Sébastien Mandron : “CSR directors play a key role in transforming companies’ business models.”

Interview with Sebastien Mandron, Sustainability Director at Worldline and Administrator of C3D

What is the ongoing revolution in the world of CSR ?

The implementation of new European regulations on sustainability (the CSRD) is creating a wave of transformation. Its application will require companies to publish a new Sustainability Report including standardized indicators, financially quantified action plans demonstrating the sustainability of their Business Model over time, and showing that they are taking steps to protect themselves from future risks. These regulations concern around 50,000 companies in Europe and 6000 companies in France, so it’s a massive movement. This wave of change is also supported by a growing interest from consumers and employees in companies engaged in sustainable practices.

In this context, CSR directors, when they exist, play a central role: that of being able to measure and anticipate future climate risks and their impact on the company. They face a gap between their long-term concerns and the more immediate concerns of the management committee and financial directors, even though their role is increasingly recognized. In terms of governance, it is therefore within the boards of directors, which are responsible for the sustainability of the company, that they need to be, and where they are heard because this is where convictions are forged.

For the moment, these issues concern large companies that are in the first wave of publication in 2025. On the side of small businesses, if they are more agile, their challenges in terms of CSR are the lack of CSR resources and knowledge on the subject. It is understandable that many small and medium-sized enterprises are concerned about their ability to comply with these regulations. However, they have more time to prepare and to be inspired by large companies in their sector that will have paved the way. The growing demand for CSR solutions, coupled with the experience of large groups, will create opportunities for specialized service providers, who will provide turnkey sectoral matrices and action plans to help these companies navigate this complex landscape.

What is the new role of CSR directors ?

Over the past 10 years, the role of CSR director has evolved every year. The subjects vary very quickly. CSR directors are constantly qualifying the problems they encounter and trying to find solutions. They must now anticipate future sustainability challenges, particularly regarding biodiversity and climate, on which there are a large number of questions but few solutions that meet the challenges pushed by the CSRD. Their role is no longer limited to regulatory compliance but aims to identify emerging issues and propose innovative solutions. It is therefore a role of visionary and catalyst for change essential to companies to enter a world where the effects of climate warming are becoming increasingly concrete and where the expectation of planetary boundaries is no longer a distant and taboo subject…

Collaboration and knowledge sharing are essential in this new role. CSR directors work more and more in networks to exchange ideas and best practices, as they all share the same difficulties without being in direct competition in this field. By integrating planetary and climate boundaries into their strategies, they contribute to transforming companies towards a more sustainable model, based on curiosity, innovation, and the search for effective solutions.

What transformations can we expect in the next 12-18 months ?

The first publications related to the CSRD are expected shortly, marking the beginning of this new era for the companies concerned. The implementation of the CSRD will reveal the first choices of the pioneers in this publication on sustainability and thus stimulate the implementation of solutions almost 1 year before the publication obligation set by the European Directive.

Evaluated based on their environmental actions and especially based on the financial resources allocated, companies will be confronted with a financial and operational questioning, especially for those who are lagging behind in their sustainability efforts. This transparency will allow investors to compare the non-financial performance and the investments made by companies to protect themselves from environmental and social risks. And this will inevitably influence investment decisions.

To ensure the success of this transition, collaboration between CSR and financial departments will be essential. If CSR departments have knowledge of ESG issues, they must work closely with financial teams to ensure robust reporting and effective and reliable data collection over the long term. This collaboration will help better integrate environmental, social, and governance considerations into the financial and operational decisions of the company, leading to a more holistic and sustainable transformation of its business model.