Now a major highlight. Every year, numerous events are organised during European Sustainable Development Week to promote inspiring projects and initiatives. The theme of the 2019 edition was reducing inequalities. An opportunity for Altavia to host its traditional CSR Week, and to raise awareness among its employees of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Altavia supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
In France, over 900 projects were run from 30 May to 5 June, in all regions, to promote the Sustainable Development Goals. This year, the Ministry for theEcological and Inclusive Transition dedicated the event to the fight against inequalities. “This theme is also one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals”, reiterates Catherine Rehbinder, CSR Director at Altavia. “This week provided an opportunity to (re)present these goals to our employees.”Indeed, Altavia has been an agent of change for many years now. As a member of the Global Compact for over 10 years, Altavia reached the highest level of differentiation, Advanced, in 2018. The company backs the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, as set out in the COP (Communication on Progress). “This document covers all of the actions carried out by Altavia to improve its impact on society and on the environmentand the way in which the group supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals” explains Catherine Rehbinder.
Reducing inequalities on a daily basis
Thanks to its Positive Sourcing, Altavia already encourages the professional integration of marginalised individuals. A proportion of production is allocated to companies in the protected and adapted work sector, which employs those with disabilities. “Altavia has made real efforts to improve its social impact”, emphasises Catherine Rehbinder. “The aim is to increase the number of orders placed every year with the protected and adapted sector, but also to expand our panel by incorporating companies encouraging professional integration in the broader sense – dependent persons, companies run by representatives of minorities”.
Sustained awareness-building among employees is one of the levers identified to improve our impact. Visits to adapted companies were organised to remove certain obstacles and prejudices. Lastly, a Positive Sourcing Forum will be held at the St Ouen site in September to encourage exchanges with a greater number of inclusive companies.
CSR Week at Altavia Paris
During CSR Week, Altavia Paris employees received awareness training on social problems at a breakfast prepared by the vocational rehabilitation centre (ESAT, for Etablissement et service d’aide par le travail) “Les papillons blancs”.
The association Rencontre 93, with which Altavia Paris has worked for several years now, also came to present the “Studio Traversée” project on the creation of 3D video games, produced partly thanks to computer donations from Altavia Paris.
Work on the project’s visual identity was initiated at this inclusive event; a shared project that could continue over the coming months.
A global action at group level
“To raise awareness among all Altavia employees of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, explanatory posters were distributed in all of the countries in which we operate”, explains Catherine Rehbinder. A webinar was also organised during which the CSR team presented Altavia’s support for the UN Sustainable Development Goals to all of the group’s CSR ambassadors. It is important that each Business Unit develops its own CSR identity while at the same time following the example of the actions carried out at group level”.
One thing is certain: not only has Altavia sought to improve its impact on society and the environment for a number of years already, but its commitment to change increases every year.
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Ultra-transparency in the retail sectorhttps://altavia-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Transparency.jpg16781119AltaviaAltavia//altavia-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Altavia-White.png
There’s a new mantra that seems to be sweeping the retail market, introduced by visionary brands in a desire to make a clean break from convention: ‘ultra-transparency’. A bold approach designed to appeal to customers in their search for authenticity. We took a closer look at this inspirational trend with Thierry Strickler, Retail Market Intelligence Lead at Altavia.
A new pitch: transparency
Price, practicality and accessibility are among the key factors that affect a customer’s purchasing decision, but some also look at an additional criterion that they perceive to be vital: transparency. They want to know how the product is made, where the raw materials were sourced from and the production conditions, along with the actual cost of manufacturing the product and the margin that the brand in question is making. “In an attempt to better convince and appeal to their customers, some retailers have introduced a new way of selling and doing business that focuses on transparency, or rather ultra-transparency, to be exact”,Thierry Strickler explains. “The main goal on which these brands are focusing their operations is to be able to provide evidence of the way in which their products, as ethical, responsible products that respect all of the parties involved, are manufactured and what they actually cost to make”.
DNVBs: where it all began
This concept of ultra-transparency was first introduced by DNVBs (Digital Native Vertical Brands), brands that were created online and interact with their customers.
American off-the-peg fashion brand Everlane, whose slogan, “Exceptional quality. Ethical factories. Radical Transparency”, is clearly displayed on its website, was one of the pioneers of this movement. “We believe our customers have a right to know how much their clothes cost to make. We reveal the true costs behind all of our products—from materials to labor to transportation—then offer them to you, minus the traditional retail markup”, the site explains.
Maison Standards, Jules & Jenn, Léo & Violette and co.
French brand Maison Standards has adopted the same philosophy. In the words of CEO Uriel Karsenty, “we explain our methods, costs and margins and open the consumer’s eyes to the practices adopted within the industry”.
