How to enhance corporate social responsability's impact on employées in a crisis context? Analysis of the case of Engie Electrabel.

Abstract

Founded more than hundred years ago, ENGIE Electrabel is a Belgian power company whose reputation is well established in Belgium. The company is specialized in energy services, power and gas and is a member of ENGIE Group since 2007. The goal of Electrabel is to be the leader in the energy transition by providing green energy. However, for several years, Electrabel’s reputation is suffering from a negative image in the press and winter 2018 was particularly hard for the company due to several reasons, such as for example problems with nuclear power plants. The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate the impact of Corporate Social Responsibility actions, initiated by ENGIE, and more especially the effect on workers in a crisis context. Therefore, the project aims to analyze the current situation by doing an audit and to formulate a guideline composed by recommendations for a future strategy of responsibility. After exposing the context and current situation, this project thesis analyses workers’ opinion about CSR as well as its impact on employees, on the crisis and on ENGIE’s strategy. Firstly, we conduct a theoretical framework analysis and a benchmarking of other companies which have faced or not a crisis. After the diagnosis, we launch in the first place a qualitative research, through face to face interviews. These meetings with different employees are completed by a quantitative survey shared online. This data collection stage is followed by the analysis of gathered results. Finally, in the last part, are formulated concrete recommendations and suggestions for CSR development. The findings of our project demonstrate that CSR is currently not enough known and fully appreciated by workers. They do not see any relation between a time of crisis and societal actions as they have difficulty seeing the real impact of CSR. Hence, these results encourage ENGIE to rethink its responsibility strategy for the future.