39 major French companies take concrete action to combat climate change
In the lead-up to the Paris climate summit (COP 21), 39 major French companies, employing a total of 4.4 million people worldwide and generating sales of 1,200 billion euros, have made a firm commitment to combat climate change. By signing this climate pledge, they want to contribute to making COP 21 a success and to limiting the warming of the Earth to 2°C. They emphasize their driving role and leadership in the fight for a more sustainable world.
Active since many years, these companies are taking concrete steps to reduce their carbon footprint through:
- The use of active and passive energy efficiency solutions,
- The use of renewable energy, notably hydro, wind or solar energy,
- The systematic reduction of greenhouse gas emissions throughout the life cycle of their products,
- The development of new low-carbon materials and solutions,
- The reduction of food waste and packaging,
- The adoption of long-term investment strategies actively promoting the energy transition.
From 2016 to 2020, the 39 companies plan to invest at least 45 billion euros in industrial projects and R&D devoted to renewable energy, energy efficiency and other low carbon technologies. Over the same period, they also intend to provide bank and bond financing of at least 80 billion euros for projects contributing to the fight against climate change.
In addition, they foresee low carbon investments of 15 billion euros in new nuclear capacities and investments of 30 billion euros in natural gas as energy transition solution, planned over the next five years.
THE SIGNATORIES
- Augustin de Romanet, chairman and chief executive officer of Aéroports de Paris
- Patrick Kron, chairman and chief executive officer of Alstom
- Philippe Varin, chairman of the AREVA board of directors
- Thierry Le Hénaff, chairman and chief executive officer of Arkema
- Vianney Mulliez, chairman of the Auchan supervisory board
- Jean-Philippe Puig, managing director of Avril
- Henri de Castries, chairman and chief executive officer of Axa
- Jean-Laurent Bonnafé, chief executive officer of BNP Paribas
- Georges Plassat, chairman and chief executive officer of Carrefour
- Philippe Brassac, chief executive officer of Crédit Agricole SA
- Emmanuel Faber, chief executive officer of Danone
- Jean-Bernard Lévy, chairman and chief executive officer of EDF
- Max Roche, chief executive officer of Eiffage
- Philippe Salle, chairman and chief executive officer of Elior
- Gérard Mestrallet, chairman and chief executive officer of Engie
- Jean-Charles Decaux, chief executive officer of JCDecaux
- François-Henri Pinault, chairman and chief executive officer of Kering
- Véronique Laury, chief executive officer of Kingfisher
- Bruno Lafont, co-chairman of the LafargeHolcim board of directors
- Philippe Wahl, chairman and chief executive officer of Groupe La Poste
- Gilles Schnepp, chairman and chief executive officer of Legrand
- Jean-Paul Agon, chairman and chief executive officer of L’Oréal
- Jean-Dominique Senard, chairman of Michelin
- Stéphane Richard, chairman and chief executive officer of Orange
- Maurice Lévy, chairman of the Publicis Groupe board of directors
- Elisabeth Borne, chairwoman and chief executive officer of RATP
- Rudy Provoost, chairman and chief executive officer of Rexel
- Pierre-André de Chalendar, chairman and chief executive officer of Saint-Gobain
- Olivier Brandicourt, chief executive officer of Sanofi
- Jean-Pascal Tricoire, chairman and chief executive officer of Schneider Electric
- Denis Kessler, chairman and chief executive officer of SCOR SE
- Guillaume Pépy, chairman of the SNCF
- Frédéric Oudéa, chief executive officer of Société Générale
- Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, chairman of Solvay’s Executive Committee and Solvay’s CEO
- Jean-Louis Chaussade, chief executive officer of Suez
- Patrick Pouyanné, chairman of Total’s Executive Committee and Total’s CEO
- Jacques Aschenbroich, chief executive officer of Valeo
- Antoine Frérot, chairman and chief executive officer of Veolia
- Xavier Huillard, chairman and chief executive officer of Vinci
