EPSA for GOOD: Our CSR and ESG commitment

We have developed a CSR strategy based on tried-and-tested methodological tools that are regulated under the future CSRD. Its implementation follows an operating procedure adapted to the multidisciplinary nature of our Group and its international presence.

Our vision

Drawing on tried and tested methodological tools regulated under the future CSRD, we have built a CSR strategy based on three major commitments. Its implementation is based on an operating procedure adapted to the multi-disciplinary nature of our Group and our international presence.

This strategy is supported by the EPSA for Good program, structured around three pillars.

The first pillar concerns corporate governance, aimed at ensuring that business ethics and transparency are embodied and supported by strict procedures. This pillar is essential for us, as we work with a large number of stakeholders.

The second pillar places the consideration and support of human capital at the heart of our strategy. We have put in place a social policy to combat all forms of discrimination, promote diversity and inclusion, and thus create a working environment open to all.

Finally, the third pillar focuses on the environment, notably through an ambitious climate strategy. Following a regular carbon accounting exercise, we monitor our emissions reduction trajectory and raise awareness of these issues among our employees.

Our pillars

Governance

Our CSR policy, embodied in our membership of the United Nations Global Compact, includes respect for human rights, working conditions, the fight against corruption and responsible supplier-customer relations at the highest level of our governance. Today, this commitment to sustainable governance is reflected in the implementation of binding policies and charters, as well as structuring actions at the highest level.

Our charters : CSR Charter, Ethics Charter, Responsible Purchasing Charter.

Social footprint

We are committed to Diversity and Inclusion, to create a working environment that fosters personal fulfillment for all. To achieve this, we prioritize actions in favor of gender equality, the inclusion and retention of people with disabilities, and more broadly, the fight against all forms of discrimination.

To find out more about our actions in favor of gender equality, our disability agreement, or our Diversity label

Discover our Gender Equality Index scores.

Discover the harassment prevention charter

Environment

Since summer 2019, we have been committed to measuring and reducing our environmental footprint and involving all our employees in adopting a virtuous attitude. Following the regular completion of our carbon footprint (on the 3 scopes), we have built an ambitious climate strategy to reduce and improve our impact on the planet by following ADEME’s ACT Pas-à-Pas methodology. We are implementing a number of actions to accelerate this shift to action and engage our stakeholders in this trajectory.

Find out more about our environmental policy, our actions in favor of sustainable mobility and our management of the energy efficiency of our buildings.

Our worldwide commitment

We support the ten principles of the United Nations Global Compact concerning respect for human rights, international labor standards, environmental protection and the fight against corruption.

Through this commitment, we affirm our determination to integrate these principles into our corporate strategy, culture and day-to-day operations, and to promote them within our sphere of influence.

Discover our communication for progress

EPSA Foundation

EPSA Foundation acts in favor of the general interest, notably through its commitment to professional integration and its triennial Great Cause - Sport & Youth. This commitment is made possible by partnerships with associations working in the field.

EPSA BuyzeWay

Integrating solutions with a social or environmental impact into each of our areas of expertise is a real challenge. Building and proposing an offer that is adapted to today's issues and anticipates those of tomorrow is key, and is one of the lasting solutions to effectively resolving the challenges of our time.

That's why EPSA has set up an Adapted Enterprise within its group, which reconciles economic performance with social impact.

BuyzeWay is the first and only Adapted Enterprise (EA) in the purchasing and procurement sector: 80% of its employees are disabled. Created in 2015, our aim is to train people with disabilities in the purchasing and procurement professions and enable them to find lasting employment in the “ordinary environment”.

EPSA BuyzeWay, adapted company

BuyzeWay is a service company providing support to the purchasing and procurement professions.

The first and only Adapted Company* in this sector, it employs over twenty people with disabilities. In France, 12 million people are disabled. The number of “adapted” companies able to employ and welcome disabled employees is around 800, and they employ around 40,000 disabled people.

Today, BuyzeWay aims to become the benchmark player in its market, offering turnkey solutions across the entire purchasing and supply value chain. We are the ideal solution for reconciling social impact, economic performance and sustainable commitment.

BuyzeWay is a member of the EPSA ecosystem, a key player for any organization wishing to increase its performance and profitability, thanks in particular to the power of its technological solutions. It operates in close collaboration with EPSA’s Marketplace experts, who offer solutions for the outsourcing of “B” and “C” purchasing, from sourcing to purchasing on behalf of their customers. BuyzeWay is involved in the entire purchasing process, for private and public sector players with a high volume of expenditure or purchasing orders.

*Adapted Enterprise: The EA is comparable in all respects to a conventional ordinary enterprise, with the specificity of employing a majority of disabled workers. In an EA, disabled workers represent at least 55% of the total workforce. (Source GESAT)

Between social impact and economic performance

Why an adapted company ?

Social impact

The full range of purchasing outsourcing and business support services can be provided by disabled people. Still the leading factor in discrimination in France, BuyzeWay’s ambition is to offer its employees a professional activity in an environment adapted to their disability.

The creation of this Adapted Company in 2015 is part of EPSA’s commitment to contributing to a more inclusive society. BuyzeWay is one of the Group’s responses to the need for integration into the world of work, and a means of putting the company back at the heart of the social and economic development of tomorrow’s world.

Economic performance

In France, companies with more than 20 employees are required to allocate at least 6% of their payroll to jobs for disabled employees. If they fail to meet this quota, they must pay a contribution to AGEFIPH (Association de Gestion du Fond pour l’Insertion professionnelle des Personnes Handicapées).

This contribution can be reduced by 50% (if the employment rate is <3%) or 75% (if the employment rate is >3%) if they use adapted companies such as BuyzeWay (amount to be retained: 30% of the cost of labor excluding VAT).

Apart from the economic argument, we would like to emphasize that adapted companies like BuyzeWay have no performance or efficiency gap with other companies. Discrimination begins with preconceived ideas about the professional abilities of people with disabilities, which are unfortunately still all too prevalent on the job market.

“In 2023, we renewed our Diversity Label for the tenth consecutive year. This label underlines the exemplary nature of our HR processes, and confirms our daily commitment to combating all forms of discrimination. It is a reflection of our inclusive working environment and rewards all our proactive actions to make our company a welcoming place to work, representative of our Diversity…” Victoria Seraine, Human Resources Director, Diversity Officer

We want to strengthen our commitment to :

Increase in % of employees with disabilities

Objective:
Increase the proportion of senior employees by 15% by 2025.

Action plan:
Readapt our job offers, by creating partnerships with senior network clubs and promoting professional immersion.
Increase in % of employees with disabilities

Objective:
Meet our legal obligations by employing 6% of our employees with disabilities by 2025, and become exemplary in the employment rate of people with disabilities.

Action plan:
Raise awareness of the need to declare a disability in the course of one’s life, and support the employees concerned in the process of obtaining recognition of their rights. Increase recruitment of RQTH profiles at EPSA MARKETPLACE. Support the professional mobility of our adapted company’s employees within the EPSA group’s businesses.
Improving gender balance in top management

Objective:
Increase the percentage of women in top management to 50% by 2025.

Action plan:
Support women in the development of their career paths by promoting training and coaching, thus enabling them to reach top management.
A policy and communication to encourage our customers to take action against discrimination

Objective:
Zero tolerance of discrimination related to origin, from our customers and suppliers to our employees.

Action plan:
Strengthen our external communication with our partners so that our values and commitments in terms of diversity are known and that no form of discrimination is tolerated towards our employees.

{{ results.resources.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ results.offers.title }}