On Thursday 2 March 2023, at the initiative of the Institut National des Administrateurs de Côte d’Ivoire (INADCI), a webinar was held on the theme of “CSR and decarbonation, what are the challenges for Ivorian companies?
This webinar, facilitated by MAZARS, was attended by about sixty listeners. The speakers for the day were Ms Koné épouse Sissoko and Ms EL Ouazzani Souad.
It opened with a welcome and a presentation of the objectives of the training by the Executive Director of INADCI, Mr. TED Azouma. They indicated that a survey of 800 people (managers) in Abidjan revealed a still abstract understanding of the subject. Furthermore, although 86% believe in climate change, the majority dissociate the environment from the climate. The speakers demonstrated that certain dynamics and developments (pressures) in the world, particularly in Europe, are likely to have an impact on Ivorian companies. Moreover, impacts are already perceptible in certain sectors. They mentioned three levels of pressure
-Regulators
In this sector, the deforestation directive can be cited as an example of an aspect that concerns Ivorian companies considerably.
-Investors and financial sectors
Example: banks will be obliged to take into account the regulatory requirements to direct their capital.
–Customers
Example: Citizens’ awareness of climate issues and their demands in the consumption and use of certain products.
Example: The Net-Zero Banking Alliance which is working towards decarbonising the client portfolio.
The focus on clients made it possible to understand that the carbon footprint will be assessed at three levels or scopes. These are upstream activities (e.g. procurement), corporate activities (production) and downstream activities (e.g. waste).
The speakers emphasised that companies must start to integrate sustainability issues into their models. This requires first of all a perfect knowledge and identification of their own model (impacts, risks, opportunities, etc.), a prioritisation of activities and finally action. On this aspect, they emphasised MAZARS’ competence and availability to support companies.
A focus was made on climate-related issues. On this issue, it emerged that these challenges mainly concern the reduction of emissions. In order to do so, companies will have to engage in the process of mitigation, risk assessment and adaptation (resilience building).
As far as the administrators are concerned, the speakers indicated that they will have to inform and train themselves, in order to be able to anticipate, as they have a great responsibility to drive and supervise the necessary transformations of the actors.
In conclusion, the speakers encouraged companies and directors to fully engage in the CSR and Decarbonisation process by integrating them into their business model. MAZARS says it is available to support everyone in defining decarbonisation trajectories.
Pressure of various kinds (EU regulations, financial sector requirements, customer demands, etc.) requires Ivorian companies to change their paradigm to take these new realities into account. Indeed, if they do not want to lose their profit margins (loss of customers, non-access to certain markets, inability to obtain financing), then the integration of CSR and decarbonisation into business models is no longer an option, it is an obligation that is imposed from 2023.
Dr. Doudjo Ouattara, researcher at the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire (CSRS), in his role as moderator, presented the summary before moving on to the question and answer phase, followed by the words of thanks and the conclusion pronounced by the Executive Director. It should be noted that Inadci benefits from partnerships concluded respectively with Mazars Côte d’Ivoire and the Swiss Centre for Scientific Research.
