Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

The LUCIE 26000 Label and ISO 26000 Standard

Published in 2010 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the ISO 26000 standard establishes guidelines for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). This standard defines how organizations can and should contribute to sustainable development based on 7 pillars:

• Responsible and transparent governance
• Respect for individuals
• Quality of work life
• Nature protection
• Ethics of practices
• Responsible aspect of products and services
• Commitment to the general interest

The ISO 26000 standard is widely regarded worldwide as the reference standard for CSR and sustainable development.

The LUCIE 26000 label is based on this standard. Reliable, offering independent audit for certification and regular monitoring, this label is also known for its robust framework that allows judging companies' commitments in light of the aforementioned 7 pillars.

To obtain certification, companies must follow a demanding process starting with an audit of their CSR approach with an on-site expert evaluator. This expert provides recommendations on which the audited company must then build a 3-year action plan, which must be validated by the LUCIE certification committee composed of CSR experts.

U2R: Our CSR Commitments

To increase the chances of success in the certification committee, the company sought the assistance of both the LUCIE label and the expert Virginie Credoz from RSE Inside. In January 2023, we also hired a CSR-QSE manager (Quality-Safety-Environment) in the person of Sébastien Dubois.

Thanks to their skills, U2R was able to establish a strong action plan that is faithful to the LUCIE label's recommendations, involving the valorization of our current commitments and the implementation of significant projects for the future.

Environmental Responsibility

In its report, the certification committee officially praised "the company's commitment to CSR" and congratulated "in particular the approach of eco-design".

Indeed, U2R has long been a pioneer in this area by offering new product ranges and constantly revising existing ranges with less emissive products. We also choose suppliers as close as possible to the company and design our products with sustainable materials and a high repairability index.

A concrete example of this commitment is our new range of RENSON high-pressure thermal cleaners, all equipped with slowed-down thermal engines: when the lance trigger is released, the engine automatically goes into low speed, causing fewer CO2 emissions, less wear on the pump (better longevity), less noise, and less fuel consumption (average reduction of one liter per hour).

We are also particularly committed to reducing our energy consumption. All non-potable water consumed in our premises comes from rainwater collectors located on the factory's roof. Between 2020 and 2022, we also reduced our electricity consumption by more than 27% with a goal of a 40% reduction by 2030.

The new range of RENSON thermal cleaners, even more environmentally friendly

Social Policy

Regarding the pillars related to respect for the individual and quality of work life, the certification report also explains that "social policy is also a appreciated strength by the committee".

As a family-owned and independent company, U2R has always emphasized defending and protecting the interests of its employees, clients, partners, and society in general by establishing numerous conventions, such as telecommuting, the right to disconnect, the fight against corruption, ethical practices, and responsible purchasing.

Another example: profit sharing is paid prorata temporis, meaning that each employee receives the same amount, prorated to the time spent working in the year, regardless of hierarchical level or employment contract. A rare practice that contributes to strengthening employees' attachment to the company, as evidenced by the longevity and evolution of careers within U2R.

Other Notable CSR Commitments

In addition to the two previous points that we particularly want to highlight, the certification committee also praised the transparency of our company's governance.

Their report notes that "activity monitoring and financial indicators ensure precise financial risk management, thus allowing regular growth of the company's results and value sharing".

The committee validated U2R's future commitments, including the intention to implement a training policy for all employees and to create an RSE Management system: a dashboard allowing us to monitor numerous indicators related to sustainable development such as our energy consumption, employee satisfaction, a social climate index, or waste sorting. The implementation of this system involves the creation of various processes, such as measuring QVCT (Quality of Life and Working Conditions) through an annual questionnaire.

To ensure that these commitments are upheld, the LUCIE 26000 label will conduct a follow-up audit of our commitments and our CSR progress dynamics no later than 18 months after the certification date, as is customary for all certified companies.

For U2R, our goal is to renew this certification in 2026 and also to focus on certifying the company for ISO 14001 (environmental management) and ISO 9001 (quality management) standards for the same year.

This journey is not over and will never be, as the company is now committed to a continuous improvement process in CSR. We are confident that this will contribute to the sustainable improvement of the performance and sustainability of our company to ensure it has a positive impact on the surrounding world.