CSR game in company: awareness raising effective

Why a game to raise awareness about CSR

CSR awareness in companies is confronted with a classic wall: topics are important, complex, sometimes anxiogenic, but traditional formats (presentations, e-learning modules, lectures) generate low commitment and poor memory. The CSR game solves this equation for 4 documented reasons.

1. Emotional commitment. A game triggers emotions (surprise, frustration, joy of cooperation, disappointment of a wrong choice) that anchor learning much deeper than a rational message. Cognitive science is unappealable on this point.

2. Systemic understanding. CSR topics are almost always systemic (interactions between actors, feedback loops, indirect effects).A game makes these interactions visible intuitively - impossible to reproduce in descending mode.

3. Peer-to-peer conversation. The game triggers horizontal discussions between colleagues who discover positions, doubts, commitments. These conversations are worth more than 50 emails from management.

4. Permission to question. The playful framework allows to express reservations, ironies, contradictions that would remain killed in a formal format. This free speech is the condition of a real change.

The result: a well-designed CSR game transforms an initially sceptical or disengaged audience into a team that asks questions, proposes actions, and brings the subject to colleagues.

The 8 most played CSR themes in the company

Here are the 8 themes on which a CSR game delivers proven results in company.

1. Climate and carbon footprint - Fresque du Climat, Climate Fresk sectoral variations. The great classic since 2018, played by millions in company.
2. Biodiversity - Fresque de la Biodiversité, games of local ecosystems.
3. Circular economy - Product life cycle, secondary flow enhancement. Very used in industry and large distribution.
4. Sustainable mobility - Travel modes, mobility plans, etc. Relevant in the framework of mandatory MDPs (mobility plans).
5. Diversity and inclusion - Stereotypes, cognitive biases, situations of discrimination.
6. Equal opportunities for women and men - Glass ceiling, mental load, pay gap, feel before analyzing.
7. Responsible Digital - Carbon footprint of digital, sobriety, life of equipment. Topic emerges in 2024-2026.
8. Business ethics - Anti-corruption, gifts and invitations, conflicts of interest. Sapin II compliance via the game.

On these 8 themes, frescoes (Climate, Biodiversity, Digital) have the advantage of a pre-existing format and a community of trained facilitators. For other topics, custom-made design offers more flexibility to adapt to your specific context.

4 game mechanics adapted to CSR topics

Not all game mechanics are worth dealing with a CSR topic. Here are the 4 that work best according to our workshop experience.

1. The collective construction of a system

The players together assemble a conceptual puzzle (cause/effect cards, feedback loops). It is the mechanics of the great Fresques. Strength: very suitable for systemic subjects (climate, biodiversity). Limit: requires a attentive audience and a trained facilitator.

2. Cooperative role play

Each player embodies an actor (business, community, citizen, association). The goal is common but individual constraints diverge. Force: excellent to make real arbitrations feel of a transition. Limit: requires an emotional investment of players.

3. Decision simulation

Players make a series of decisions (CAPEX, partnerships, investments) with numerical consequences that unfold over time. Strength: very suitable for public leaders or managers. Limit: requires a rigorous design to be realistic without being complex.

4. The team-contextualized quiz

Light format: teams answer thematic questions with intermediate discussions. Strength: easy to animate, adapted to short sessions (45 min). Limit: lower emotional engagement than other mechanics.

Recommended selection according to context: fresco (mechanical 1) for major systemic topics with motivated audience. Role play (mechanical 2) to move the performances. Simulation (mechanical 3) for decision-making audiences. Contextualized quiz (mechanical 4) for short introductions or mixed audiences.

Client case: Bordas Fresque du Climat in school environment

A concrete case of our workshop that illustrates the power of a well-produced CSR game.

Client context: Bordas, a historical school publisher, wanted to produce an official version of the Fresque du Climat adapted to the public at school (4th-3rd), for distribution in partner schools across Europe.

Initial brief: Adapt the adult content of the Fresque du Climat to a high school vocabulary and references, with a material production of quality editor (durability, premium finish, robust packaging).

Production: 5,000 complete copies: 42 cards per game, 80×60 cm film-coated game board, 32 page teaching booklet for the teacher-host, premium bell box. Vegetable inks, cardboard, 100% manufacture France (Bretagne + Angoulême).

Time limits: Dialing and adaptation content: 6 weeks. Graphic design and prototype: 4 weeks. Pilot class tests: 3 weeks. Production: 5 weeks. Total: 18 weeks since the initial brief.

Results at 12 months: Dissemination to more than 800 French colleges, 65,000 students, demand for reprinting for an additional 5,000 copies. Case became a showcase for Bordas in its strategy of education for sustainable development.

How to measure the impact of a CSR game

Measuring the impact of a CSR game is crucial to justifying the budget and amplifying the deployment. Here are the 5 dimensions to measure.

1. Immediate satisfaction

Hot-measured by post-session questionnaire: NPS (Net Promoter Score), satisfaction score on 10, feeling that you have learned. Reference: A good CSR game gets NPS > +50 and average score > 8/10.

2. Cognitive progression

Quiz of 10-15 questions on the subject, asked before the session and 30 days later. The average progression on good CSR games is +30 to +45% of good answers.

