Heroes of Change contest 2024: discover our 2 winning CSR projects!

Heroes of Change: Newrest and its inspiring initiatives

Our countries’ commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) was brilliantly highlighted in the 2024 edition of the internal “Heroes of Change” contest. Each year, this contest rewards two innovative initiatives that are celebrated for their contribution to the environment and society. As last year, around 40 applications were received, reflecting the importance of CSR in the Group’s global strategies.

Among all applications, 10 projects were shortlisted that demonstrated a deep understanding of CSR issues. They have integrated sustainable practices into their day-to-day operations and gone beyond expectations to create a positive impact. Last week, employees voted on the projects, which were then presented orally to the jury, leading to the final selection.

This year, the two winning projects are :

• French Polynesia with their ‘Te mana o te patura’a’ project
• Nigeria with ‘Project Green (educate, recycle, transform)’

Newrest French Polynesia began working with Te Torea, an association which helps homeless people to re-enter the job market by training them as carpenters. With the aim of adopting a circular economy approach, Newrest donates pallets on a monthly basis, which are then used by the association to build furniture that our teams will purchase for one of our shops. In a second phase, Newrest Polynésie Française will hire a native who is already monitored and supported by the association. The latter will be offered a new start thanks to this professional reintegration, which will provide him with a salary to support himself.

For several years now, Newrest Nigeria has been implementing several initiatives, mainly focusing on waste management and sustainable purchasing. To take CSR awareness further, they have teamed up with a number of public institutions and organised interactive sessions with children from several schools in Lagos. These events are essential if future generations are to be more respectful of the environment, aware and proactive in teaching them to be ‘environmental heroes’. With this in mind, our teams in Nigeria shared their best practices, particularly on waste sorting, to better protect our planet.

The combination of public votes and jury assessments resulted in a close contest, proving that every project had the potential to win. However, beyond these wonderful initiatives, what also stands out is the solidarity and collective commitment to a more sustainable future. Each action, whatever its scale, makes a significant contribution to the acceleration of CSR within Newrest Group.

Congratulations to all the participating teams. See you next year!