Jules & Jenn, whose slogan translates in English as “Responsible. Accessible. Essential”, also claims to “maintain complete transparency at all times”.
And here is a prime example:
“Find out why €85is a fair price to pay for our leather cleated boat shoes”.
Léo Dominguez, co-founder of the Léo & Violette brand, meanwhile, claimed in an interview with Isal Paris that “we wanted our main focus to be on transparency. We have established a series of common values regarding the way in which we communicate and talk about our brand from the very beginning. We decided to provide place the emphasis on the manufacturing of our products and the transparency of the materials used, as well as about us as a company, showing people who Léo and Violette actually are and what we are all about.This is still true five years down the line – we still spend a lot of time explaining what goes on behind the scenes and how the brand came about. We’ve always felt that our customers appreciate this sense of proximity and this transparency with regard to our background”.
And the examples continue to multiply. Take Sephora, for example, which created a product range entitled Clean at Sephora, allowing customers to easily identify eco-friendly products that do not contain any harmful ingredients.
Boosting trust and appeal
“Unveiling your manufacturing processes and the keys to your business model are great ways to boost the appeal of and trust in your brand”,Thierry Strickler explains. “This sort of positioning enables customers looking for authenticity to choose to support a transparent, responsible and uncompromising value system, and is a great way to establish lasting, tangible links with them”.
Even those who have not (yet) adopted this philosophy of ultra-transparency have started to take note. “We are dealing with disruptive players who have the advantage of introducing a new browsing pathway that is attracting the attention of retailers”, Thierry Strickler explains. “It is safe to say that the major players in the cosmetics, food distribution, fashion and even luxury sectors are all keeping a close eye on this new model”.
This may be a bold model, but it is not without its limitations; indeed, there is no mention of design or conception, both of which are vital stages in the process and sources of added value.
A CSR policy for your retail business: a simple bonus?https://altavia-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/alessandro.jpg1600945AltaviaAltavia//altavia-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Altavia-White.png
For companies today, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is one of the most commonly-heard and crucial topics. Alessandro Capelli, CSR Manager at Altavia Italia, brings his expert eye on the subject.
How have market expectations changed over the last few years? How is the construction of a CSR plan changing?
Over the last few years, a number of things have happened. First and foremost, since 2008, we have been suffering the effects of one of the worst economic crises the modern world has ever seen. This crisis, far from being a passing phenomenon, has had radical impacts even on development models. Citizens of the western world seem to have got the message and, over the last ten years, this has changed both their consumer awareness when making a purchase and their lifestyle in general. They perceive a crisis generated by huge amounts of capital, uncontrollable in real life: billions lost in a day, a financial game which most citizens cannot understand, but which has a major impact on the most fundamental aspects of their lives. This is why companies that are able to build relationships of trust with consumers and the local area, through concrete and easily understandable measures, are destined to grow and become stronger.
Secondly, the entire scientific community today is warning us that the world we live in is prey to a genuine energy, environmental and social crisis: for the first time, this warning concerns the immediate future, i.e. our generation and that of our children. Moreover, thanks to the increasing spread of social networks, people have more direct access to (and therefore oversight of) companies’ activities. This means that nobody can now hide behind ‘green-washing’ policies; there is thus increasingly less space for ‘spin’ as regards transparency and sustainability. Either you are, or you aren’t: that’s the point. Companies which are not sustainable suffer from a poor image and are losing more and more market share. Therefore, the real difference compared with the past is that CSR is now a strategic component of development for all businesses.
Corporate social responsibility is now developed in various directions, not only with regard to the environment, but also society as a whole. In social matters, above all, greater attention is paid to what happens ‘in the neighbourhood’ – the focus is no longer solely on crises which are affecting the other side of the world, but also projects with an impact on the local area.
Do you feel that a good CSR strategy offers greater benefits to consumers or the companies that implement them?
Good CSR strategies work if they guarantee benefits to consumers, companies and the planet. CSR works when it is able to build alliances. Therefore, when companies integrate sustainability into their production processes, they do so both because it is the right thing to do and because, from that strategic vision, they manage to increase their credibility and reputation for sustainability, including over the long term. For companies, there should be no competition between commercial development and sustainability; it should not be considered a tax to pay, but rather a virtuous element enabling construction of a business which will be able to last for the next 50 years.
On the other hand, when confronted by a business which they can recognise as sustainable, consumers will have more trust in what they consume. As we have said for some time now, there is no difference between consumer and citizen: a person who ‘consumes’ is an all-round citizen. And when he or she buys, it is with the awareness that such choices have an impact on the world we live in.
What are the most important challenges faced by CSR today?
