Within the framework of the Starter Kit RSE support programme, businesses receive individual guidance to help them initiate their sustainable transition.

Corporate Social Responsibility (responsabilité sociale des entreprises - RSE) is defined as the voluntary integration by companies of social and environmental concerns into their business activities and stakeholder relations. It is the businesses' contribution to the challenges of sustainable development.

The Starter Kit RSE will enable the business to reach the necessary maturity to subsequently start the process of obtaining an ESR label.

The 'Starter Kit RSE' programme of the National Institute for Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility (Institut National pour le Développement durable et la Responsabilité sociale des entreprises - INDR) includes:

• access to the 'Toolbox RSE' digital platform developed by the INDR and its partners. It allows the business to analyse their entire value chain and receive an individualised assessment with examples from each sector and also serves as a training tool throughout the journey, with the aim of identifying the degree of maturity in terms of corporate social responsibility;
• a 3.5-day consultancy by an INDR-accredited expert to:
  • identify missing elements or areas for improvement; or
  • make recommendations for an RSE approach adapted to the company.

Who is concerned

Any company that:

• has a business permit issued by the General Directorate for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises of the Ministry of the Economy;
• meets the conditions for SMEs in terms of staff, annual turnover and annual balance sheet;
• has its registered office in Luxembourg.

How to proceed

Contact

Businesses interested in the Starter Kit RSE must first contact the professional chamber to which they are affiliated:

• the Chamber of Skilled Trades and Crafts for craft companies:
  • telephone: (+352) 42 67 67 - 505;
  • email: ehandwierk@cdm.lu;
• the Chamber of Commerce for all other sectors (industry, trade, Horeca, services, etc.) with the exception of the craft sector:
  • telephone: (+352) 42 39 39 - 450;
  • email : sustainability@cc.lu.

This preliminary step will enable the professional chambers to carry out an initial assessment of the specific needs of the business, so that they can guide it in the best possible way.

Submitting the application for aid for businesses

The business can submit its application for aid via MyGuichet.lu (see 'Forms / Online services') to the General Directorate for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises of the Ministry of the Economy. This application is submitted through the intermediary of the professional chambers.

It is a procedure with authentication by means of:

• a LuxTrust product: Token, Smartcard or Signing Stick; or
• an electronic identity card (eID).

The General Directorate for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises will review and make a decision on the application submitted.

After a favourable decision, the company can order the Starter Kit RSE.

Implementation of INDR's 'Starter Kit RSE' programme

Using the Toolbox RSE

After ordering, the INDR sends the business a personalised access to the Toolbox RSE.

The business can then:

• start the guided tour; and
• enter its business data on the various topics.

At the end of the process, the Toolbox RSE will issue a summary report and a maturity assessment table in connection with the ESR label guidelines. You may download these documents.

Consultations with an INDR expert

The business must notify INDR when the Toolbox RSE process is complete. INDR will then appoint one of its accredited experts to analyse the results.

During a first workshop with the business:

• the expert will present their observations;
• the expert will answer any questions the business may have; and
• validate the Toolbox RSE phase.

The expert then drafts a document with recommendations to be implemented so that the business can reach the necessary maturity for its case with a view to obtaining the ESR label.

During a second workshop, the expert will explain their recommendations in detail and the steps that should be taken to implement them. After this workshop is held and the recommendations are shared, the file is considered closed.

Amount of aid

You pay the final bill to the provider. The amount of financial aid granted by the General Directorate for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises of the Ministry of the Economy is a fixed amount of EUR 5,000. The business is reimbursed after the programme is completed.

Forms / Online services

Who to contact