To achieve this the DRSE operate several levers

Achaque time its emblematic function. After the era of the "dircoms" and the HRD in the years 1980-1990, the first decade of the 21st century will remain in the annals such as the emergence of two new acronyms: the DDD or directors of sustainable development and the DRSE (directors of the social and environmental responsibility) referring to a same trade. It was feared that these professionals suffer from the crisis, companies focusing on their cash or problems fall in sales to the detriment of the rest. A study (), 57 companies of the SBF 120 by the Adecco Group in association with the College of the directors of the committed sustainable development (C3D), shows that there is nothing. Some 78 of respondents now have a service dedicated to sustainable development, whose numbers grew to 3.55 equivalent full time in 2007 5.5 in 2009.

After to be located in large publicly-traded companies, the directors of the social and environmental responsibility work even at - will, in the case of mutual and public services into large SMEs. Mayors of Lille, le Havre or Orleans have, for example, their ad hoc Director.

Diversification of profiles

But their scope is more limited to ecology. Appeared in the industry, the first generation of these leaders were working to reduce pollution arising from their activities. Danone to Renault, they now tackle social issues, societal and ethical, interested in human resources, communication, legal, procurement, eco-design. Hence a diversification of their profiles: these positions are more necessarily engineers or scientists but may be former directors of human resources, responsible for marketing, communication, shopping, lawyers or officials of association. As to their wages, they range from 80,000 to 150,000 euros, even beyond in large groups, where many of them are directly relevant to the CEO.

Thus, their mission becomes complicated, because the most advanced firms seek to integrate sustainable development into their economic model. An issue which requires these leaders to demonstrate imagination to overcome the contradiction between principles and practices: how, for example, water management companies can comply with the principles of the environment who advocate an economy of the resource, knowing that their turnover depends on the consumed volumes "This brings us to offer new contracts to communities: some rest a part of our turnover on service to the environment." "Others can include bonus systems based on water savings that we contribute to initiate among consumers," said Hélène Valade, Director delegate in charge of sustainable development and the strategy of opinion in Lyonnaise des Eaux and Chair of the C3D.

The power to persuade

Another feature, the mission of the DRSE registered on both the short and long term. On the one hand, they want a role intelligence and foresight to identify issues of the future. On the other, they serve as prod by initiating projects related to human resources, procurement, production or business practices. Transverse par excellence, their role is to instill a culture of sustainable development at every level. Even rely on a network of correspondents, with whom to negotiate targets and action plans. "The DRSE must therefore have a good relational to convince to act these interlocutors on which they have no hierarchical authority," notes Claire de Montaigu, President of the cabinet of Leaders Trust head hunting.

To achieve this, the DRSE operate several levers. "To want to move forward, we need to bring employees to ask the right questions rather than impose solutions or give them lessons," explains Christian Caye, delegate to the sustainable development in Vinci.

Visible benefits

The other lever to mobilize internal refers to the evaluation: by measuring the creation of value in economic and social, physical or immaterial of the actions it pilot, the CSR function proves its usefulness. It is easy when it comes to save resources (energy, paper, water) or to launch initiatives leading to positive also visible benefits. Thus, the Vinci Group who wanted to harmonize by the top management of human resources of its subsidiaries has managed to "divide by two in six years the number of accidents at work", welcomes Christian Caye. For its part, the position implemented an incentive system, comprising an indicator "responsible development" for its 250,000 employees. The criteria to benefit from, ranging from employment of persons with disabilities to the consumption of recycled paper from sustainably managed forests in this group that breaststroke 20,000 tonnes of paper a year. "It all the staff is found", says Jacques Savatier, Director of the sustainable development of the position and Advisor to the CEO.

Remains that other components of the CSR less readily lend themselves to the exercise. Simple steps, for example, to prove that diversity contributes to the improvement of the performance of the company in the short term. And, in a degraded environment, it becomes more difficult to convince the business to join projects to less tangible benefits.