COESIO was founded in 2013 in Montreal and offers consulting services in corporate social responsibility to organizations across Quebec, in Canada and internationally.

Francine Craig and Charles Duchesne launched COESIO in the wake of the BNQ 21000 project, and the firm has become a key player in Quebec in the fields of strategic planning and sustainable development management.

The challenge of transitioning to a sustainable development paradigm is to rethink the relationship between human beings and nature, an aspiration shared by a growing number of individuals. These citizens are taking a critical look at a development model that too often damages the ecological balance and leaves the majority of humanity living in poverty.

Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Bruntland Report (Our Common Future), 1987

This concept stems from a scientific consensus stating that we cannot continue to grow endlessly, that we need to address the shortcomings of a development model that focuses on economic growth only to a limited extent on environmental and societal considerations, and that we need to reconsider our ways of doing things and making decisions with regard to their impact on the survival of species and human beings on a planet with limited resources.

We must therefore take action and reconsider our practices according to three essential priorities:

• Maintaining the integrity of the environment to ensure the health and safety of human communities and preserve life-sustaining ecosystems;
• Ensuring social equity to enable the full development of all women and men, the development of communities and respect for diversity;
• Pursuing economic efficiency to create an economy that is innovative, prosperous as well as environmentally and socially responsible.

At COESIO, we aspire to accompany leaders in the transformation process of their organizations, so they can contribute actively towards the challenges of the 21st century.

Our team of experts and partners work closely with leaders and organizations to implement best management practices at both the strategic and operational levels. Our interventions integrate the principles of all major international standards and guidelines for sustainable development and corporate responsibility. As a training organization accredited by the Commission des partenaires du marché du travail, the courses, personalized coaching programs and multiple workshops offered by our experts offer based on the highest quality standards.

Our resources have recognized expertise in the implementation of ISO 26000 – Guidance on Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development Standard BNQ 21000 – Guidelines for the Implementation of Principles for Management of Enterprises and Other Organizations from the Bureau de Normalisation du Québec, as well as other resulting standards. We are qualified to produce extra-financial reports following the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Our development work has also led us to produce, in collaboration with ECOCERT CANADA, the 4-level certification specifications of the ECORESPONSIBLE Program from the Conseil des industries durables (CID). We have also developed the official curriculum, the ECO Methodology, as well as the set of tools, training workshops and content that facilitates the achievement of the certification criteria. We also work within the context of responsible purchasing policies, both with clients and their suppliers, and we are members of the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council.

COESIO is also composed of experienced CID EXPERTS and specializes specializes in supporting companies in their efforts to obtain the ECORESPONSIBLE certification.