I think that the fundamental challenge is to make SCR the rule for everyone and for every company. It would be lovely if, in the future, CSR could become a ‘given’. Imagine a future where the expression ‘CSR’ is no longer even necessary, because all companies already have to and indeed want to implement sustainability policies, with no need for any special announcements. The main challenge for CSR in the future will be the concept of circularity, in other words managing to integrate all production phases into a circular economy mechanism, both as regards environmental impact and their capacity to generate economic and social resources. The development of every company would thus not be at the expense of the local area, but genuinely to its benefit.
Altavia Italia has developed a number of CSR projects over the last few years. Could you tell us which Altavia project you feel gave you the greatest satisfaction or generated the best results?
From a symbolic perspective, an important first step was the ‘Porte ouverte’ dinner, which we held at Altavia. It was organised following the Paris attacks of 2015, when French citizens created the hashtag #PorteOuverte to use on social networks, followed by an address, to indicate a hiding place for those fleeing the attacks. We organised a dinner called #PorteOuverte at Altavia, together with certain social cooperatives and some of our partners, a chance for the people at Altavia (employees, friends, partners, etc.) to meet a group of Syrian refugees and unaccompanied foreign minors. The initiative lasted for only one evening, but was of great significance, both for what it represented and for the emerging idea that Altavia could be a meeting place, open to the public.
#PorteOuverte thus marked the origins of a new concept, Altavia Open, which has become a fundamental focus for Altavia today. Creating a space where we do not merely establish a company, but rather build a business in harmony with the local area, and developing a place where people can spend time, come to eat and work, be together and feel good – these have become the cornerstones of our new idea of CSR.
Some of the free events, open to the public, organised for #AltaviaOpen in the Altavia Italia courtyard
In connection with this, we are also extremely proud of our participation in ‘Milano Sei L’altro’, a project organised by the Cariplo Foundation, which seeks to establish an alliance between the public and private sectors, between businesses and non-profit enterprises. The project was built around the concept of community welfare, the idea that companies can actually constitute resources for their local area.
The fourth project I would like to discuss, which falls within the CSR initiatives connected with our main activity, was the ‘Together Without Walls’ communication campaign for two major events in Milan (held on 20 May 2016 and 21 June 2017), which sought to portray Milan as a city which will only be able to grow if it builds bridges, rather than walls. We feel this is ‘societal’ CSR, in the positive sense of the term – we worked together to communicate a message that we all believe in passionately.
A scene from the ‘Together Without Walls’ event organised in the Altavia Italia courtyard
Then, the environment is obviously absolutely crucial for us. By handling the whole range of printed communication, we can keep up to date all the certifications which guarantee not only reforestation for the paper we use, but also a low impact of our production process in terms of carbon dioxide emissions.
In this sense, once again as regards the press, the final project I would like to mention is Positive Sourcing®. This project arose from the idea of integrated CSR, envisaged not as a gift, but rather a mechanism that generates skills, professionalism and commercial development, for a purpose crucial to the values we believe in, such as making the employment of disadvantaged persons economically sustainable.
What do we do for the CSR of our clients?
For us, sustainability is a very serious matter. One of the areas of expertise at Altavia Italia is supporting retailers in developing their CSR strategy. We call this ‘Retail Humanization’, because we feel it is crucial to reinforce their sense of citizenship and awareness of sustainability issues, while helping them to share this commitment with their clients, so that their projects and initiatives become a real competitive advantage.
Retail Humanization: one of the 7 Altavia Italia value propositions
The six main markers driving physical stores in 2018https://altavia-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/64706975_hiweb.jpg16781119AltaviaAltavia//altavia-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Altavia-White.png
“A great deal of thought goes into the way in which Aesop stores are respectfully integrated into their respective neighbourhoods”
The brick-and-mortar retail concept has been redesigned. There were those who thought that e-commerce would wipe out everything in its way, confining physical stores to the history books. But that definitely won’t be the case! Consumers – particularly the younger generations of them – have a real need for in-store experiences. Well-established retailers, working closely alongside start-ups, have already shown that they were willing to do something and could redesign the physical retail outlet. We take a look at what this all means with Thierry Strickler, Retail Market Intelligence Lead at Altavia.
Six key factors are driving physical stores nowadays.
1- Soul power
This is where stores have architecture that stands out – unique locations which elicit genuine emotion from their customers.
When we talk about soul power, some of the retailers we think about include:
– The Galeries Lafayette, and its flagship store’s temple to fashion and Parisian chic, crowned with a magnificent dome, which has been classified as a building of historical importance since 1975. A symbol of artisan expertise of old, a unique space, known all over the world;
– American grocery store chain Trader Joe’s, which was set up in the 1960s and has retained its hippie ethos – its customers can enjoy a memorable offbeat ambience as they shop.
