French CSR labels compared: Lucie, Engagé RSE, B Corp and EcoVadis

Labels, ratings and statuses

French companies are often asked “do you have a CSR label?”. The answer can be a label awarded after an assessment, such as Lucie or Engagé RSE, a certification such as B Corp, or a rating such as EcoVadis. They are not the same thing. A label or certification says you meet a threshold; a rating gives a score that customers compare. The société à mission, created by the 2019 PACTE law, is something else again: a legal status written into the articles of association, not a label.

Label Lucie 26000

Label Lucie is awarded by the Agence Lucie and based on ISO 26000, the international guidance on social responsibility. An independent assessor evaluates the company against the standard’s core subjects, and the company commits to a set of progress actions that are checked at a mid-term follow-up. Specific versions exist for certain sectors and for small companies. It suits companies that want one recognised label based on the international reference.

Engagé RSE by AFNOR

The Engagé RSE label from AFNOR Certification is also based on ISO 26000. An assessor scores the company on 1,000 points across eight chapters, and the result places it in one of four levels: initial, progression, confirmed or exemplary. The label is valid for three years, with a follow-up assessment at 18 months. The levels make it useful for companies at the start that want to show progress over time.

B Corp

B Corp certification is run by B Lab. Its new standards replace the former points threshold with requirements on every impact topic, such as climate, human rights, fair work and governance, with more to meet after three and five years. Certified companies must also change their articles of association to take stakeholders into account. Certification is renewed every three years. It is known internationally, especially in consumer markets.

EcoVadis

EcoVadis is a rating, not a label or a certificate, although many people call it an EcoVadis certification. It scores a company from 0 to 100 on environment, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement, based on documents the company uploads. Medals are awarded by percentile among rated companies, and a scorecard is valid for 12 months. Large buyers often require it from suppliers, which is why it is so widespread in France.

What the EU rules change

From 27 September 2026, Directive (EU) 2024/825 bans sustainability labels in consumer marketing that are not based on a certification scheme with independent checks or set up by public authorities. Labels such as those above, with third-party assessment, can still be used, but companies can no longer create their own logos to suggest a sustainability label. Using a label also does not replace the facts: customers still ask for figures.

Doing it in Greener Ahead

Greener Ahead does not award labels or ratings. Every label and rating above asks for the same evidence: policies, workforce figures and environmental data such as energy, emissions and waste. Sustainability reporting in Greener Ahead gathers them in a VSME report with the document behind each figure, for €995 per year. Carbon accounting calculates your carbon footprint for €1,495 per year. Both have unlimited users and a free 14-day trial without a card. Check the pricing page for current details.

The labels compared

How the main labels and ratings work.

Before you choose

Questions that decide which one fits.

• Which label or rating do your largest customers actually ask for?
• Do you sell to consumers, where B Corp is better known, or to businesses?
• Do you want to show progress over time, which levels make visible?
• Have you gathered your policies and figures, which every one of them needs?
• Who will own the renewal each year or every three years?