- Introduction to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Quebec: understanding the issues to take effective action
In 2025, CSR will be a key issue for Quebec companies. Driven by a strong societal will and heightened ecological awareness, this concept goes far beyond simple regulatory compliance in terms of responsibility. It reflects the voluntary integration of social, environmental and ethical concerns into business activities.
According to a survey conducted by the Institut du Québec, Credo and HEC Montréal’s Pôle IDEOS, 88% of Quebec entrepreneurs believe that companies should take their social and environmental impact into consideration. What’s more, 84% believe that companies should play a proactive role in resolving social and environmental issues, and 59% think that the interests of stakeholders should be considered at the same level as those of shareholders. These figures testify to a major transformation in the perception of corporate responsibility: companies themselves are becoming aware of it. 1
Yet this transition is not without its darker side. While 75% of respondents rate their CSR performance as good or excellent, there is still a lack of clarity as to the very definition of CSR, the actions it encompasses and the obligations it entails. It would therefore be relevant, and above all legitimate, to ask what it really means to “comply with the concept of CSR”, in 2025, in Quebec?
- Redefining the foundations of corporate responsibility
Decades of exponential growth linked to industrialization were summed up in a single article published by economist and author Milton Friedman in the New York Times, entitled “The Social Responsibility of Business Is To Increase Its Profits” 2. The latter takes a restrictive view of the responsibility of business, focusing solely on increasing profits and, ultimately, on the dividends paid out to shareholders. Historically, this dominant vision limited corporate responsibility to maximizing profits. Today, this posture seems outdated, if not totally archaic: climatic, social and economic imperatives are imposing themselves on all and require a revision of the societal role of companies.
The European Commission defines CSR as “the responsibility of companies for the effects they have on society” 3 , insisting of course on compliance with “current legislation and collective agreements concluded between social partners” 4, but above all acknowledging that companies “must have engaged, in close collaboration with their stakeholders, in a process designed to integrate social, environmental, ethical, human rights and consumer concerns into their business activities and core strategy” 5. The Office québécois de la langue française adds that this responsibility essentially stems from the “social conscience or moral necessity” 6 of companies to assume “the consequences that their activities entail for the community” 7 , thereby encouraging them to adopt sustainable practices on their own initiative. The adoption of CSR in the corporate world is, above all, an internal process and a personal desire on the part of companies to act better. CSR is intimately linked to sustainable development, defined as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” 8 .
In short, CSR enables companies to acquire “a long-term vision that takes into account the inseparable nature of the environmental, social and economic dimensions of development activities” 9 , in their operational and strategic choices.
- CSR, a crucial lever in Quebec in 2025 ?
Quebec’s environment is particularly conducive to the development of CSR. It combines abundant natural resources, an innovative economy 10 and a highly qualified population. The historic employment rate of 62.1% in 2023 11 , and the expected growth in the active population between now and 2071 12 , demonstrate a socio-economic dynamic that is more than favourable to the economic growth of companies.
Against this backdrop, companies benefit from more than fertile ground for experimenting with new business models that incorporate CSR. This is all the more true given that public concerns are increasingly focused on the environment and social justice. The fight against climate change is at the top of the agenda in many Western countries, and Quebec is no exception: “concern is high in countries where populations are seeing climate disasters multiply, with lasting effects on infrastructure, human life and the economy […]. In Europe, North America and even Asia, populations continue to place the environment in the top 5 of their concerns, despite the inflationary crisis and the pressure of social, security and migration issues. Similarly, in these countries, the fight against climate change is seen as the absolute priority (compared to various forms of pollution, for example) ” 13.
Ignoring CSR would mean neglecting the growing expectations of stakeholders, be they consumers, employees, investors or public authorities. Conversely, the strategic integration of CSR can become a real lever of competitiveness and legitimacy for any company, from the smallest to the largest.
- From intention to action: towards a structured and measurable CSR
Despite a clear desire to do so, many companies are still struggling to put CSR into practice on a day-to-day basis. There are many justifiable reasons for this. As mentioned above, there is a certain lack of a clear legal framework, a lack of knowledge of sustainable governance tools, a lack of funds to be deployed for this type of issue, and a lack of uniform criteria for measuring social or environmental impact: these four elements combined easily allow the creation of an inconsistent framework for corporate governors. This inconsistency is illustrated by the fact that “almost a third of the companies surveyed said that it was primarily a lack of resources that was holding back their CSR progress. Factors that would encourage progress include better financial support (46%), a greater degree of adoption of CSR practices by competitors (37%), support in terms of knowledge, expertise and coaching (36%), and government-required legislation and standards (34%) ” 14.
Faced with these challenges, it is essential to distinguish between legal obligations (transparency, governance, compliance with environmental standards), voluntary initiatives (often motivated by reputation or internal values), actions induced by social or media pressure, and commercial positioning strategies, which sometimes exploit CSR for marketing purposes (greenwashing) 15 .