– Australian skincare brand Aesop: each and every store is completely unique, reflecting the brand’s DNA. A great deal of thought goes into the way in which the stores are respectfully integrated into their respective neighbourhoods,
– and Starbucks, whose coffee houses are a break from today’s fast food approach to beverages.The brand recently opened a 2700 m² Starbucks in Shanghai employing 400 people. Digital technologies are seamlessly woven into the coffee house – thanks to a partnership with Chinese online shopping website TaoBao. And customers can sample the latest coffees or learn about the secrets of coffee roasting – all via a dedicated app.
Customisation – for products, the offering and customer relations
Adidas and its Knit for you programme – a temporary concept showcased at its Berlin pop-up store at the end of 2016 – is a fine example of this second marker. How does it work? Leave the store with a bespoke pullover created in only four hours. Customers get a laser body scan and can experiment by having different patterns projected onto them; They then choose a colour combination.The only limitation is the material – merino wool is the only one they can use. The pullover is ready to be knitted. It’s hand-finished, washed and dried… and then four hours later, it’s ready! Speed is the key factor in this concept: both in terms of the production process and in responsiveness to customer demand.
Another example? Nespresso and the channels they use to talk to their customers – no matter what their preferences are (store, web, hotline, etc.). The resulting relationships end up being ultra-customised.
3- The community
Some retailers are particularly adept at communicating on the basis of a system of values with which their customers identify. These brands usually create a particular kind of world – such as the Rapha Cycling Club, a US-based Internet pure player that sells top-of-the-range bikes and accessories. It has succeeded in creating locations, associated with clubhouses that can be accessed by paying a small monthly subscription, so people can take part in rides and meet other enthusiasts.
Australian retailer Deus Ex Machina creates hybrid locations underpinned by powerful values, such as friendliness, freedom, culture and creativity. At a Deus Ex Machina store, customers can purchase vinyl records, motorbikes and surfing wetsuits, as well as having coffee or getting something to eat, while sharing their enthusiasm with other customers.
4- Experience
Provide an atypical, memorable experience that will elicit an emotional response from customers. That’s the challenge that brands like juice bar and coffee shop chain Joe & The Juice have risen to. This café – which only sells fresh fruit juice and coffee – no alcohol! – turns into a nightclub at the end of the day. Here, the role of the sales staff – party people, bar staff, DJs and “ambience creators” all in one – is crucially important. They are the ones who bring in the community and then develop its loyalty.
Another example? Sonos. Realising that many customers purchase speakers and sound systems that they have first experienced at friends’ houses, the Californian brand decided to focus on an immersive sales approach. It has installed huts, each featuring different ambiences, in its Soho store in New York, so customers really can enjoy a fully-fledged in-store speaker experience.
5- In-store digital technologies
The fifth marker forges closer ties with customers, so brands can interact differently with them. This is a particularly good way for brands to overcome some of the problems associated with small town-centre retail areas – when there are limits to how much stock they can keep. The solution? Enable customers to submit orders via digital terminals. We are right at the focal point – where online and offline converge!
European fashion retailer Mango, which has entered into a partnership with Vodafone, has fitting rooms with connected mirrors to improve the customer experience. So if the trousers that you picked up from the store shelves are too large or too small, you can easily contact one of the sales staff from the fitting room and have a pair in the right size brought right over.
Decathlon City is also leveraging the full potential of digital technologies, doing away with the shortcomings of the in-store shopping experience (customers can talk to sales staff from the fitting rooms, the self-service checkouts take mobile payments, etc.).
6- CSR
More and more brands, increasingly environmentally aware and keen to avoid the bad buzz that the wrong decisions can create, have decided to provide customers in search of a reasonable and reasoned consumer experience with concrete solutions. Space10, developed by IKEA, is a laboratory where people can think about future modes of consumption. This forum for innovation, based in Copenhagen, is in line with the principles of the circular economy and has already launched pilot projects in Japan (IKEA buys back old sofas from its customers so it can recycle them) and London (rental service, for students in particular).
For IKEA, the logic behind the idea is sound for two reasons: they get to be a company committed to the environment, as well as coming up with services that meet their customers’ needs.
Lego also embodies this sixth and final decisive factor. The brand says it’s invested $150 million in setting up a materials centre for sustainable development. Indeed, every year, 31 billion Lego bricks are manufactured throughout the world! Lego has decided to launch a range of bricks made from sugarcane. The Danish company is clearly on the right track!
Corporate Social Responsibility: Altavia attains Advanced level in the Global Compacthttps://altavia-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/77885064_hiweb.jpg18061039AltaviaAltavia//altavia-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Altavia-White.png
Altavia signed the United Nations Global Compact in 2008 and this year the group has attained the Advanced level, which represents the highest standard of performance in terms of the social responsibility of organisations.
Catherine Rehbinder, Group CSR Director, tells us more about this strong, responsible commitment and the concrete actions which will be led to take it even further.
What is the Global Compact and what are its missions?
