An ambitious environmental policy to respond to the climate emergency
Every year since 1973, International Environment Day (5 June) has aimed to raise awareness of the climate emergency and encourage people to take action for the planet.
To mark the occasion, the Upcoop group is presenting its new environmental policy, designed to provide a better response to current ecological issues while at the same time being in line with its CSR approach.
The Upcoop group's environmental policy become more ambitious, focusing on four major objectives:
- Fighting against global warming;
- Fighting against environmental degradation and protecting biodiversity;
- Adapting to climate change;
- Accelerating the sustainable digital transition - Green IT.
These commitments are part of a trajectory formalised in 2024 to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The aim is to reduce emissions by 42% in all three scopes by 2030, compared with the baseline year of 2023. The Scope 1 covers the company's direct emissions, the Scope 2 those linked to purchased energy, and the Scope 3 all the other indirect emissions in its value chain (employee travel, purchasing, assests, end of life of products, etc.).
The analysis of the carbon footprints of the Group's entities, carried out annually since 2018, has enabled the main sources of emissions to be identified and targeted actions to be put in place. Four items account for around 98% of the Group's GHG emissions: purchasing, travel, energy and fixed assets.
Responsible purchasing
The Group is aiming for a 42% reduction in purchasing-related emissions, accompanied by a 30% increase in responsible purchasing by 2030 (i.e. purchasing that meets social and environmental issues).
Employee travel
Significant efforts have been made to limit travel-related emissions, a significant proportion of which relate to journeys between home and work. In France and abroad, the relocation of head offices has helped to reduce the company's carbon footprint:
- Since 2019, the parent company has reduced its travel-related emissions by 28%, by implementing several initiatives such as providing employees with electric bicycles and moving to its new headquarters, Up Gardens, in 2023, which is more accessible by public transport ;
- In Belgium, the Monizze subsidiary has reduced its company car mileage for home-to-work journeys by 70%, thanks to the relocation of its head office to Brussels city down-town in 2024.
Energy consumption
Between 2022 and 2023, energy-related emissions have been lowered by 29% at Group level. Today, almost 80% of the Group's sites in France and abroad (Italy, Belgium, Spain, Romania, Brazil, etc.) are powered by renewable energy. In France, 100% of our sites are powered by electricity from renewable sources supplied by Enercoop.
Eco-design of products
Aware of the environmental impact of its cards and vouchers, parent company Upcoop launched its first 100% recycled PVC cards at the end of 2023, generating 36% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a standard PVC card. The Day (Italy), Up Brasil (Brazil) and Multinet (Turkey) subsidiaries have also adopted 100% recycled PVC cards and virtual vouchers. In addition, 92.7% of the paper used to manufacture the vouchers comes from sustainably managed forests.
Contributing to global carbon neutrality
In addition to reducing its emissions, the Group is carrying out projects to contribute to global carbon neutrality. In 2024, the French entities Upcoop, Kalidea and CEV launched the Belin-Béliet reforestation project certified by the low-carbon label in Gironde (France). This project, covering 21.53 hectares, will sequester 10,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, over 30 years, while promoting biodiversity and local employment.
In 2025, the Group is continuing its efforts to achieve the targets it has set itself as part of its low-carbon pathway, and to align with the objectives of the Paris Agreements, in line with its CSR approach. To this end, a project is underway within the parent company, Upcoop, and in the subsidiaries whose carbon footprint has the greatest impact, to implement actions to reduce the Group's GHG emissions by 2030.