Our low-carbon strategy

Every year, Eiffage reports its greenhouse gas emissions to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), an international non-profit organisation that runs the largest global environmental reporting platform for companies and cities. 

In 2019, this organisation raised Eiffage’s rating to B – i.e. two ratings above C, the average score in the European construction sector –, reflecting the Group’s solid reporting methods and effective action plans. 

 Regarding reduction pathway modelling, we chose to use the Science Based Targets (SBT) initiative to set goals to reduce greenhouse gases in line with climate science data.  

Eiffage chose the most commonly used method, the Sectoral Decarbonization Approach (SDA), which is more precise than other approaches including economic ones. Two scenarios were then used:  

• A ‘BAP’ (business as planned) scenario where the Group’s revenue increased but emissions did not decrease  
• A ‘SBT’ (science-based target) scenario compatible with the 2°C scenario 

Eiffage’s senior management decided to follow the scenario compatible with a 2°C increase in the average global temperature and adopt the recommendations for the Group’s business lines; the targets to reduce scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 were then set. 

Therefore, with 2.4% growth projected each year, this scenario would see a 33% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions compared to the BAP scenario and 15% compared to the reference year.  

Eiffage is working on reducing its internal carbon footprint, the vast majority of which is caused by its own energy consumption as well as the fuel used by its fleet of vehicles (light vehicles, heavy goods vehicles and site machinery).  

The statutory energy audits carried out since 2015 have helped the Group structure its approach to saving energy and general expenses. In 2019, a new audit campaign was carried out in 41 of the Group’s operational entities.  

These recommendations were updated in the first half of 2020 and approved by a certifying organisation; the Group’s Executive Committee therefore has access to the most recent objective information to update the initiatives to reduce its internal carbon footprint.  

The strategic choice of a low-carbon pathway means we must set a good example, particularly through our property investment and management policy which is in line with a new energy transformation model for service-sector buildings involving: 

• synergies between the different types of industry expertise present within a compact Group than can provide turnkey solutions 
• solutions developed internally or with partners that produce minimal greenhouse gas emissions and are economically feasible. 

Lastly, transforming our business premises gives us the opportunity to reassert our social and solidarity-based role by improving employees’ work environment and using integration to successfully complete our projects which must blend in even further with their immediate surroundings. 

Eiffage and its executives firmly believe that climate-related challenges represent genuine opportunities for the Group to expand its activities. Displayed at the heart of its activities, Eiffage’s technical and commercial low-carbon offering is based on four main areas for action:  

• Low-carbon materials and design  
• Renewable energies and energy performance  
• Quality of life and new uses  
• Ecomobility 

Low-carbon materials and design  

In all business lines, the design and choice of materials significantly affects the project’s carbon footprint. Eiffage therefore uses a materials mix that combines new-generation materials with recovered and modified materials.  

Ecomobility  

Eiffage designs and promotes the development of low-carbon or reduced-carbon mobility solutions to offer its clients practical solutions to reduce to their carbon footprint, including driverless shuttles, carpooling, urban cable cars, electric mobility and smart lighting.  

Eiffage calls on its employees, suppliers, regular partners and start-ups capable of making swift progress and developing disruptive solutions to implement its low-carbon business model on a dayto-day basis.   

Employees 

All our business lines have been firmly focused on the reduction of greenhouse gas sources and the economics of climate change adaptation since 2009. All our employees are involved in the lowcarbon transition by drafting themed charters, providing information, leading awarenessraising campaigns, sharing best practice, running expertise demonstrator projects and rolling out new low-carbon technical solutions. 

Clients and suppliers  

Although public or private clients are free to make their own choices, it is our duty to provide them with alternative solutions in line with climate-related and environmental challenges throughout the life cycle of our projects. Moreover, clients are showing more interest in products and services with the greatest environmental benefits for various reasons, such as anticipated changes in regulations, the impact on their reputation, as well as full understanding of their responsibility as a public or private decision maker.  

As an essential component of our business model*, suppliers play a key role in making Eiffage’s lowcarbon transition a success 

* In 2019, Eiffage had over 1,500 suppliers under framework agreements representing over €2.1 m in purchases out of a total of over €7.8 bn (in France).