3. The transition to action

The most important KPI: how many participants report and implement concrete action within 30, 90, 180 days of the session? Measured by questionnaire and ideally by direct observation (carpooling, sorting, energy sobriety, etc.).

4. Social dissemination

How many participants talk to colleagues about the device? How many other teams ask to play it after internal word of mouth? A very powerful indicator of the viral effect of the CSR subject in the company.

5. The impact on corporate CSR indicators

In the long term: does awareness play a role in the firm's consolidated CSR indicators (carbon footprint, sorting rates, low-carbon mobility, parity, etc.) ? Complex measurement but this is ultimately the ultimate justification for the scheme.

Combining these 5 dimensions allows you to build a solid evaluation record for your CSR management. The best CSR games deliver measurable results over the 5 dimensions, over 6-18 months.

5 common obstacles and how to circumvent them

Here are the 5 obstacles we regularly see curbing CSR projects in companies.

1. "It's not going to change behavior" - Answer: show measured cases. Climate Fresco has triggered tens of thousands of concrete commitments in company. The game alone does not do everything, but it is a proven trigger.
2. "We don't have budgets" - Answer: the amortized cost per participant falls under 3 year configuration for a reusable game. Much less than a day of classical training. (more about our discover our training games)
3. "The subject is too sensitive" - Answer: it is precisely the strength of the game to defuse sensitive subjects via the playful framework that allows the discussion.
4. "We don't have a trained facilitator" - Answer: most CSR games are designed to be animatable after 2-3 hours of training. The network of external hosts (Fresque du Climat, etc.) is also available.
5. "We don't have time in-house" - Answer: order an existing game (key in hand) or call a workshop that delivers a complete solution in 8-12 weeks. The internal time required is minimal.

Launch your CSR game project

If you are planning a CSR game for your company, the right reflex is to ask for a quote with an even imperfect brief. This allows an experienced manufacturer to direct you to the format, mechanics and realistic volumes before you commit internal time.

Our team responds within 48 working hours with a first costed estimate and 2-3 scoping questions. No commitment, no pushy sales follow-up.

CSRD, DPEF, OETH: Why CSR is important in 2026

The regulatory requirements were tightened in 2024-2025. CSRD directive (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) requires companies with 250+ employees to report on 12 indicators (e1 climate, E2 pollution, S1 social, etc.) separately. DPEF (Extra-Financial Performance Declaration) are audited.OETH (Obligation of Employment of Disabled Workers) imposes 6% for the 20+ employees.

A CSR awareness project company hits several boxes simultaneously:

• Awareness raising on climate issues/inclusion/etc. = proof of action E1/S1 in the EDP
• ESAT partnership For manufacture = OETH accounting
• Carbon footprint of the game itself = raw material FR + local production
• ROI training measure (Kirkpatrick) = documented evidence of efficacy

CSRD listener values actions that combine measurable impact + traceability + durabilityA well-designed CSR game produces content for the extra-financial report (collaborative testimonials, photos sessions, post-training figures).

12 CSR themes covered by the game (panorama)

On 50+ CSR awareness projects manufactured since 2018, here are the 12 most discussed topics:

1. Climate : Climate Fresque adapted to the business industry (energy, transport, agriculture, etc.)
2. Cybersecurity : phishing, passwords, social engineering, GDPR. ROI proven -45% click phishing.
3. Inclusion and diversity : unconscious bias, HR situations, intersectionality
4. Biodiversity : local species, ecosystems, impact of activities
5. Responsible Digital : digital carbon footprint, eco-design
6. Circular economy : reuse, recycling, waste
7. Sustainable mobility : alternative to the car, mobility plan
8. Well-being at work : RPS, pro/perso life balance, burn-out prevention
9. Site Safety (HSE) : gestures, PPE, signs
10. Citizenship : local commitment, sponsorship, ESS
11. Responsible procurement : criteria, suppliers, traceability
12. CSRD reporting : understand indicators and their impact

For details by topic, see our pages cybersecurity game, Fresque Climate enterprise, Fresque Biodiversity, Digital Frequencies.

3 print formats for a CSR B2B game

Format 1 : Large format collaborative Fresque. 1m x 1.50m + 40-60 thematic cards + animator booklet. Group format 6-8 people per session. Animation 2-3h. The most complete pedagogical format. Target: complete teams, seminars.

Format 2 : Kit for individual cards to be distributed. Box size 50-100 script cards + booklet available only. No facilitator required. Target: large-scale awareness (5000+ collaborators), distributed individually.

Format 3 : Escape box CSR. Team-based solutions on a specific CSR topic (cyber, climate, inclusion). Playful format, 1h. Target: thematic days, security weeks, internal events.

ESAT partnership: cornerstone of credible CSR game

A CSR game produced by our workshop systematically integrates ESAT's packaging and some manual finishes. In concrete terms, this means:

• Work done by persons with disabilities
• Accounting in your OETH (Obligation to employ disabled workers, 6% mandatory)
• Official certification provided for your DPEF/CSRD report
• No additional costs compared to a conventional subcontractor

The ESAT partnership transforms a CSR game into a dual CSR lever This is what distinguishes him from a classic training kit. See ours Detailed commitments.