Introduction

Since its beginnings, the Chèque Déjeuner Group has embarked on a long-term development approach for the company and it is this that has enabled the Scop (workers’ production cooperative) created in 1964 to become the cooperative group that it is today. As sustainable development is part of a long-term approach, it is therefore not an extra concept that the staff members of the Chèque Déjeuner Group need to integrate.

According to the definition proposed in 1987 in the Brundtland Report by the Global Commission on the Environment and Development, "sustainable development" is:

"development that satisfies the needs of the present generations without compromising the abilities of future generations to satisfy their own needs. Two concepts are inherent in this notion: the concept of "needs", and more particularly the essential needs of the most destitute to whom the greatest priority should be given, and the idea of limitations that the present state of our technology and social organisation imposes on the capacity of the environment to satisfy the present needs and those of the future."

The 3 pillars of sustainable development are social, economic and environmental.
The Chèque Déjeuner Group’s commitments integrate them quite naturally.

• Social and solidarity-based actions with the creation of the Chèque du Don (donation voucher operation,
  support for the NGO Action contre la faim, the fight against illiteracyor the commitment in favour
  of children’s education through the association " Les petits citoyens "
• Economic actions with Fair Trade including a strong commitment
  during the two-week fair trade operation and the Chèque Déjeuner Group Foundation which every year supports numerous job-creation projects
• Finally, environmental actions with the strong commitment of staff members around unifying projects