The Global Compact was initiated in 2000 by Kofi Annan, then Secretary-General of the United Nations, with the aim of encouraging companies to voluntarily adopt a responsible progress approach by inviting them to integrate ten key principles, relative to Human Rights, Labour Rights, the Environment, and Anti-Corruption, into their strategies and activities. They also commit to promoting these principles throughout their networks. Today the Global Compact counts no less than 9,700 companies in 170 countries, 1,200 of which are in France.
When did Altavia join this movement?
Altavia joined the Global Compact in 2008 under the impetus of its Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Raphaël Palti. Every year for the past decade, we have communicated about our social and environmental commitments and progress by publishing our Communication On Progress (COP) text on the UN Global Compact website.
This year, we have achieved the highest stratum of the Global Compact, namely the Advanced level. At present only 8% of companies worldwide have attained the Advanced level for their COP, and at the end of 2017, 84 French companies belonged to this select club. We are very proud to be amongst the most advanced companies in the Global Compact!
What does reaching the Advanced level really mean for Altavia in terms of commitments?
As well as the annual publication of the actions that we are leading in favour of the four main themes of the Global Compact, we must communicate about how we are implementing 21 advanced criteria linked to the strategy, governance, and commitment of our stakeholders (i.e. all those with an interest in the activities of the company: staff, clients, suppliers, shareholders, associations), implementation of the principles in our value chain, and transparency. This year, our COP also includes details of how we are contributing to the UN sustainable development goals, (SDGs), adopted in 2015 by the United Nations. They are the basis of an action plan aiming, by 2030, to radically change our societies by ensuring a transition towards fair and sustainable development.
We are also now obliged to be assessed by an external third party. Consequently we underwent a peer review session in front of the Global Compact Advanced peers’ club, which evaluated our approach and validated our level. This level will be consolidated providing that we implement the action plan that we put forward.
What actions will be led as part of this action plan?
The two bases of the Altavia Group’s action plan are transparency and responsible procurement.
Firstly, we are going to set up CSR reporting, via which we will measure the impact of our actions on the environment, the human capital and society, and this on an international scale given that the Altavia Group is currently active in 30 countries.
Secondly, our actions will be focused on responsible procurement, which represents a key issue for the Group. It is crucial for us to ensure that our supply chain applies the principles of the Global Compact in terms of Human Rights, Labour Rights, respect for the environment, and ethical business.
More generally, over the coming months, Altavia must strengthen its CSR strategy by getting its stakeholders more involved. One way that we will go about this is by giving everyone to chance to comment on our COP, which will soon be made available on the group’s website.
“Facing rampant urbanisation, cities have no choice but to adapt and innovate”https://altavia-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/34689017_hiweb.jpg16801117AltaviaAltavia//altavia-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Altavia-White.png
“Cities and regions of the future”. That is the theme of the 2018 European Sustainable Development Week. The event offers an opportunity for Catherine Rehbinder, CSR Director at ALTAVIA, to introduce us to Smart Cities, a concept to be developed in the not-so-distant future. These cities put innovative systems in place in order to adapt to heavy urbanisation.
“There are presently 7 billion people on the planet, and this number will grow to 10 billion by 2050. Where? More and more in cities! A full-fledged urbanisation trend has been observed, as populations migrate to megacities in increasing numbers.
Cities guzzle 75% of the earth’s resources and produce 70% of the greenhouse gas emissions.
Methods of producing, consuming and exploiting resources must be fundamentally and sustainably overhauled.
Reorganising cities
In response to climate change and rapid urbanisation, cities must adapt and implement innovative systems, particularly in light of new information and communication technologies. Ground-breaking urban services have begun to emerge, underpinned by brands and adopted by consumers looking to reduce their environmental footprint and improve their quality of life. These services expand across various domains:
The circular economy will be at the heart of the city of the future. Communities will need to reduce waste production, or eliminate waste altogether, and put in place efficient waste recovery and recycling systems.
Urban agriculture is growing in response to food supply issues. It has led to a comeback of city farms and rooftop vegetable gardens. From Paris and New York to Montreal, the benefits of urban agriculture are clear, including carbon fixation and the maintenance of biodiversity. With regard to the latter, the new World Bee Day has been officially declared for 20 May in an effort to highlight the importance of these pollinators! Another benefit is the shorter circuits, given the growing number of locavores.
Transportation methods are integrating smart mobility solutions. Since January 2018, the regulations have been modified: companies with more than 100 staff are actually required to prepare a mobility plan, in other words, to analyse the way in which staff will commute. They must also encourage alternatives to solo driving (biking, ride sharing, public transportation, etc.).
Housing is paramount in a world where living together has become a key challenge. City skylines are being redesigned and reinvented to promote the well-being of its inhabitants, to respect their privacy, ensure they receive sufficient sunlight, and much more.
