategy while creating value seems ambitious. However, above all, this seems obvious and necessary.
Also, last Thursday, June 13, Tech for Climate was held, an exceptional day (see our article about the day here) with the ambition to question ourselves and propose solutions for a more responsible digital technology in order to meet climate challenges. The heart of the day was based on collective action to try to become, together, actors in building the world of tomorrow.
In one sentence: “Tech for Climate aims to become the emblem of professionals who only consider their profession with the motivation to practice it in a desirable and reasoned future.“.
There is the adage: when you want you can. And this time, the Constellation group took it literally. Their objective ? Create a synergy of skills to support the digital and environmental transformation of French mid-sized companies.
During the day, we had the opportunity to listen to the feedback from Constellation which began its transition and which, in three years (only), showed resilience and a completely inspiring transformation.
The growing impact of digital technology in terms of matter and energy must question us about the principles that guide us. Well-designed and well-managed digital technology can become a formidable accelerator for a just and desirable transition. But we will have to reconcile the two major movements at work in the 21st century: digital acceleration and the ecological crisis.
In light of this observation, Constellation is embarking on an ambitious environmental trajectory at the start of 2021, the objective of which is to halve its carbon intensity by 2030. By becoming a Mission Company three years later, the group is structuring its own transformation and registering this commitment at the heart of its economic model.
To tell us the adventure, Audrey FischerMarketing director, Olivier RenaudChief Impact Officer and Etienne BesançonFounding President of Constellation.
Transforming a company, radically and profoundly, requires support for change and awareness raising at all levels of the ecosystem. During these three years, several lessons emerged.
Trying to move without TOP Exec doesn’t work
The main idea is not so much to think of the organization as top-bottom, but rather to say that these changes necessarily involve the entire organization and, in particular, the decision-makers.
Trying to move forward without the TOP Exec would be counterproductive.
Respect the professional/personal boundary on environmental awareness in business
Climate change and its challenges are so significant that the boundary between personal and professional life is almost inseparable.
Indeed, the company is made up of citizens of civil society who, at their own level, contribute or are more or less sensitive to the issue. Also, we must be able to take into account that the change taking place at the company level cannot impose itself on the private lives of employees.
Finding the right rhythm between the need to act quickly and the necessary acculturation
As mentioned later, when we begin to be aware, the desire to act and take actions quickly is significant. However, we must not rush and follow the acculturation steps in order to involve the entire ecosystem and its stakeholders.
This therefore goes hand in hand with the necessary alignment of stakeholders and good governance at scale.
Exemplarity/sincerity: risk of distrust, beware of greenwashing
In order to be able to boast of an environmental transformation policy worthy of the name, we must also be able to inspire and be uncompromising in our behavior.
Demonstrating maximum exemplarity remains a necessity to inspire confidence. A sincere approach is to be favored – both for the company and ultimately for oneself.
Facing contradictory injunctions: end of the month versus end of the world
Indeed, one of the arguments put forward during the presentation was the fact that it is necessary to take into account the contradictory injunctions of the company’s employees and stakeholders.
Each individual also faces distinct issues specific to their context and it is legitimate to question the role and prominence of the company in the daily choices of the employee.
ESG is no longer a side topic for financiers
What is ESG?
As a reminder, ESG criteria (for Environmental, Social and Governance) make it possible to assess the consideration of sustainable development and long-term issues in the strategy of economic players (companies, communities, etc.).
Also, new climate and ESG regulations have been passed at European level, with the main objective of promoting transparency and responsibility by pushing organizations to proactively integrate environmental and social considerations into their operations. From 2025, this subject will gain momentum within organizations, retroactively for the year 2024.
You have to be ready to evolve your ecosystem
As indicated previously, the key to a successful transformation at the scale of the organization is to be in phase initially with all stakeholders to commit, together, to evolving its ecosystem.
A single equation: the ecology of humans meets the ecology of the planet
To conclude, it is obvious that the ecology of humans joins the ecology of the planet. The two are closely linked and inseparable. Also, based on this observation, we are free to take the subject in its own right and to be the players of tomorrow in the field.
Thus, this day which brought together many responsible digital players made it possible to highlight the necessary, ingenious and numerous initiatives in this direction. As aforementioned, “the ecology of humans joins the ecology of the planet” – also, despite appearances, digital technology is indeed a part of its own environmental issues.