CeeRSE Charter: The Charter for the Evaluation of Companies' ESG s

Manufacturers, service and consulting firms, large corporations, mid-sized companies, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), micro-enterprises, startups, and nonprofit organizations: the CeeRSE Charter ( ESG s Assessment Charter) verifies, based on evidence, an organization’s s approach, regardless of its sector. ESTRADS Certification reviews each response and awards a Bronze, Silver, or Gold certification to be presented to clients, contractors, and financial backers.

One CSR questionnaire per client:
—one verified response

Large companies must report on their value chain: the CSRD directive sets the framework for their sustainability reporting; the Sapin II Act requires them to assess their suppliers for corruption; and the duty of care holds them accountable for their subcontractors. It is their suppliers who receive the questionnaires—one per client, each with its own format and deadlines. Banks ask the same questions before providing financing.

A sworn statement is no longer sufficient. The CeeRSE Charter provides companies with a single, standardized response—verified by an independent third party based on supporting documentation—that they can present:

in its requests for proposals and in its customers' questionnaires;
to its bank and investors when applying for financing;
to its shareholders, employees, and job applicants;
to the institutions and local governments with which it works.

CeeRSE Charter or FranceRSE Certification?

CeeRSE Charter

Who is it for? An organization that wants verified proof of its commitments—quickly—or that has been invited to participate by a client or a consortium
Criteria: More than 150
Results: Bronze, Silver, or Gold certification
Report: No detailed report
Progress: Level reviewed annually; it may go up or down
On-site audit: Random for Bronze and Silver; mandatory for Gold

FranceRSE Certification

Who is it for? An organization seeking a comprehensive assessment of its approach ESG and a roadmap for progress
Criteria: More than 500,
Results: Certification ranging from Essential to 5-star
Report: 30- to 100-page analysis report
Progress: Levels achieved in order, one by one
On-site inspection: Regular audits

Many organizations start with the charter and then move on to FranceRSE certification when their clients or funders request a comprehensive assessment.

Talk to ESTRADS Certification to find out if the CeeRSE Charter is a good fit for your organization. Contact us.

For clients,
consortia, and unions

Evaluating Suppliers Using a Standardized Evaluation Grid

A client who requires its suppliers to obtain the CeeRSE Charter replaces dozens of in-house questionnaires with a single checklist, verified against evidence by a third party. The client knows which suppliers have been audited, to what extent, and when the certification expires. To map all of its suppliers and subcontractors based on their certifications and attestations: ATLAS.

Membership Bylaws for an Association or Union

A professional association or union may make the CeeRSE Charter a condition of membership or a recommended practice for its members. Several already do so. ESTRADS Certification reviews applications, publishes the list of certified organizations on the association’s website if the association so chooses, and investigates reports. An association that wants a charter specific to its field may also have one custom-designed: see Custom Certification, Auditing, and Verification.

The organizations involved

Manufacturers

A manufacturer is both a supplier to major clients and a contractor for its own subcontractors. The certification is intended for the former; the charter, provided to its suppliers, is used to evaluate the latter.

Service and Consulting Firms

Your teams work at your clients’ sites, and your clients recommend you. The certification demonstrates what you excel at: your practices, your employees, and your ethical commitments.

Major corporations

A large corporation can have a subsidiary, a site, or a business unit certified, and propose the charter to all of its suppliers to standardize their evaluation.

Mid-Sized Companies and SMEs

The charter provides verified evidence without tying up a team for months. It helps in responding to requests for proposals and dealing with banks, and highlights any gaps before committing to a full certification process.

Small Businesses and Startups

The questionnaire is tailored to the size of the organization. A startup can demonstrate to its early customers and investors that it has laid the groundwork for a ESG approach.

Organizations

An organization is accountable to its members, its funders, and the local governments that provide it with grants. The report covers its governance, the use of its resources, its employees and volunteers, and its impact.

What the CeeRSE Charter Verifies

More than 150 criteria, tailored to the sector, size, and type of organization, grouped into five categories.

Governance, Ethics, and Finance

Compliance with regulations and business ethics principles; prevention of corruption; transparent practices toward customers and prospects, with information and products or services that match what is advertised; sound financial management that protects the organization from major risks.

Contributors

Working conditions and workplace climate; the right to decent work; occupational health and safety, with rules that are enforced and monitored.