Energy. Eco-neighbourhoods are sprouting throughout some metropolises, where everything is remodelled on the basis of energy consumption, thanks especially to connected meters. They make it possible to monitor consumption and operations remotely. Smart management of the data reveal users’ real needs and allow for optimum control of resources. Another growing trend is self-consumption (individual and collective): users produce their own power from renewable energy (mainly photovoltaic panels).
In smart cities, you will find electric vehicle charging stations, lighting fixtures fitted with motion sensors, monitoring systems to detect the amount of waste in bins, and smart parking: find your space ahead of time to reduce traffic congestion, limit pollution and improve quality of life!
Preventing possible deviances
What is there to say about the murkier side of smart data management? For some people, open data and surveillance can be equated to constant monitoring and loss of freedom. Continued vigilance will be required on this point.
Looking to San Francisco as a model sustainable city
Over a less than 20-year span, the U.S. city has become a model for sustainable living. In a country where the waste recycling rate tops out at 35%, San Francisco boasts a rate of 80%.
In fact, the city made recycling mandatory. What’s more, plastic bags, bottles and cups are banned. Even paper bags are gradually being replaced with fabric bags, which residents are encouraged to bring with them to do their shopping.
Incentives have also been put in place, including a refund of the rubbish collection fee, granted to households who reduce their production of non-recyclable waste. This policy has had a significant economic impact, with recycling creating new jobs tenfold compared to previous waste incineration systems.
Evaluating its impact on retail
The world is experiencing a wake-up call. Consumers are increasingly more aware of the ecological crisis unfolding, and are adopting more responsible purchasing and consumer practices. Companies who fail to look beyond the profit motive will be left behind in favour of those who are working to benefit society and preserve the environment. CSR thus becomes a real competitive advantage.”
How does technology allow consumers wanting to eat organic to bypass supermarkets?https://altavia-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/39363727_hiweb.jpg15961176AltaviaAltavia//altavia-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Altavia-White.png
Consumers are becoming increasingly demanding when it comes to food. According to the ANIA (French National Food Industry Federation)/Opinion Way Barometer 2015, food expenses are where French people least want to cut corners. They are also paying more attention to the quality of what they eat: ingredients and nutritional value went up 18 and 4 points respectively in the selection criteria ranking compared to 2013. This was at the expense of price and use-by dates, which went down 7 and 13 points respectively in comparison with 2013. According to the CSA Research survey for Agence Bio published in January 2017, 83% of French people trust organic products. More are consuming organic products on a daily basis (10% in 2015; 15% in 2016).
Supermarkets have already reacted by installing stalls selling cheese, meat, fish and bread to humanise the shopping experience. Fruit and vegetable sections have also been updated with mist machines and explanatory information for quality and freshness purposes.
However, supermarkets are also having to cope with a rise in alternative approaches being taken by consumers shopping organic…
1 – The supermarkets’ problem
According to a 2017 UFC-Que Choisir study, supermarkets are facing a range of problems to do with organic produce. - Researchers found supermarkets have much higher margins (+96%). This means organic foods are 79% more expensive than their conventional equivalents.
– Less organic choice: for example, 43% of the time it is impossible to find conventional and organic tomatoes and apples in the same store. In 23% of cases neither product can be bought organic.
2 – Customer/consumer expectations
Households say they eat organic for health reasons (66%), for environmental reasons (58%) and for quality and taste (56%). (CSA Research for Agence Bio//January 2017). They want GM-free products without artificial flavours and colours checked to meet precise specifications and guaranteed as well as proof that no animals are harmed in their making.
3 – Service positioning (technological tools and what they offer)
As well as AMAPs (consumer networks helping local farmers by committing to buy fruit and vegetable boxes ahead of time), more transparent services requiring less commitment are emerging.
“Passive” apps let users locate those selling organic products and offer a full service including delivery. This alternative approach is being set up to satisfy different types of organic consumer.
La Bio en Poche is an app which shows users places near them selling organic products (shops, markets, restaurants, AMAPs, etc.) using the geolocation function on their phones. In addition to offering geolocation, the app also suggests recipes, has fun and educational content and the latest organic news.
La Ruche qui dit Oui ! : every week subscribers can order products on sale from partner producers. The order is delivered during the week to their local Assembly venue.
Bienvenue à la ferme is the main direct sales network for farm produce and tourism. Product sales, restaurants, fun activities and stays on the farm: all this and more lets consumers learn more about organic food in France.
Marchés des Producteurs de Pays is a Chambers of Agriculture brand. These markets bring together local producers committed to following a good practice charter which guarantees consumers:
– high-quality produce
– local and seasonal produce and specialities of the country
– high-quality production and processing methods
– direct contact with producers
– transparent farming practices
Markets can be regular, seasonal or one-offs and all highlight the richness and diversity of our produce, enabling consumers to purchase the best local products direct.