From this point of view, the company can’t be content with rhetoric; it must demonstrate, through concrete actions, the coherence between its commitments and its results. This may involve formalizing a CSR policy in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), consulting stakeholders on a regular basis via “Green Committees”, publishing extra-financial performance indicators (carbon footprint, pay equity, rate of integration of eco-responsible practices), or even, possibly, officially and publicly adhering to international initiatives (UN Global Compact, ISO 26000 standards, etc.). For these concrete applications, or for more general information, our team of dedicated professionals at Gascon et Associés will be delighted to answer all your questions and guide you in your efforts to integrate CSR into your organizations!
- Conclusion: CSR, a lever for collective transformation
All in all, it is important to note that CSR should no longer be seen as a constraint or an option reserved for large companies or megastructures, but rather as a systemic necessity that affects all types of corporate entities. It embodies a way of rethinking the economy, by integrating the logics of responsibility, transparency and sustainability into the day-to-day management of every corporation.
For Quebec companies, 2025 represents a strategic opportunity to anchor themselves in a dynamic of profound change, at the crossroads of regulatory requirements, public expectations and environmental challenges. It’s time to move from a commitment to principle to a commitment to results, and we’re here at your side to support you in this healthy dynamic of growth and sustainability!
1 « La responsabilité sociale des entreprises au Québec perceptions, défis et pistes de solutions », Institut du Québec, Credo, Pôle IDEOS de HEC Montréal, 2021 (page 13) : https://institutduquebec.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/202112-IDQ-RSE.pdf
2 « A Friedman doctrine : The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase Its Profits », Milton Friedman, 1970 (via The New York Times) : https://www.nytimes.com/1970/09/13/archives/a-friedman-doctrine-the-social-responsibility-of-business-is-to.html
3 « Communication de la Commission au Parlement européen, au Conseil, au Comité économique et social européen et au Comité des régions », Responsabilité sociale des entreprises : une nouvelle stratégie de l’UE pour la période 2011-2014, Document 52011DC0681 : https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/FR/TXT/?uri=celex:52011DC0681
4 « Responsabilité sociétale des entreprises : définition », Office québécois de la langue française, 2011 : https://vitrinelinguistique.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/fiche-gdt/fiche/8357592/responsabilite-societale-des-entreprises
5 « À propos du développement durable », Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs : https://www.environnement.gouv.qc.ca/developpement/definition.htm
6 « Loi sur le développement durable (Projet de Loi 118) », Assemblée nationale du Québec, 2006 : https://www.publicationsduquebec.gouv.qc.ca/fileadmin/Fichiers_client/lois_et_reglements/LoisAnnuelles/fr/2006/2006C3F.PDF
7 « Les entreprises québécoises de 20 employés et plus innovent de plus en plus », Institut de la statistique du Québec, 2019 : https://statistique.quebec.ca/fr/communique/les-entreprises-quebecoises-de-20-employes-et-plus-innovent-de-plus-en-plus ; et, « Bulletin Science, technologie et innovation », Institut de la statistique du Québec : https://statistique.quebec.ca/fr/document/bulletin-science-technologie-et-innovation
8 « Bilan du marché du travail au Québec en 2023 : l’emploi est en hausse pour une troisième année consécutive, après avoir connu un recul en 2020 », Institut de la statistique du Québec, 2024 : https://statistique.quebec.ca/fr/communique/bilan-marche-travail-quebec-2023
9 « Les nouvelles tendances démographiques rehaussent les perspectives de croissance dans plusieurs régions du Québec », Institut de la statistique du Québec, 2024 : https://statistique.quebec.ca/fr/communique/nouvelles-tendances-demographiques-rehaussent-perspectives-croissance-plusieurs-regions-du-quebec
10 « 43% de la population mondiale se montre très préoccupée par le changement climatique », Ipsos, 2023 : https://www.ipsos.com/fr-ca/43-de-la-population-mondiale-se-montre-tres-preoccupee-par-le-changement-climatique ; et, « Obs’COP 2023 : observatoire international climat et opinions publiques », Ipsos et EDF, 2023 : https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/news/documents/2023-12/Infographie_ObsCOP-2023.pdf
11 « La responsabilité sociale des entreprises au Québec perceptions, défis et pistes de solutions », Institut du Québec, Credo, Pôle IDEOS de HEC Montréal, 2021 (page 5) : https://institutduquebec.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/202112-IDQ-RSE.pdf
12 « Le verdissement d’image (greenwashing) constitue un obstacle important à la lutte contre les changements climatiques. En faisant croire au public qu’une entreprise ou une autre entité fait plus pour protéger l’environnement qu’elle ne le fait, le verdissement d’image favorise de fausses solutions à la crise climatique qui détournent l’attention d’une action concrète et crédible et la retardent », dans « Verdissement d’image – les tactiques trompeuses qui se cachent derrière les affirmations environnementales », Nations Unies : https://www.un.org/fr/climatechange/science/climate-issues/greenwashing