5 Key Takeaways from our 1st Sustainability Report
In 2021, we started to think beyond our growth, and explore what kind of impact we could have on our people, our ecosystem and the world at large. We formalized this commitment by creating an Impact team within Contentsquare, and over the next 18 months, worked together to define the roadmap that would help us achieve our sustainability goals.
Today, we’re proud to share our very first Sustainability report, which gives an overview of our efforts and performance to date, but also of our approach and priorities. It’s a chance for us to share our progress but just as importantly, it’s also an opportunity for us to better understand the journey that still lies ahead. We’ve learned a lot over the past 18 months, and here are five of my key takeaways from the journey to date:
- For a scaleup like Contentsquare, the imminent challenge centers on decoupling growth from carbon emissions.
Digital technologies have a major role to play in the transition to a low-carbon and less environmentally destructive economy. At the same time, we can’t ignore the environmental consequences of our industry’s growing footprint.
So — how do you grow a company and cut carbon emissions at the same time? The first thing is to measure your footprint, define a clear reduction trajectory and stick to it. We’ve aligned our own trajectory to the Paris Agreement, with targets on the three emission scopes and a first checkpoint in 2032. This Fall we’ll be submitting those targets to the Science Based Targets for validation.
One positive finding of our report is that in 2022, CO2 emissions linked to use of Contentsquare products rose only very slightly, despite a significant increase in the number of customers. On the other hand, business travel continues to account for a third of Contentsquare’s carbon emissions which is why we recently adopted a much stricter travel policy, particularly when it comes to air travel.
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are at the heart of ESG.
A strong sustainability strategy is one that welcomes and values diverse communities and the unique perspectives they bring. As such, DEI doesn’t just live in the “S” of ESG but rather should permeate all aspects of a company’s environmental, social and governance goals.
From following inclusive hiring practices to build a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities and markets we serve, to ensuring equitable compensation, advancement and career opportunities for all employees, via growing the number of women on our board, our commitment to DEI is key to how we show up, relate with one another and deliver great work every day. In 2022, we signed the Pacte Parité, a movement started by the Mission French Tech for a fairer French tech ecosystem. As part of this commitment we are pledging to have at least 20% of women on our board of directors by the end of 2025, which we already achieved in 2023,and 40% by the end of 2028.
In 2022 we also launched our first Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to provide a safe space for employees to come together to connect, support each other and advocate for the issues that matter to them. Today we have 4 ERGs at Contentsquare, including Women at CS, Abilities, Multiculture, and LGBTQIA+ and Allies, and in 2022, 157 people joined at least one ERG.
3. Learning is Power.
Learning to become a sustainable company doesn’t happen overnight, which is why developing a culture of continuous learning is key to sustainable growth. Try, learn and grow is one of Contentsquare’s core values, and we never miss an opportunity to educate ourselves as a team. From our three-day onboarding program Rocket Days to dedicated sessions around unconscious bias and inclusive hiring, everyone across the company is learning every day.
To catalyze climate action, we’ve introduced company-wide sustainability training on the low-carbon transition and Contentsquare’s own climate journey. To ensure a fair and inclusive hiring process, we make sure all our hiring managers receive training in inclusive hiring and unconscious bias. All employees complete harassment prevention training and managers take a course in inclusive Leadership and Allyship. We also want our employees to actively participate in removing digital access barriers as part of our company-wide commitment to Digital A11y (i.e. accessibility) and to date, 70% of our workforce has been trained in the basics of digital accessibility.
4. Great things happen when you channel the transformative power of advocacy.
It may seem obvious but one thing we’re learning every day is the power of movement and community when it comes to changing the status quo. This is particularly apparent in the work of the Contentsquare Foundation, whose mission is to raise awareness about Digital A11y and to help reduce digital access barriers via advocacy, education, partnerships and research.
In 2022 the Contentsquare Foundation launched an assistive plugin called Readapt, which allows anyone to create a personalized reading profile for digital content based on their unique needs. This solution is particularly designed for people with visual impairments, and has already allowed the adaptation of over 77 000+ digital texts in less than a year. Readapt is free but we’ve also made it open source so that it can be continuously improved by the community.
One of the Contentsquare Foundation’s core initiatives is conducting training programs in professional and academic circles. In 2022 we trained 12,000 people in the basics of digital accessibility, with the aim of empowering individuals and organizations to champion accessibility in their jobs and everyday life, and do our part to help remove the barriers that keep millions locked out of the Internet today. One of the major obstacles to the development of a more accessible Web is the lack of trained professionals. That’s why in June 2022, the Contentsquare Foundation rallied some thirty partners to call on the French government to make accessibility training compulsory in certain academic pathways. The groups’s open letter was published in the French newspaper Le Monde.
5. For Sustainability to work, it’s got to be part of company DNA.
In November 2022, Contentsquare officially became a mission-driven company under French Law. This status is a turning point for us, enabling a framework for accountability as well as introducing an independent evaluation of our sustainability practices. When defining our mission, we looked to identify the areas where we could make a real difference, both through our expertise and through our technology. After several months of discussions, we adopted a mission statement that reflects the Contentsquare “just cause” designed by the CSquad:
«We empower businesses to create a world where everybody has a digital experience they love, seek and deserve — an experience that is accessible, inclusive, trustworthy and sustainable.»
From the start we’ve been convinced that in order to enact real change we needed to embed impact within our company strategy and culture, and to get the whole company on board with our vision.
As we embrace the transformative power of transparency, this Impact Report serves as a milestone on our journey toward sustainable growth. It’s a reflection of our commitment to accountability, progress, and an inclusive future. Happy reading!
