Since 2009, the year it carried out its first carbon assessment, Aderly has been convinced of the need to measure and control the impact of its activities. In 2018, with results showing steady growth, the Agency adopted a new perspective on economic development in full alignment with the region’s priorities and a distinctive range of services to encourage the investments that would have the greatest impact in the region.

The “from MORE to BETTER” approach was launched.

Aderly deployed a strategic operational action plan to make its own contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals and formalised its commitment to Global Compact France in March 2020.

The Agency decided to assess its performance against the CSR criteria and the 17 SDGs adopted by public and international institutions. An economic and operational CSR audit produced a score of 76/100, enabling the Agency to identify areas for improvement in its future efforts.

The Agency thus aims to work proactively on the economic, social and environmental issues raised by these criteria. In particular, it is working on being exemplary in the way it operates, its organisation and its activity. This has been reflected in various ways over the past 2 years by incorporating these issues into an “overhaul” of the purchasing policy, with the creation and ongoing implementation of a supplier code and a charter for socially progressive, sustainable purchasing. This also includes in-house awareness campaigns using various media, the setup of a training plan that is constantly aligned with the challenges faced by the Agency (the first training course took place in September 2021), waste reduction by implementing alternative solutions and even the creation of cross-functional working groups on these same topics. This list is not exhaustive, and these initiatives are to be further developed.

The Agency also aims to be more selective in its choice of high-impact projects that contribute economically, ecologically and socially to sustainable development in the region, incorporating criteria such as impact, virtuous competition, consolidation of the local value chain, carefully considered European internationalism, regional cooperation and innovation for added value.

To achieve this, the Agency works closely with regional stakeholders with similar priorities, such as Ronalpia for social enterprise projects, Tubà for urban living, Lab’Eau&Nature in the Miribel Jonage park for biodiversity, UrbaLyon for regional integration, for a long time with Pôle emploi and now the Maison Métropolitaine d’Insertion d’insertion pour l’emploi (MMIE).

In addition, Aderly was the first French economic development agency to be awarded Label LUCIE certification in 2015 for its commitments to the environment (supporting the Lyon metropolitan district’s regional climate, air and energy plan, waste sorting with the disability-friendly company Elise, analysing its digital footprint etc.), society (collaborations with HandiShare, sponsoring the equal opportunity association “Nos Quartiers ont des Talents” etc.) and ethics (supplier codes, ethics and diversity charter etc.).

Always seeking to set an example in its organisation and act virtuously in its missions, the Agency aspires to use investment, innovation and employment to contribute towards the balanced development of the region.