e-Learning, an opportunity for Corporate Social Responsibility

Increasingly questioned about their environmental, social and economic impacts, companies must redouble their CSR efforts. In addition to the traditional sustainable development drivers, adopting e-Learning seems to be a simple and effective solution. And not only for reducing companies’ carbon footprints.

Guaranteeing fairness within the company, reducing pollutant gas emissions, promoting diversity, adopting new management methods that encourage personal fulfilment… to meet their corporate responsibility, companies have a duty to multiply their concrete initiatives. In the catalogue of solutions that are quite unknown, yet relatively simple to adopt, e-Learning offers great prospects.

Reducing the carbon footprint with e-Learning

Carbon footprint reduction and e-learning

In terms of CSR policy, ‘in-person’ training of employees presents a certain dilemma: essential – or even mandatory – to promote careers, it moves millions of employees each year, seriously increasing companies’ environmental footprints. Not to mention the travel costs and organisational problems created for the company and its employees.

The arrival of e-Learning represents a clear opportunity: by enabling distance training, no more train tickets, hotel stays or any of the travel costs involved in training employees. It’s a quick and simple way to take very concrete action on the company’s environmental footprint, as explains Aurore Thion, Digital Learning Manager for a large European communication group: « By putting training online for employees spread across France, instead of making them come to the headquarters, the company will immediately measure the financial and environmental impact. Not only by removing travel, but by reducing printed teaching materials for example. »

The advantages of e-Learning for employees’ fulfilment

Reducing the company’s carbon footprint is not the only benefit of Digital Learning in terms of CSR. Because e-Learning can also influence employees’ commitment and well-being at work, other key elements of a CSR approach.

In addition to its flexibility, digital learning content in fun, innovative formats, can make training more appealing to the learner. “With an online programme adapted to the target, the content will be more striking for the employee and above all easier to remember. Many mechanisms can be envisaged, such as gamification, mobile learning, or even VR (virtual reality), » says Aurore Thion.

« It’s a win-win relationship for the employee and the company,»she continues. «By investing in Digital Learning, the company can distribute its content and expect good learning outcomes. Employees develop their skills and their employability, while the company promotes their teams’ fulfilment and fosters their loyalty ».

And because Digital Learning adapts to all themes, why not use it to raise employees’ awareness to the company’s CSR policy? It’s an opportunity to inform them of the challenges, while putting the company’s commitments into concrete practice.

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