Mon-marche.fr offers the widest selection of premium fresh products alongside useful information and excellent service.
Consumers can shop online with 60 traders at Rungis International Market in Paris and have their orders delivered.
Baladovore Baladovore lets users find their location and the growers and organic products nearest them. You can use the app to look at their products and find what you are interested in without having to travel.
4 – How can supermarkets respond?
Some supermarkets have already brought in solutions to support this change in the way we shop and eat. Here are two interesting examples taken from retail:
Coop Italy: An interactive experience for transparency and education.
The Italian retailer has installed interactive mirrors which provide information about the fruit and vegetables in its supermarceto del futuro in Milan: traceability, best season for consumption, menu ideas, etc. This adds value to the service and provides consumers with everything they need to feel reassured.
McDonald’s: Education and partnerships with official certifications to reassure consumers.
As shown in recent marketing campaigns, the brand is trying to communicate its involvement with local organic producers to reassure consumers about product quality. Featuring official certifications in adverts reassures the consumer that the brand is being truthful and offering quality products.
In its “Forbidden Market” campaign, the brand squares up to the law forbidding the sale of certain varieties of produce. The brand positions itself as committed to and fighting for better consumption.
(The advert is noticeably similar to the one from McDonald’s: we are now seeing the conversation around organic products being institutionalised by mass-market stakeholders.)
Although these responses to the organic “crisis” in the mass-market are contextual examples which deal with companies’ own issues, we must also consider inviting consumers to reflect on possible solutions in order to understand what holds them back, motivates them and the ways in which they use products. When it comes to the “purchase” stage of the consumption cycle, it’s all about usage. By making an effort to develop solutions consistent with consumer usage, the transition to new ways of shopping and eating will occur more smoothly and leading positions can be pre-empted as offers and services will be in line with consumer expectations.
The French and responsible consumptionhttps://altavia-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/56137268_hiweb.jpg16771119AltaviaAltavia//altavia-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Altavia-White.png
We’ve been living on credit since Wednesday 2 August. According to calculations by the Global Footprint Network NGO, this was “Earth Overshoot Day” for 2017: the date by which mankind had consumed as many natural resources as the planet can renew in an entire year.
The French people are increasingly aware of the ecological emergency facing us, and are gradually learning more about responsible behaviour. But assume the whole sustainable development effort themselves? No chance.
The Greenflex sustainable consumption barometer
Each year, the consultancy company Greenflex, which proposes sustainable solutions for businesses, publishes its barometer survey “We’re all in it together! The French and responsible consumption” . Let’s take a moment to look at the 2017 version, carried out with a representative sample of the French population, involving 3,800 people aged from 15 to 74 years old.
“At a time when the French are beginning to look to the future once again and display (slightly) greater openness to others, responsible consumption continues to make headway but takes second place to the simple desire to consume”, states the introduction to the 2017 Barometer. Despite this, the French people are not willing to shoulder the effort required for “sustainable development” alone. They clearly expect each stakeholder in society (the state, companies and brands, associations and distributors) to play their part too. In this new ecosystem, their expectations vis-à-vis these stakeholders are more than ever proportional to their mistrust of them, and this is particularly the case concerning the companies and brands”.
Health: a key factor
Among the major trends for 2017, Camille Lebret, CSR Project Leader at Altavia, reminds us that:
– Health is the key factor in responsible consumption: 45% of consumers would purchase environmentally friendly products as a priority because they have less of a negative impact on health;
– Although the French are increasingly vigilant concerning the quality of the products they buy, though they may now be consuming differently they nevertheless continue consuming;
– As 53% of the French population see it, consuming responsibly means consuming differently, including: products which are covered by quality labels, which are local, organic and derived from fair trade, etc.
– Consumers have less confidence in the major companies: in 2017, only 27% the French population stated that they trust them;
– Distributors (retail) are seen as a credible alternative to the specialised stores and major brands;
The health issue plays a central role. The barometer is presented as “introducing underlying attitudes to responsible consumption. In a world which is perceived as harmful, people consider it necessary to preserve their health, particularly by choosing sustainable products. A clear sign of this trend, is that the very definition of a quality product now encapsulates a desire for health”.
A willingness to act… but not alone
To the question “In your opinion, how important are the following stakeholders when it comes to taking concrete action to promote sustainable development?”, those interviewed rated companies and brands in first place; in second place came the state; in third place individuals themselves; and finally the distributors. Considered by the French population as the fourth most important stakeholder when it comes to bringing about change (compared to 6th in 2014 and 5th in 2016), the legitimacy accorded to the distributors where sustainable development is concerned is increasing, and rivalling that of the major brands.
