CSR at Morning: a living policy on the move

Since 2019, Morning has structured its CSR approach around five core pillars: governance, employees, the community, the environment and clients. This holistic approach took concrete shape with the B Corp certification obtained in 2022 with a score of 81.5 points, which the company is preparing to renew for 2025. At the heart of this approach, the creation of the Impact Committee anchors CSR strategically within Morning.

How does this vision translate in practice? Through participatory governance, ambitious environmental action, a strong social commitment and, above all, a constant ability to measure, learn and improve.

Collective governance

CSR is not steered from the top: it comes alive through the Impact Committee, where any employee can put forward ideas. This space embodies the Morning culture: horizontal, participatory and open to experimentation.

The evolution of a structured approach

The current Impact Committee replaces an earlier initiative called "Go Green", which was more informal and focused solely on environmental impact. This evolution answers a concrete need: to structure CSR actions, ensure the continuity of projects beyond individual departures, and anchor CSR strategically within the company.

Today, the committee brings together 10 members from different Morning teams, often already involved in CSR projects. An expansion is under way to bring in other teams, notably the hospitality and events teams, in order to cover every aspect of Morning’s activity.

An open, participatory way of working

Every month, the Impact Committee meets with a rich agenda: legislative news, updates on the progress of projects and brainstorming sessions. But what makes this committee distinctive is its openness. A form is sent out 10 to 15 days before each meeting, inviting all employees to suggest topics. 

The topics covered span a broad spectrum: CSR legislation, innovations, eco-design, but also very concrete examples such as reducing the ecological impact of the website, waste management, recovering construction waste, or reusing furniture. The committee systematically prioritises projects with a real impact over "image projects", in a determined effort to avoid greenwashing.

A philosophy of compromise

"An order is never handed down. It’s always discussion, compromise and argument", explains the ecological and social transition project manager. This collaborative approach guarantees the teams’ buy-in to CSR initiatives.

This philosophy translates concretely into how challenges are managed. The main obstacles identified are a lack of time, workload pressure and questions of availability. Rather than imposing, Morning favours a flexible schedule, the sharing out of tasks and the adaptation of deadlines. No head-on blockages: if a team isn’t available, the company postpones, adapts and finds compromises depending on the constraints.

Environmental action

The building sector accounts for 30% of greenhouse gas emissions in France. To meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement, this industry must achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. It’s an entire sector that has to transform itself, rethink its practices and innovate in its methods.

In a sector often criticised for its environmental footprint, Morning wants to show that it’s possible to invent other ways of doing things. Aware of these issues, the company challenges itself every day, as a team, to innovate across each of its areas of activity and reconcile its business goals with those of the world around it.

Measuring to act better

Morning’s climate trajectory is built on regular carbon assessments carried out in 2021 and 2023, with the next one planned for 2026. These measurements make it possible to track progress precisely: a 29% reduction for furniture, 60% for digital and 17% for fit-out. The target set: an annual 3% reduction in emissions.

Revolutionising building sites

The Impact Score is an internal tool that measures the carbon emissions of building sites and makes it possible to compare the impact of different materials. The results are encouraging: 50% of 2024 projects were awarded an A rating, testament to a steady improvement in practices.

This performance relies on an ecosystem of partners carefully selected for the circular economy. Emmaüs collects furniture donations, Redesk handles reuse, and Optimum recovers carpets.

Eco-designed furniture and short supply chains

Morning’s approach favours the short supply chain: design in Paris, manufacture in Brittany and the Loire. The in-house workshop in Bagnolet works with durable materials, while the Matériauthèque is constantly exploring new bio-based and recycled materials. This approach is bearing fruit: the carbon footprint was reduced by 17% between two generations of desks.

Energy moderation in day-to-day life

The sustainable operation of Morning’s spaces relies on concrete solutions: the Lite and Agrid energy-optimisation platforms, which allow Morning to consolidate all its energy-consumption data, for both electricity and gas, across all of its sites; LED lighting with motion sensors; and four-stream sorting (glass, cardboard, general commercial waste and biowaste).

The result of these efforts: 40% of Morning’s floor space is certified HQE, BREEAM or Wiredscore, testament to an environmental standard that extends to every aspect of the business.

Social action: a human and solidarity-driven commitment

The social dimension of Morning’s CSR unfolds on three levels: employee engagement, solidarity with the ecosystem, and outward influence.

Employees at the heart of the approach

The commitment begins from day one: every new employee benefits from an Impact Onboarding, a week-long induction that immerses them in Morning’s CSR culture. This awareness-raising continues through concrete measures: two half-days of volunteering offered each year, two days of RTT leave (responsible travel time), employee shareholding representing 8% of the capital, and Open Book Management for full transparency on financial results.

Wellbeing is not forgotten: Gymlib, the Morning Run Club and mental-health coaching round out this holistic approach to the employee. The goal? To create the conditions for a successful working day, in keeping with Morning’s values.

Solidarity and outward influence

The Favourite Charities programme allows several charities each year to benefit from Morning spaces and services at a token price of €10/desk. This year, the charities that benefited were Enfants du soleil, Fondation France Répit and Un abri qui sauve des vies. This initiative goes hand in hand with membership of 1% for the Planet: 1% of the coffee bar’s turnover is donated to the charities Wings of the Ocean and La Cloche.

Morning doesn’t keep its good practices to itself. The company supports its clients in their own transition: carbon assessments, environmental reporting and responsible services including sustainable catering, waste sorting and reconditioned equipment. Organising awareness events for employees, clients and partners rounds out this drive for positive influence.

Measuring and improving continuously

Morning tracks its actions with clear tools: regular carbon assessments and KPI monitoring. The idea is not simply to declare commitments, but to verify their real impact and communicate with full transparency.

The definition of the KPIs falls within the framework of the B Corp approach. An annual roadmap makes it possible to prioritise actions and track their progress. The Impact Committee’s monthly meetings are an opportunity to discuss the progress of projects and the achievement of objectives.

Not every indicator is always met, particularly for projects involving external partners. Rather than digging in, Morning adapts its indicators from one year to the next, based on lessons learned. The example of the Favourite Charities programme is telling: the initial goal of two events per charity was rethought into a more realistic approach, with a single joint event and a fixed calendar.

Conclusion: a living, evolving CSR

At Morning, CSR is neither fixed nor disconnected from reality. It evolves with needs, constraints and ideas. An approach built on a balance between ambition, experimentation and transparency, one that reflects the very DNA of the company: moving forward together.

The objectives for the years ahead are testament to this ambition: to increase the proportion of suppliers who have signed the code of conduct from 20.7% to 50%, to reach an A Impact Score on every building site by 2026, to strengthen innovation and circular-economy partnerships and, of course, to renew the B Corp certification. For this certification renewal, Morning is aiming for at least 90 points, well above its current score of 81.5 points.

This living CSR on the move is, ultimately, the image of Morning itself: a company that isn’t afraid to experiment, to learn from its mistakes and to share its successes. A company that moves forward, together, towards a more sustainable future.

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