Seed

The formula chosen by Eléonore Givort and Charlotte Doyen to raise employee awareness of social and environmental issues: a humorous burger quiz, making the transition more engaging and fun. These thirty-somethings also met with people across France who have decided to take action. They shared their stories online on the Entreprise du futur website, in a podcast series called Impact(s). These two mompreneurs founded La Graine after working together at the responsible investment fund Raise. In practical terms, they now support very small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the French Riviera region in putting sustainability at the heart of their business. "There are exceptions, but generally speaking, older generations lived with the feeling that resources were inexhaustible, while younger generations know that this is false." "This changes everything in management if we want to be a resilient company, that is to say, one that knows how to cope with crises and last in the long term and, of course, be profitable," explains Eléonore.

The key to recruiting and retaining talent

“Large corporations have dedicated CSR departments or use consulting firms that smaller businesses don’t have access to. So we wanted to offer this service, close to the leaders who drive the local economy,” continues Charlotte, who primarily works with local clients. For her, sustainable development isn’t just about doing your part in a world in crisis. Putting this strategy at the heart of a company’s commitments is a lever for attracting investors, a decisive factor in recruiting young professionals, and it’s also about being accountable to clients. La Graine focuses on close relationships, through support programs lasting three to six months, and maintains the connection and reflection over the long term. Within their own organization, these entrepreneurs emphasize their complementary skills. “We are very aligned in our visions of life.” "We're not going to schedule meetings between 17 p.m. and 19 p.m., during the children's tunnel time, but we know we can call each other afterwards," says Charlotte, originally from the Vosges region, who chose the southern sun like Éléonore, who came from Paris.

The key to business success

“The region isn’t the most advanced in terms of CSR, and there’s still a lot of work to be done. More and more companies are experiencing this transition, as the next generation takes over. Women and men in their forties, trained all over the world, are returning to their region and taking the lead. They also have children who are telling them to do things differently. It’s a paradigm shift, even if there were pioneers who understood this before others,” adds Eléonore. La Graine helps companies achieve compliance with certification requirements, structure their commitments, and get their departments on board. “We’ve supported long-standing CSR-conscious companies like Ragni in becoming mission-driven. Similarly, at Résistex, the initiative launched by management transformed into a collective effort. Just because the subject is very serious doesn’t mean you can’t adopt an engaging approach,” concludes Charlotte. Supported by these female leaders, whose lives are also punctuated by sports, concerts and urban culture, CSR takes on an enthusiastic turn.