Managing the Group’s own account carbon footprint

Managing the Group’s carbon footprint

As part of its CSR approach, for several years now Societe Generale has been committed to a proactive reduction in its carbon footprint. 

In 2021, the Group announced a target of cutting its own carbon emissions by 50% between 2019 and 2030 through measures focused on energy use relating to its premises, IT, air travel and fleet of cars. At the end of 2024, the Group had achieved a 36% reduction in its carbon footprint compared to 2019 and was thus on track to meet this target.

Reducing our digital carbon footprint

Since 2019, the Group has embarked on an ambitious programme to reduce digital’s impact on the environment.

To achieve this, Societe Generale has deployed several monitored and measured practical initiatives:

• migration of its historical datacentres to more energy-efficient sites and introduction of green energy for its datacentres in France and abroad;
• recycling and reuse of IT equipment; 
• IT experts given training in eco-design. 

Additionally, Societe Generale has been launching circular economy initiatives. For example, in 2019 the Group signed a partnership agreement with Recycléa, a company that primarily employs people with a physical or mental disability (whether visible or not), to recycle and recover its WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment).

Reducing the environmental impact of the Group’s real estate

The Societe Generale group is reducing the carbon footprint of its sites around the world: 

• office space adjusted to requirements by capitalising on flex office and remote working; 
• implementation of energy consumption reduction actions adapted to our sites and to each building’s use;
• use of renewable energy supplies and deployment, when pertinent, of self-generation systems.

With the signing of the Eco d’Eau Charter, Societe Generale is espousing actions aimed at controlling water use to increase staff awareness and contribute to water reduction measures within its buildings.

In France, the Group has implemented the energy savings plan requested by the government and signed the Ecowatt Charter in 2022. It has also signed a CPPA (corporate power purchase agreement) that will cover a portion of its electricity supply needs in France. 

In terms of managing and reducing its waste, the Group has put various measures in place such as selective sorting in five streams, further sorting for Corporate Centre buildings and the removal of individual bins for each employee.

Reducing the carbon footprint generated by travel

The transport sector is one of those that emits the most greenhouse gases. To reduce these CO₂ emissions, the Group has decided to act.

To decrease its carbon footprint, the Societe Generale group is reducing the frequency of its employees’ business travel and encouraging them to use lower-emission solutions (the train, when this solution is available).

Regarding its fleet of cars, the proportion of electric vehicles is increasing in France and other countries where this is permitted. Societe Generale is thus complying with the Mobility Law (“LOM”, or Loi d’Orientation Mobilité), and renewing its fleet with electric or rechargeable hybrid vehicles. 

At the same time, the Group has also continued to deploy electric charging points at its premises, with some 250 such points installed at its Corporate Centre buildings in the Paris region.

Reducing single-use plastic

The Group is working to increase staff awareness and to use recycled and plastic-free materials. Since the end of 2023, there has been a gradual reduction in single-use plastics in the catering areas of Corporate Centre buildings, subsidiaries and the SG France network. This has led to the setting up of container return stations and the distribution of sustainable cutlery in our main buildings in the Paris region.