Sustainability Report on BETC’s 2023 Actions
As an advertising agency, BETC brings together complementary talents and expertise, all sharing one common obsession: creativity in the service of brands. The agency aims to deliver creative campaigns that are aligned with its own values and those of its clients.
A pioneer in its sector regarding CSR, BETC formalized its approach as early as 2008 by signing the United Nations Global Compact, becoming an Advanced Member since 2017.
“For thirty years, at BETC, we have championed responsibility. We deeply believe that a company only has meaning if it continuously strives to contribute positively to its social and natural environment. Beyond economic and financial sustainability, is there any greater challenge for a company today than responsibility?”
— Mercedes Erra & Rémi Babinet, Founders of BETC
BETC: An Agency Committed to Sustainability
Advertising plays a central role not only economically for the clients agencies support but also socially and culturally. It helps shift mindsets, perceptions, and behaviors. BETC understands its impact and the responsibilities it carries. That’s why the agency created a dedicated sustainability team in 2008, following the Grenelle de l’Environnement.
ISO 14001, UN Global Compact Advanced Level, 3 stars from RSE Agences Actives, and a 70/100 EcoVadis score—these labels and certifications reflect the strength of BETC’s CSR policy and guide its ongoing progress. The agency is committed to maintaining and enhancing these achievements while striving for new certifications.
Built on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals outlined in its 2030 Agenda, BETC’s CSR strategy revolves around 4 pillars and 11 commitments.
Pillar #1: Committed to Designing Responsible Campaigns
“There’s still a big question: can we, as agencies, influence decisions that are most conducive to the transition? It amazes me sometimes how limited our influence on companies is, and on the flip side, how much we impact consumers. Given that, we should have more sway with our clients: I advocate for our influence as much as I can.” — Bertille Toledano, President
BETC’s primary responsibility lies in the very nature of its work as an advertising agency: through its core business, it has the potential to drive both ecological and social transitions. To achieve this, the agency has committed to three key actions:
- Commitment 1: Convey responsible messages
- Commitment 2: Eco-socio-design and produce responsible campaigns
- Commitment 3: Contribute to industry-wide improvement
With 8 internal CSR training programs and 48 hours of responsible communication courses taught in communication schools in 2023, BETC continues to aim for 100% agency-wide training on responsible messaging. In 2023, 21 of our clients fully relocated their productions to France, and we’re committed to proposing increasingly sustainable productions.
Pillar #2: Teams Driving Positive Impact
“We need to share the purpose and impact of our profession to transform perceptions and behaviors for the future. We also need to transform our profession itself to lead by example when it comes to CSR.” — Sophie de Gromard, Director of Human Resources and Sustainable Development
The diversity of people and their unique profiles is at the core of BETC’s success. It is essential to provide them with working conditions that allow them to express their creativity, expertise, and commitment to client service. To achieve this, the agency has developed three commitments:
- Commitment 4: Ensure a thorough and empathetic candidate journey
- Commitment 5: Support the development of each team member’s skills
- Commitment 6: Foster an inclusive and fulfilling work environment
In 2022, the agency provided 5,940 hours of internal training, welcomed 205 new talents, and 79% of BETC employees recommended the agency for its work environment. BETC aims to attract and develop even more talent in the future.
Pillar #3: Spreading an Inspiring CSR Culture
“If we’ve made CSR culture one of the four pillars of our CSR policy, it’s to amplify its reach and effectiveness. The more we communicate our actions, the more we raise awareness and inspire people to engage in and contribute to our responsibility efforts.” — Valérie Richard, CSR Manager
CSR is inherently a collective effort. BETC believes that aligning the entire agency on a common foundation of CSR knowledge and skills is essential for success.
- Commitment 7: Build a CSR culture through awareness
- Commitment 8: Build a CSR culture through training
- Commitment 9: Build a CSR culture through action
Last year, 291 BETC employees were trained in CSR issues, 104 engaged in pro-bono campaigns, and 255 people participated in the Climate Collage workshop. By 2024, the agency aims to have 60% of its staff trained in this climate initiative.
Pillar #4: Reducing Our Environmental and Local Footprint
“At BETC, we believe transformation must come from all our departments, including those not directly involved in advertising creation and production.” — Cyril Bosc, Managing Director
Since establishing itself in Seine-Saint-Denis in 2016, BETC has focused on its social, environmental, and economic responsibilities toward the local community.
- Commitment 10: Manage our environmental impact
- Commitment 11: Maximize our societal impact
BETC has hosted 28,723 visitors at Les Magasins Généraux and emitted 1.2 t.CO2 equivalent per person. The agency’s 2024 objectives include continuing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and consumption, minimizing non-recyclable waste, and increasing sustainable initiatives.
To conclude, this CSR report was eco-designed through a series of measures: eliminating solid blocks of color, reducing ink density, using a standard A5 format to avoid paper waste, and utilizing an eco-friendly search engine for design. The agency opted for a monochrome artistic direction, using only black ink on paper pre-dyed in the mass.
This document was printed by an Imprim’Vert-certified printer on FSC-certified paper with vegetable oil-based inks.
“We need to be stronger upstream, understanding audiences better to produce less but more effectively. This transformation is essential to the future of our industry.” — Stéphane Xiberras, President and Chief Creative Officer
Sustainability doesn’t stop here. To discover all of BETC’s initiatives, explore the full 2024 annual report, highlighting the agency’s 2023 actions.
