- paper consumption : 232 metric tons were consumed, of which 75% were certified or standard-compliant paper (FSC, PEFC or other labels), as were consumables (ink cartridges, office supplies, etc.). For several years now, the “zero paper” policy has been encouraged everywhere. The rollout of applications such as “Follow Me” makes it possible to select printers according to the type of document to be printed and to use a badge ;
- water consumption is estimated at 407,169 m3 –approximately 4.68 m3 per capita. Agencies rent premises in serviced buildings which include local water supplies. The main improvements concern washroom facilities (sensors) and prompt response once a water leak is detected. Water is supplied from municipal distribution systems or private operators, under long-term contracts with the managers of the buildings. The aim is to reduce water consumption in all agencies ;
- The volume of non-hazardous waste recycled is estimated at 1,331 metric tons. Most of this waste is paper and cardboard. It is recycled with traceability (some agencies have had traceability in place for 100% of these volumes for several years now). Given that the Groupe provides services, it does not manage any hazardous or toxic waste. In early 2020, the Groupe launched a global plan for single-use plastic, with the aim of achieving its elimination in all entities. Although the pandemic has led to an increased use of single-use personal protective equipment, most plastic office equipment have been phased out. Electronic waste is collected in local WEEE channels, or as part of IT equipment take-back contracts, also allowing a second life for these still usable equipment;
- decade now agencies have been voluntarily committed to promoting documents from recycled paper, plastic, fabric and other materials for paper publications or regular and one-time events, by working with suppliers who guarantee these recycled raw materials (see the example of Publicis Live through its Sustainability Guidelines shared with suppliers involved in various events) ;
- the issue of food waste has been monitored for a number of years now. In all agencies, employees must reduce waste day-to-day and support sharing initiatives to tackle food insecurity. For example, in the late afternoon, employees can go to the cafeteria (or kitchen or coffee room) to collect untouched food left over from meetings. In France, Sodexo, which is the Groupe’s partner, including for the Champs-Élysées and Bastille sites, is extremely proactive both in its own production chain (from upstream to downstream) and in its communication campaigns designed to raise the awareness of its employees and clients on food waste issues in corporate canteens. In 2021, the canteens were opened for a few weeks or months, depending on changes in health constraints and the number of people authorized in the establishments.
The Groupe defends responsible, fair and sustainable food that is sourced locally whenever possible, mindful of animal welfare, as evidenced by several projects carried out with various clients (voir www.publicisgroupe.com, CSR section).
Focus on real estate
Environmental issues are taken into consideration by the Groupe’s Real Estate Department right from the early stages of a project, whether in the course of refurbishment work for the agencies or when looking for new premises. The objective is to favor functional spaces that meet energy and environmental performance criteria, bearing in mind that the total surface area of offices has been reduced by 35% since 2018. Every year, examples of good practice are exchanged by real estate managers in different countries so as to anticipate requirements for the future premises :
- building certification (LEED, BREEAM, HQE, Energy Star, etc.); such as in Boston, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Gurgaon, Bangalore, Shanghai, Paris and London ;
- selection of energy supplier and energy mixes that include renewable energies. A number of agencies have already reached 100% renewable energies ;
- energy-saving electrical installations and regulated management of heating and air conditioning ;
- monitoring of the consumption of water and other fluids used (air conditioning);
- biosourced materials for interiors and decoration;
- effective (tracked and proven) waste sorting and recycling systems.
For two years, with the new work organization and the importance of teleworking (WFH) and the flexibility that this gives in terms of physical occupancy of spaces, the Groupe reviewed the real estate occupied in a very large number of cities in order to pursue its optimization objectives under the plan All in One grouping several agencies in the same building.
Four agencies are ISO 14001 certified (United Kingdom, India, etc.)