Customers, Partners, and the Local Community

Focus on customers and the quality of service provided; relationships with suppliers and partners; integration into the local social and economic environment.

Environment

Contribution to sustainable development; environmental protection through modern and effective means; animal welfare, for organizations whose activities involve animals, either directly or within their supply chain.

Management of the Process

ESG policy formalized and implemented; technical and organizational solutions kept up to date; feedback and criticism collected, and responses provided.

The criteria reflect the requirements outlined on the page Our Certifications, including the CSRD Directive and the Sapin II Act. They are reviewed annually.

How do I obtain the CeeRSE certificate?

The organization completes its application, agrees to the terms and conditions, and receives its login credentials.
She is filling out the online questionnaire.
It forwards the requested documents and certificates to the analysis department atESTRADS Certification, which verifies them.
ESTRADS Certification conducts the on-site inspections required for their level.
The certification committee, which meets weekly, assigns the level.
The organization receives its certificate and a communications kit: logo, diploma, and certificate.
The company displays the charter poster in its offices, which outlines its key commitments and includes a QR code. Customers, employees, and partners can use it to send feedback—whether positive or negative—to ESTRADS Certification regarding compliance with the charter.

Details are on the page The certification process, in the section on charters.

Bronze, Silver, or Gold

The organization is awarded one of three levels based on its responses, the evidence it provides, and the audits conducted. The levels are not awarded in order: an organization can achieve the Gold level on its very first assessment.

On-site inspections are random for the Bronze and Silver levels.
They are mandatory for the Gold level.
The certificate is valid for 12 months. Each year, a new evaluation determines the level, which may go up or down.

The paper document is valid for 3 months and is updated and reissued during its 12-month validity period. The levels of the charters and certifications are compared on the page Levels.

Share Your Certificate

A certified organization is listed on the page Our References, along with its certification level and the expiration date of its certification, allowing clients to verify that it is current. It is also highlighted:

on the websites of associations, unions, and partners of which it is a member;
inESTRADS Certification 's interviews, profiles, and publications: monthly newsletter, press releases, social media, trade shows, and the press.

This communication is intended for its customers and prospects, employees, partners, and suppliers; banks, investment funds, and insurers; journalists and local elected officials; institutions; and its shareholders.

What the CeeRSE certification guarantees

No response will be considered without supporting documentation.
On-site inspections, which are routine for gold, verify the reported information through visual inspection.
Monitoring continues after certification: the sign’s QR code and the page Notify us allow you to report a violation at any time. In the event of a violation, ESTRADS Certification may revoke the certification—for a specified period or indefinitely—without a refund.
A Scientific Advisory Board, composed of professionals from government agencies or organizations with delegated authority, professionals from other certification programs and charters ofESTRADS Certification, members of professional associations and unions, and local elected officials, monitors changes to the criteria. It does not have access to the organizations’ data.

Take It Further: Certifications ESTRADS Certification

When its clients or funders require more than just a statement of compliance, a CeeRSE-certified organization can move on to certification: more than 500 criteria, five levels ranging from “Essential” to “5-star,” and an analysis report that serves as a roadmap. The FranceRSE Certification covers all sectors. For a business operating within a specific industry, that industry’s certification adds topics specific to the field: ProD&S for defense and security, ProTarmac for the aerospace industry, ProSpace for the space sector, ProAtome for the nuclear industry, ProTrack for motorsports, ProDemos for events, ProFinEthic for finance. A supplier in sensitive sectors can also have its autonomy assessed through the NSI certification, and a contracting entity can track all of its certified suppliers using ATLAS. All certifications and charters are listed on the Our Certifications.

As an independent trusted third party, ESTRADS Certification is an organization that provides verification, ESG ratings, CSR certification, and sovereignty assessments. It has issued 650 certifications and attestations, is certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001, and holds the status of a mission-driven company (see Our Commitments). Documents submitted by organizations are hosted in France by a provider not subject to the Cloud Act (see Our Sovereignty).

Obtain the CeeRSE Certificate

A brief conversation with theESTRADS Certification team is all it takes to find out which questionnaire applies to you and what conditions apply, particularly for members of partner associations and unions. A contracting entity or association that wishes to offer the charter to its suppliers or members may also contact us. A certified organization that recommends ESTRADS Certification benefits from the referral program.