Opportunities for the retail sector
“Generally, the barometer survey highlights fresh dynamism”, states Camille Lebret. “With their answers, the French people are showing that they are more optimistic and have greater confidence in the future. They are once again looking to the future, which is good news for the store chains, the brands and the mass retail sector”.
Some store chains have clearly understood that it was necessary to respond and to expand the range of responsible products. “AnOpinion Way survey has shown that 89% of the French population feel that a company can achieve high performance while at the same time having a positive social and environmental impact” adds Camille Lebret.
Franprix, the local urban store chain belonging to the Casino group, recently launched a new concept, “Franprix Noé”. The shop, which is located in rue Mouffetard, in Paris, is devoted to responsible consumption. Here, consumers will find organic, fair-trade and locally produced products selected for their quality and flavour. On the store window, it is stated that: “Here, every customer can be sure that the products they buy contribute to the trend towards more responsible consumption. We give pride of place to organic and fair-trade products, but more too, as we are also open to non-labelled products which deserve our trust and confidence for their quality and origin. Above all, we promote flavour, health and happy living”.
For its part, Carrefour Bio is launching in Spain, in Madrid. Situated in Calle Velarde 1, the store proposes more than 1,800 organic products in a 140 m² sales area.
Today, every store chain in the mass retail sector proposes an organic section for its customers, chiefly selling food products. According to the Agence Française pour le Développement et la Promotion de l’Agriculture Biologique (French Agency for the Development and Promotion of Organic Farming), “the market share of the supermarkets and hypermarkets is approximately 45%, ahead of specialised organic distributors (37%), and direct sales by producers to consumers (13%) and craftsmen or retailers (5%)”.
European sustainable development week : the 17 goals of this year’s edition.https://altavia-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/27847890_hiweb-e1496076572787.jpg1681899AltaviaAltavia//altavia-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Altavia-White.png
The European Sustainable Development Week takes place from May 30th to June 5th. What’s the goal ? Facilitate individual forms of mobilization, individual and collective, in order to promote sustainable development and raise awareness of its issues. For this 2017 edition, the 17 sustainable development goals set by the United Nations in 2015 are in the spotlight.
This is the start of a new Sustainable Week, during which many events are scheduled throughout Europe. In 2016, more than 300,000 citizens in 38 EU Member States and other European countries participated, with 4,146 initiatives, activities and events, including 1,661 in France.
This year again, a dedicated website, lists all the French projects – classified by themes or regions. “In Paris, for example, the 1.618 movement opens a concept store on sustainable luxury at La Corderie, in Paris, from June 1st to June 11th,” says Camille Lebret, Environment Project Manager at Altavia. About fifteen French and foreign brands from all areas of the lifestyle sector (design, mobility, gastronomy, new tech, fashion, jewelery, perfume …) will be present. Through its actions, 1,618 seeks to highlight that sustainable development is compatible with creation, quality and aesthetics. ”
Improving the lives of people around the world
The objective of this 2017 edition is to highlight the 17 sustainable development objectives (SDGs) set by the United Nations in September 2015 under the Sustainable Development Program to 2030. These 17 SDGs hold the challenges that must improve the lives of people everywhere: poverty eradication, food security and sustainable agriculture, health and well-being, quality education, equality between men and women …
“In France, actions are carried out by companies that are members of the Global Compact initiative, to achieve the 17 objectives of sustainable development,” says Camille Lebret. With regard to poverty eradication, for example, Essilor International, the world leader in ophthalmic optics, has set up a program to combat uncorrected vision, called Vision for life. “With an initial allocation of € 30 million, the program would be the world’s largest strategic charity commitment to fighting uncorrected vision.
Another example, linked to objective 7 “Clean and affordable energy”, is the energy access program, led by Schneider Electric. “Today, nearly 1.1 billion people – almost 1 in 5 people in the world – do not have access to energy,” says the World Energy Management Specialist And automation. By developing inclusive economic models, Schneider Electric contributes to reducing poverty while protecting the environment through an innovative and economically viable approach. ”
The Armor-Lux project, linked to the objective “Mode of consumption and sustainable production”, is equally remarkable. In 2011, the company of Breton origin was able to design, from plastic bottles, a polyester jacket recycled and recyclable for the City Hall of Paris.
“No impact week”
During this European Sustainable Development Week, the Mieux agency also organizes, for the 3rd year, No Impact Week. “Everything started with American blogger Colin Beavan, who experimented with his family on a lifestyle without ecological impact for a year in New York,” explains Camille Lebret. Thomas Parouty, founder of the Mieux agency, was inspired to organize within his company a week dedicated to the reduction of the carbon footprint. “For the 2017 edition, many actions, conferences and sharing of experiences are on the program. Why not start with the first challenge “During the European Sustainable Development Week, I collect with my colleagues at least 1 waste per day! “? Let’s participate!
