Key definitions and concepts

Ecodesign is an approach that takes into account environmental impacts in product design and development, and integrates environmental aspects throughout the product's life cycle.

Visit the Responsible Communication website (in French only)

According to the Office québécois de la langue française, ecoresponsibility is defined as the quality of a physical or moral person, behaviour or activity that takes into account the principles of long-term respect for the physical, social and economic environment. An ecoresponsible practice or product should therefore generate the least possible impact on its environment, with efficiency, throughout its life cycle.

Ethics is the philosophical discipline of moral judgment, closely related in concept to morality. It is the fundamental thought process of all peoples seeking to establish their standards, limits and duties. Ethics is often closely linked to the political philosophy that underpins it, but it can also be linked to the culture, religion, beliefs and traditions of a country, social group or ideological system.

Greenwashing is a technique that uses communications and marketing to make consumers believe that a product or service is environmentally friendly, when in fact it is not. The origin of the word greenwashing comes from the word brainwashing and has been adapted to the environmental and ecological spheres. The consequences of greenwashing are twofold: consumers are manipulated and the environmental benefits are zero.

Consult the ADEME anti-greenwashing guide (in French only)

Impact refers to a qualitative result that can be measured over the long term; it can be seen as the ultimate change that occurs after a series of positive actions.

ISO 26 000 is an international standard established by the International Organization for Standardization. It sets out guidelines for corporate social responsibility.

The life cycle of a product or service comprises all the activities involved in its value chain. These include raw material extraction, product design, processing, distribution, use and disposal of residues or the product itself. Life cycle assessment is a method for evaluating the potential environmental and social impacts and costs associated with all stages in the life cycle of a product or service.

Responsible communication is neither an object nor an end in itself: it's a systemic, holistic process that cuts across all aspects of communication. This global approach concerns all communication actions and looks at both content and the way it is delivered.

It rests on four pillars - responsible messages, eco-design of supporting materials, dialogue with stakeholders, efficiency and ethics in business - combined with an inescapable transversal basic principle: the need for consistency in communication on these subjects, while respecting orders of magnitude.

Responsible communication contributes to the advent of a new society more in tune with our planet's increasing limits and puts meaning back at the heart of communications.

Visit the Responsible Communication website (in French only)

Responsible digital technology refers to all information and communication technologies whose economic, ecological, social, and societal footprint has been voluntarily reduced and/or which help humanity to achieve sustainable development goals.

Responsible management deals with the triple constraints of social, economic, and environmental sustainability. Its deployment is only possible through the transformation of individuals, companies, and society as a whole. This means rethinking our habits and prejudices, and changing our values.

Responsible marketing is marketing that respects the planet, people, and socio-economic constraints. In a context of global change, it drives:

- Responsible, reasoned consumption.

- The transition of organizations towards value-creation models that meet the challenges of sustainable development.

Responsible marketing improves the environmental, social, and economic impacts associated with the life cycle of products and services: sourcing, manufacturing or conceptual design, distribution or implementation, use, and end-of-life.

Visit the Success With Responsible Marketing platform (in French only)

This refers to practices that respect the UN's sustainable development goals and the spirit of Quebec's Sustainable Development Act (). A practice is said to be "responsible" if it:

- Is equitable, liveable, and viable.

- Is sincere and transparent.

- Takes consequences into consideration and ensures that they are not harmful (at the minimum) and/or are for the benefit of the individuals, audiences, places, or issues concerned.

Organizational Social Responsibility (OSR) should include the development of socially, societally, environmentally, and economically responsible practices vis-à-vis various stakeholders (Paradas, Revelli, Debray, Courrent, Spence (2017), p.3). Responsible practices are therefore the actions that flow from the organization's stated position.

The purchase of goods and services is always based on such fundamental criteria as price, quality, delivery times, quality of service and so on. Responsible purchasing meets these same criteria, but also integrates environmental and social criteria relating to sustainable development and social responsibility. For Government of Quebec, responsible purchasing is used "as a means of reducing environmental impact, increasing social benefits and strengthening the economic sustainability of organizations, throughout the product life cycle."

This marketing approach is characterized by a focus on market needs in a way that preserves and enhances the well-being of consumers and communities. It aims to promote changes in behaviour and attitudes within society.

The ISO 26 000 Standard defines the concept of sustainable development as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Sustainable development was first defined in the Brundtland Report of the United Nations (UN) World Commission on Environment and Sustainable Development, entitled Our Common Future.

The Sustainable Development Goals are 17 objectives that were set up in 2015 by the United Nations and that provide a framework for action for companies, non-profits, and governments so that together they can build a fairer and more equitable world. For each goal, a list of more specific targets enables organizations to draw up real action plans. These objectives allow all organizations to communicate with a common language regarding their societal impact, and to facilitate the creation of collaborative projects.

Social impact is the sum total of the positive or negative, expected or unexpected, sustainable changes in society generated by or directly linked to our activities. These impacts may result from environmental, economic, or social actions.

Consult the interactive Impact Measurement Guide (in French only)

The ISO 26 000 Standard defines an organization's societal responsibility as being transparent and ethical with regard to the impact of its decisions and activities on society and the environment. This responsibility contributes to sustainable development, including the health and well-being of society, takes into account the expectations of stakeholders, complies with applicable law and is compatible with international standards, and is integrated throughout the organization and practised in its relationships. In other words, corporate social responsibility means addressing sustainable development issues as part of a company's strategy.

Sustainable performance is characterized by the concrete, realistic application of a strategy within the organization. The implementation of this strategy involves the integration of criteria and quantified objectives for each project, as well as the measurement of its environmental, social, and economic impact.

The ISO 26 000 Standard defines the value chain as a complete sequence of activities or parties that provide or receive value in the form of products or services. As the activities and parties involved vary from sector to sector, the value chain differs from industry to industry and from organization to organization.