Regional transformation by means of CSR (RegioTrans)

The Institute for Applied Ecology (Öko-Institut) along with the University of Freiburg work together with the business network “energieland 2050” on the project “RegioTransKMU,” in which they investigate whether small and middle-sized businesses gain additional benefits by implementing socio-ecological practices, and if so, which benefits these might be. For example, surveys of employees and trainees provide information about social and ecological factors that might connect employees with their employer (such as a family-friendly workplace or employee participation in the molding of environmentally-conscious business practices). Customer surveys demonstrate whether socio-ecological business practices play a role in purchase decisions. The project also researches the challenge of measuring such practices as well as communicating them for image-promotion, in addition to determining which regional structures and actors can effectively support the adoption of such practices at the local level.

The second part of the project includes the consulting of three companies within the working group "Sustainable Management" of the project RegioTrans. The consulting results in proposals for the further development of the sustainability activities of companies, which are elaborated in three steps:

1. Detailed analysis of the companies' social as well as ecological sustainability activities;
2. Identification of development potentials;
3. Development of concrete proposals for the further development of sustainability activities and, if necessary, their recording and communication.

Policypaper (in German)