Nouakchott’s coastline in Mauritania plays an ecological, social, and economic role. Like many coastal areas, it is affected by abandoned waste, particularly plastic, which damages the environment, weakens ecosystems, and harms the image of the site. In this context, clean-up actions take on their full meaning.

It is in this spirit that CNA Mauritania, alongside its logistics partner CMA-CGM and the École des Cadres, organised a waste collection operation on a beach in Nouakchott. Beyond the civic gesture, this initiative reflects a clear objective: to strengthen local roots, mobilise teams, and make environmental responsibility a concrete priority.

A beach clean-up operation in Nouakchott that brings teams together

On 8 May, the teams from CNA Mauritania joined forces with CMA-CGM and the École des Cadres to carry out a clean-up operation on Nouakchott’s beach. This initiative brought together nearly forty volunteers, including eleven employees from several head office departments, including General Services, Projects, Finance, Procurement, and IT.

This mobilisation shows an organisation’s ability to bring people together internally. By uniting different functions around a shared objective, it reflects the CIS Group way of working.

An initiative guided by safety and awareness

Before the clean-up began, the QHSE team from our client’s project led an awareness session focused on environmental protection and the use of protective equipment. This preparation helped remind participants of the right practices to adopt and ensured that the operation was carried out in the right conditions.

For companies such as CIS Group, operating in sensitive or remote environments, safety is an integral part of every operational approach. Even as part of a civic initiative, it is essential to inform participants, structure the operation, and ensure clear execution conditions. At the end of the operation, participants gathered for a snack prepared by our chefs, creating a shared moment that also helped strengthen team bonds.

The Environment: an integral part of CIS’s initiatives

CIS Group and its subsidiaries operate on remote, complex, and sensitive sites, which requires constant attention to service quality, safety, and environmental impact management. In these environments, CSR commitment must translate into practical measures tailored to local realities and fully integrated into day-to-day operations.

CIS Group and its subsidiaries are also actively committed to environmental preservation, while taking into account the specific features of each operating site. Plastic waste management is a major issue. That is why our procurement policy includes reducing the use of single-use plastics. As catering is at the heart of our business, fighting food waste is also one of our key priorities. Operating in very different contexts around the world, we also pay close attention to residents’ consumption habits, which vary from one country to another. This understanding of local practices helps us adapt services, reduce waste, and improve the relevance of the solutions we implement.

In summary

• A beach clean-up operation in Nouakchott brought together nearly forty volunteers.
• The initiative helped raise awareness of environmental issues and safety rules.
• It illustrates a practical, visible, and useful CSR approach on the ground.
• CIS Group places this commitment within a broader approach to managing environmental impacts.