The CSR approach of Franchise Expo Paris

Franchise Expo Paris is deeply committed to a corporate social responsibility (CSR) approach.

We firmly believe that responsible entrepreneurship is the key to building a sustainable and prosperous future.

Through a variety of actions, we strive to promote responsible business practices, care for the environment and make a positive contribution to society.

With 5 tangible commitments, Franchise Expo Paris makes a pledge to continuous improvement with a view to contributing to a sustainable, ethical and socially responsible future!

1. Promotion of responsible franchising

As an exhibition dedicated to franchising, we actively encourage responsible franchising.

A press release on responsible franchising presents the brands that make commitments to exemplary corporate responsibility.
Companies that incorporate sustainable practices into their business can present their initiatives on their exhibitor page.

2. Reduction of our environmental footprint

We are conscious of our environmental footprint and are committed to reducing it. We build sustainable practices into the organisation of the exhibition by reducing energy consumption, promoting eco-friendly transport and raising participants' awareness of the importance of environmental issues.

a. Waste

Exhibitors are invited to sort cardboard and wood waste during assembly and dismantling.
Visitors are also invited to sort their waste throughout the event into sorting bins distributed everywhere around the exhibition.
All sorted waste is then sent to the dedicated recovery channels.
Every year we strive to increase the proportion of our waste that is recycled. Following the 2023 edition, nearly 40 tonnes of waste were recycled!

b. Installations (stands, power, etc.)

More than 50% less aisle surface area is carpeted.
The cleaning products used during the show are environmentally friendly.
The furniture and partition walls used for fitted stands and the public areas of the show are reused from one year to the next.
Suppliers of wood used for furniture and partition walls hold FSC or PEFC certification.
All the stands fitted out by the exhibition have LED lighting.

c. Transport
We raise awareness among our visitors and exhibitors to public transport or green mobility solutions and to carpooling.

d. Marketing materials

To reduce the amount of printed material, the exhibition maps and catalogue can be accessed digitally using QR codes. All printed materials use recycled paper.
We encourage our partners to reduce the quantity of newspapers and magazines distributed at the exhibition and offer a digital version of this content instead.
Invitations are no longer printed, but only sent by email.
Badge holders supplied to exhibitors are made from eco-designed materials and visitors can attach their badge to the lanyard without using a badge holder.

e. Catering services / food and drink outlets
Our catering providers are also involved in continuous sustainable development approaches through a range of actions:

Waste management with a strong focus on sorting
Recycling of green waste into compost
Anti-wastefulness measures (water, paper, cardboard, electricity, fuel)
Incorporation of recyclable and recycled products
Donation of unsold foodstuffs to charities
Use of glass bottles (deposit return, recycled)
Purchase of local or French-sourced raw materials.

3. Awareness and education

We see awareness-raising and education as essential pillars of our CSR approach. We create content on topics such as responsible entrepreneurship, sustainable franchising and good business practice.

Digital events are organised around the year to prepare the physical show whilst limiting travel: exhibitor webinars to help them plan their participation, visitor webinars to explain the main principles of franchising, a digital press conference to present the next exhibition to journalists, etc.

70% of stand surface area is fitted out by exhibitors themselves. In the exhibitor manual, we invite exhibitors to reduce the environmental impact of their participation by presenting best practices to give precedence to modular and reusable stands, control their consumption, optimise their travel, prefer suppliers with a CSR approach, make their communication paperless, prefer recycled and recyclable materials, etc.

The exhibition’s CSR initiatives are promoted all year round to all stakeholders.

4. Social involvement

We are committed to contributing positively to society and supporting important social causes. We work with charities and not-for-profit organisations to set up community support initiatives.

To prepare the bags distributed to visitors, the exhibition has enlisted the help of an ESAT (Etablissement et Service d'Aide par le Travail) to contribute to the vocational integration of disabled workers.

Among the many socially focussed actions of the Infopro Digital group, we can mention its support for “Nos Quartiers ont du Talent”, a French association that works to promote equal opportunities. It helps young graduates from underprivileged districts to get a foothold in the job market.

5. Continuous improvement

CSR is a continuous improvement process. We regularly evaluate our CSR practices and performance so that we can take corrective action and make progress towards our objectives. We also seek feedback from our stakeholders to help us strengthen our approach and meet expectations effectively.

Together, let’s build a better future.