EcoAct involves companies in the development of a sustainable economy
Ile-de-France region
In June 2005 two students at HEC (a top business school) formed a partnership in order to work in a "meaningful" field and, six months later, founded EcoAct, a company working for sustainable development through the world of business.
Sustainable development is now a major issue, the subject of large-scale advertising campaigns and other marketing operations. Consumers and the authorities are increasingly aware of its importance, so companies have to respond to the demand.
Some companies make it s specific budget item, when a proportion of the overall budget is not allocated to it.
This is the opportunity seized by EcoAct, now composed of three partners and two employees and using independent providers in order to extend its field of activity: the company works both locally and internationally. Its annual turnover is €100,000.
But what does it offer? Services adapted to the needs and budget of each company, providing the conception and coordination of projects, publicising companies' added value and evaluation of their results.
At international level EcoAct services concern companies' carbon emissions, offering a reduction plan and the possibilities of investing in international "offset" projects: reforestation, development of ecological and social actions in third world countries, etc. In this way, companies can publicise their sustainable action and improve their image.
A precise evaluation of actual impact on the environment is then made.
In practical terms, EcoAct offers two products:
The "Carbon-Neutral" Pack, carbon assessment (French Agency for Environment and Energy Management) and corresponding offset programme; and "Responsible Planet" Programmes, which are carbon-offset programmes in the framework of CDMs (Clean Development Mechanisms): combating global warming, preserving biodiversity and local economic development.
At local level, EcoAct offers two types of activities, one short- and one long-term, each being adapted to the budget and possibilities of the company: the "Eco-responsible Day" Pack, an awareness-raising day for people with integration contracts; over the longer term, the "Earth and People" Pack offers regional sustainable development programmes (rehabilitation of waterways, abandoned areas, coasts, forests, etc.).
While what EcoAct offers at international level is part of an existing niche, its work at the local level is genuinely innovative and provides real solutions to central problems such as raising awareness in the business community (managers and employees alike), the establishment of links between all actors in society, mobilisation of the authorities, exchanges between the working population and the excluded, etc.
Moreover, the service offered to local communities consists of rehabilitating a natural site that has been damaged by the company's employees, in cooperation with an integration enterprise that makes its teams available, and with the support of the local authorities, all this paid for by the company in question.
All the central actors are therefore involved: citizens, the responsible economy network, the company and the authorities.
The first long-term programme began on 8 December 2006 and will continue until the end of 2008. Designed for General Electric, it involves operations to rehabilitate neglected natural areas in the Val d'Oise (95), on the banks of the Seine, in partnership with the association Halage (an integration enterprise specialising in the maintenance of natural areas) and the General Council of Val d'Oise: rubbish and nuisance clearance, the creation of ecological niches and other maintenance operations are carried out by the General Electric and Halage teams and coordinated by EcoAct.
The company's employees are generally delighted by this action, which enables them to look at natural spaces differently and to familiarise themselves with the principles of integration. It gives them a sense of social and environmental usefulness which improves their self-esteem.
Obviously, as with any large-scale project, there are difficulties connected with decision-making delays, on the part of the local authorities as well as the companies, which are not always open to this new concept, as they are used to the patronage system that requires less investment.
There is therefore a great deal of awareness-raising, persuasion and needs analysis work to be done, but this only strengthens the ambition and will of EcoAct, which is increasingly successful and has two main objectives for the future: to become an integration enterprise itself and to open new offices throughout France in order to be able to undertake the project management of all the sites concerned.
