One of the strengths of our highly structured CSR approach is that it relies on dialogue with our stakeholders. We decided to develop our CSR policy around the AA1000 standard, which relies on a systematic process of engaging with stakeholders. This is vital as it enables us to ensure that our projects meet the needs of society. It also improves our vision of the risks and opportunities linked to our activities and the countries in which we operate. It also enables us to jointly construct value creation opportunities with local actors that not only benefit the Group but stimulate the social and economic development of regions and countries.
In real terms, this means deploying a range of dialogue tools and processes with local stakeholders (surveys, interviews, panels of stakeholders, etc.), which result in matrices that help us prioritise issues and structure action plans accordingly.
In France, Spain and Poland, we have been taking this approach for several years and we regularly renew the process. In 2009, our CSR Department implemented the CSR Dialog Toolkit for subsidiaries in emerging and developing countries where there is no structured dialogue process in place. In 2011, it was deployed in six new countries after being piloted in Africa: three in Africa and three in Europe. In total 14 countries, representing 70% of the Group’s turnover, now systematically engage in dialogue with stakeholders. The feedback we receive is essential in helping us to identify trends in each zone such as quality of service, child protection in Europe or our contributions to social and economic development in emerging countries.
