A Novethic article from April 23, 2025
where #WAE's actions are highlighted
Facing Trump and the Omnibus, CSR is under attack from all sides. Yet companies are holding firm and stay in the course of sustainability transformation, despite the headwinds. What if Europe were to become the bastion of resistance?
For several months now, CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) players have been facing a profound crisis. With the omnibus proposal at European level that aimed at “simplifying” several standards, the election of Donald Trump and the rise of populism, corporate action in terms of ecological and social transition is now under attack, and setbacks are visible in all areas: climate action, biodiversity, diversity and inclusion...
“The atmosphere has cooled down a lot, and everything is disrupted by this generalized backlash,” comments Fabrice Bonnifet, President of the Collège des Directeurs du Développement Durable (C3D), which brings together nearly 400 companies committed to sustainable transformation, to Novethic. However, key players remain mobilized to defend a genuine sustainable transformation of private-sector players. Within the C3D, “CSR ambitions and policies remain in place, and the momentum is being maintained”, assures Fabrice Bonnifet. “The context is even creating a resistance movement in the industry, to defend the gains of recent decades”, he adds.
“Embodying a European dream as opposed to the American dream”
A sustainable development manager from a major French company told Novethic, “For political reasons, we're talking less about our actions in the areas of decarbonisation and diversity. But behind the scenes, our teams are continuing to invest heavily, and we're not giving up”. Several employees, speaking on condition of anonymity, admit to feel uncomfortable with the global context in which CSR is being called into question, both within and outside their organisation. Nevertheless, they are trying to stay in the course. 'It's depressing, and sometimes we wonder why we're working if everyone around us is stopping, but we're not going to question our objectives. We're taking it on board,' comments Mélissa Saint-Fort, CSR Director at TF1. Coincidentally, the group launched its diversity and inclusion charter on March, 20, just as Donald Trump and his administration were urging French companies to back down on the subject. "It's a source of pride to know that we're resisting," she says.
While some economic players would like Europe to align itself with the deregulated capitalism promoted by Donald Trump, many argue that Europe should instead stand as a bastion of a sustainable economy. "Europe and European companies should stand together to defend their social and environmental standards," says Fabrice Bonnifet. The WeAreEurope movement was set up to organize this effort, uniting companies, consultants, and CSR stakeholders at the European level to propose an alternative model. "We need to embody a European dream, as opposed to the American dream. In other words, we need an economy that considers the long-term social and environmental dimensions and collective risks, such as health and retirement," explains Ludovic Flandin, a specialist consultant and one of #WeAreEurope initiators.
Initiatives that revitalize sustainability in Europe
Since its launch a few weeks ago, #WeAreEurope has gathered over 500 members from nearly 20 European countries. Its goal is to togethered professionals around various initiatives aiming at revitalizing sustainability in Europe. The latest initiative is a consultation with European companies to find out what they really think about simplifying Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which requires companies to publish sustainability information. "We believe there is room for discussion to achieve a simplified text without calling Europe's ambition for social and environmental transparency into question," explains Ludovic Flandin. The movement is also seeking to coordinate European stakeholders. "We want to help companies move forward, with or without a regulatory framework, by publishing an open-source online resource center, artificial intelligence–based tools to assist with reporting, and knowledge guides on sustainability," the expert lists.
In the same spirit, the GenAct association, launched by C3D at the start of the year, aims to unite individuals committed to sustainability and provide them with tools to promote sustainability within their organizations. "In just one month, we've gained almost 1,500 members, and we're aiming for thousands more to drive sustainable change in business models and establish Europe as a leader in sustainability, circularity, and the functional economy," explains Fabrice Bonnifet, the association's chair. In the face of growing anti-CSR populism, counter-powers are emerging. ■
Read the article on Novethic !
