Following our labeling in September 2020, we wanted to tell you more about our beautiful Lyon Fair Trade and Sustainable City Label ( LVED ) as well as all the actions implemented by our city for a better world. For this, we went to meet Camille Augey, assistant to our Mayor of Lyon Grégory Doucet , to get answers to our questions. What do you say?
Can you tell us about the history of the Lyon Fair Trade and Sustainable City Label?
“ The label was created in 2010 by Guylaine Gouzou-Testud . It was then sometimes difficult for consumers to find their way around making responsible consumption choices . The objective of the label was from the start to easily identify good addresses to consume differently. The label holders have gradually expressed their desire to talk to each other and progress together. In 2012, the “ Lyon Ville Equitable et Durable ” Club was born .
Today, within the Club, we offer meetings between certified members in order to discuss their best practices, workshops to progress, events to highlight their activities, all within a co-constructed program. Over time the requirement of the application file has increased .”
What are the selection criteria ?
“The application file for the “ Lyon Fair Trade and Sustainable City ” label studies 5 criteria: environmental management , responsible purchasing and consumption , social management , societal commitment and innovation of the candidate structure. Label holders must meet a certain number of requirements in each of these areas. It's very comprehensive.
Then, if the file allows it, the candidate structure is received by the labeling committee. This committee is made up of agents from the City of Lyon who are “experts” on SSE subjects or “ sustainable development ” referents within the various departments of the City and of those with the label.
If we decided to label Oé, it is because you met the requirements of the dossier for each of the five criteria, but it is also above all because you stood out in the " Responsible Purchasing and Consumption " section, I remember in particular the work you carry out on purchases related to the packaging of wine bottles:
- returnable glass bottles
- carbon-neutral corks from responsible forests in Portugal
- vegetable ink
- water-soluble glue
- recycled paper
It's tough in this industry. You also pay particular attention to salary management with regular awareness raising on these subjects; gender parity ; the implementation of subscription warrants for business creator shares; a global team bonus; attention to limiting the pay gap… Finally, you work with the LPO (League for the Protection of Birds) to raise awareness among winegrowers about the surrounding biodiversity . It's quite innovative in this sector and you continue to progress further, to feed on the experiences of other labeled and to share yours.”
How many label discounts have you done?
“I don't think you can talk about the label through numbers. My objective is clearly qualitative and not quantitative. We are evolving and we now offer annual labeling campaigns, we no longer label throughout the year. The next begins in the coming months. Applying for the “ Lyon Fair Trade and Sustainable City ” label is a proactive approach and the file is demanding and takes time. Of course, I hope that there will be as many labels as possible in order to multiply the choices for the consumer who is sometimes a little lost, but this should not be done to the detriment of the requirement. Also, we try to communicate a lot about the existence of the label to bring more and more committed structures to apply.”
Émilie (on the left) and Charlotte (on the right) at the presentation of the label at the Hôtel de Ville in Lyon
Where can we find labeled companies?
“You can find the labeled ones in a paper or electronic guide , you can also find them on the city of Lyon website and via its app. Above all, you can follow them on the label's Facebook account, which shares the actions and events of the label holders on a daily basis. Finally, we are currently working on the creation of a dedicated website. We experimented with this somewhat urgently during the “Lyon Fair Trade and Sustainable City” Christmas Market, which we were forced to dematerialize and we are currently working on an improved version. I would also like to produce a guide for tourists where we will find the labels likely to interest people who come to discover our city.”
How many people deal with the LVED label?
“It's a very small team within the City of Lyon and the label is only part of their mission, so it's difficult to answer this question. But these are very involved people. They accompany the candidates, analyze the files, but above all seek to know them well, to listen to their strengths and weaknesses so as to then be able to put them in touch with the members of the Club likely to provide solutions. meeting their needs or looking for good practices to discover. We also call on two external service providers to help us in the animation of the Club.”
What is your vision for the next few years?
“Since the start of my mandate, we have started a major project with the labelised. The objective is to refocus the label on responsible consumption (for individuals and professionals) and thus help people from Lyon in their choice of shops, products or services . Today the label is recognized in France and internationally , but in the end it is not so much for Lyonnaises and Lyonnais. By refocusing the label on responsible consumption, it will be easier for us to communicate about it, and therefore to make it a benchmark, a compass that every inhabitant would know about. It is for this reason that we wish to develop a dedicated website, and that I would like to be able to organize an event on a larger scale than those which exist today around responsible consumption and the label, when the health situation will allow.
I would also like the label holders to be able to dialogue more with other economic players who seek or are thinking about getting more involved in the ecological and social transition in order to share their best practices and support them as best as possible.”
If you want to consume responsibly or support Lyon companies with the LVED label, we give you an appointment on the label guide . And if you are a committed company, don't hesitate to apply for the Lyon Fair Trade and Sustainable City Label! For organic wine lovers, we are waiting for you on our online site to make you discover good organic wines 😉
