RSE

As part of the CSR (Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility) initiative implemented by INRAE, a workshop was organized in June 2025 with Lidwine Vilain (CSR manager for the GEN INRAE Research Centers) to identify the actions already in place within Silvatech and potential target for improvement to integrate into our quality action plan.

Actions already implemented within the collective:

• Mobility and Working Conditions
  o    Implementation of teleworking and flexible working hours
  o    Encouragement of carpooling practices and use of public transportation (bus)
• Biodiversity
  o    Support for research projects on biodiversity and adaptation
  o    Optimization/moderation of sampling practices
•  Social / Societal / Quality of Life at Work / Working Conditions
  o    Organization of convivial moments (coffee breaks, Silvatech collective meals)
  o    Onboarding of new arrivals through a virtual tour and shared best practices on the platform
• Waste Reduction and Resource Management
  o    Implementation of waste recycling on site
  o    Grouping of orders to reduce transportation and packaging flows
  o    Specific recycling initiatives (e.g., oils)
• Energy / Utilities / Digital
  o    Controlled shutdown of equipment: lights, computer screens, laboratory equipment, implementation of a temperature/humidity BMS system
  o    Enhanced awareness regarding heating (lowering the heating when leaving)
  o    Monitoring of heavy equipment energy consumption
  o    Supervision of cold storage to avoid obsolete sample stocks that consume energy
   

After collective analysis of the proposals, some ideas will be escalated to the GEN INRAE Research Center, and the facility intends to continue investing in this initiative through the following actions:

• Social / Societal / Quality of Life at Work / Working Conditions
  o    Organizing a conference on diversity
  o    Organizing group visits (INRS, other sites, etc.)
  o    Strengthening external professional exchanges (tree experts, etc.)
  o    Creating internal cross-disciplinary exchanges to develop shared knowledge
• Waste Reduction and Resource Management
  o    Installing specific containers for plastic packaging (films, etc.)
  o    Testing methods to reuse ethanol containers for ethanol waste
  o    Recycling plastic/resin waste generated by the Fablab
  o    Reducing the use of paper towels, particularly during grinding, by exploring alternative, less energy-intensive drying methods
  o    Prioritizing the purchase of concentrated products (cleaning, soap, etc.)
• Energy / Utilities / Digital
  o    Creating and managing a GEN Center mailing and exchange list to share information about equipment (temporary loans, donations, searches)