The Corporate Citizenship label enables you to develop a strategic approach and take ownership of social responsibility issues, mobilize your staff, manage, structure, and improve your social responsibility policy, and promote it to stakeholders. By opting for a management approach that takes economic, environmental, and social issues into account, you are making a strong commitment that opens up new opportunities, sets you apart from the competition, and gives you an additional advantage when responding to calls for tenders that include eco-responsible criteria. Carrying the Corporate Citizenship label allows you to differentiate yourself and improve your positioning, while guaranteeing your stakeholders a strong commitment from the company to social responsibility and continuous improvement.

The Corporate Citizenship label is awarded on the basis of prior certification to ISO 9001 (quality management system) and ISO 14001 – environmental management system – and requires meeting a series of additional requirements based on ISO 26000 criteria in the areas of governance, human rights, working conditions, the environment, fair practices, respect for stakeholders, and civic engagement.
From your decision to choose sustainable development to obtaining the Corporate Citizenship label, it only takes a few months thanks to a simple and clear five-step procedure:

1. Implementation of the management system: tailored to your needs and the reality of your business, the management system lays the foundation and principles for your sustainability management.
2. Initial certification audit: conducted by an accredited body, the audit aims to verify that your management system meets the criteria of the Corporate Citizenship label.
3. Audit report: at the end of the audit, the report certifies your ability to manage sustainability and suggests possible areas for improvement.
4. Certificate and logo: a Corporate Citizenship certificate is issued for your company and you are granted the right to use the logo in your communications.
5. Annual follow-up audit: your management system is assessed at regular intervals by an accredited body to support you in your sustainability efforts.

Organizations certified by Corporate Citizenship pay an annual fee calculated on the basis of their full-time equivalent (FTE) workforce. Fee amounts (hyperlink to PDF document). The fee is billed directly to certified organizations by the certification body (CB) that awarded the label, then transferred in full to the Corporate Citizenship Association.
A 50% reduction is granted to local authorities and non-profit public interest organizations (NGOs, associations, foundations, etc.).

Public procurement no longer focuses solely on price, but also, and above all, on quality. In this context, the assessment of companies’ contribution to sustainable development (environmental and social aspects) is therefore an increasingly important factor. Corporate Citizenship GOLD certification is valued at 5 out of 5 points in the Q5 questionnaire on the company’s contribution to sustainable development in the Romandy public procurement guide. The SILVER or Corporate Citizenship certification (2019 standard) is worth 4.5 points out of 5 in the Q5 questionnaire on the company’s contribution to sustainable development in the Romandy public procurement guide.

The procedure for awarding the Corporate Citizenship label is carried out by certification bodies recognized by the Corporate Citizenship Association. Certification bodies authorized by Corporate Citizenship to issue Citizen Enterprise certificates must audit and certify management systems in accordance with the requirements of ISO 17021 “Conformity assessment – Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems.” Certification body (CB) requirements (hyperlink to PDF document).

Companies interested in having their organizational system certified as Corporate Citizenship can contact the following certification bodies directly:

· Agence pour la Citoyenneté et la Performance des Organisations (ACPO) SA, Geneva (Switzerland) – acpo.eu

· EdelCert & Inspectorat Sàrl, Fribourg (Switzerland), edelcert.ch