The total of scopes 1+2+3 in 2023, for the entire Groupe and its subsidiaries worldwide, is 222,399 TeqCO2, i.e. a carbon intensity of 2.1 TeqCO2 per capita, slightly lower than 2022. This demonstrates the Groupe's ability to pursue its reduction efforts in a number of areas, while absorbing some of the additional impacts automatically linked to the Company's economic growth.
The breakdown by category of the GHG Protocol follows the presentation submitted and validated by SBTi for the 2030 and 2040 objectives.
The methodology and scope used for the GHG assessment are explained in Section 4.6 “CSR Reporting Methodology.”
- Scopes 1 and 2With regard to Publicis Groupe’s intellectual services activities, the impact mainly comes from:
- business travel by car, estimated at 10,218 thousand km for associated emissions of 6,164 TeqCO2. 2023 was marked by a resumption of business travel. This calculation takes into account the impact of condensation trail. For Company vehicles or service cars, for the past 15 years, the Groupe has aligned its professional vehicles policy (Car Policy) on the European targets of 95 g CO2 maximum, and supports the objective of zero‑emission road mobility by 2035 indicated in the draft regulation Fit‑for‑55. Individual practices have evolved in favor of hybrid and electric vehicles;
- energy consumed is estimated at 109,650 MWh for associated emissions of 20,138 TeqCO2 ;
- renewable energy accounts for 60% of total consumption (based on the certifications given by electricity suppliers). Electricity consumption in offices has picked up with the return to the office in several countries. The switch to 100% renewable energy supply contracts is continuing through discussions with the managers of the buildings where our offices are located. The checkpoints are 65% in 2024 and 75% in 2025. Depending on the country and the city, and on the maturity of the landlords on this subject, things are progressing relatively quickly, but our demands are not weakening. After purchases of RECs (Renewable Energy Certificates) and GOs (Guarantee of Origin), this rate rose to 92% in 2023. The Groupe CSR Department, together with the Real Estate Department, reviews the progress of these contract changes at least twice a year with the local teams and contributes directly to the negotiations if necessary. Efforts continue to improve energy efficiency and best practices (switch‑off policy for computers and machines such as printers, as well as night and weekend lighting):
- data centers: in addition to the ongoing work to optimize and rationalize servers, an analysis project was launched at the end of 2023 to gain a picture of energy issues in our own and shared data centers, as well as those of our partners, particularly in the cloud. In recent years, an average annual improvement of 10% to 12% has been obtained and the intention is to go further,
- energy audits: pursuant to directive 2012/27/EU, the agencies in Europe carried out energy audits, enabling progress plans to be drafted for the coming years (for example, improvements to systems or the strengthening of individual and collective eco‑friendly practices),
- energy efficiency: during the winter in 2022‑2023, in a context of global pressure on energy, the directive from the Management Board was to reduce electricity consumption by an additional 10% in all agencies; new best practices were implemented and have been maintained.
- Scope 3With the entry into force of Decree No. 2022‑982 revising several articles of the French Environmental Code on the calculation scope of scope 3, and with the coming into force of the European CSRD, which also requires companies to take into account a wider scope, Publicis Groupe worked on the integration of new categories (e.g. social benefits and other services).Upstream
- Purchased goods and services, which represent the largest part of scope 3, for an estimated total of 74,883 TeqCO2. The following categories are taken into account in the calculation (included in the objectives validated by SBTi):
- information & Technology (IT): data centers & cloud services software licenses, development and consulting,
- telecommunications and networks,
- research and development, studies,
- recruitment costs and external training costs,
- insurance, banking and legal fees.
- Capital goods, for an estimated total of 4,925 TeqCO2 and including: IT: For an estimated total of 4,743 TeqCO2. IT equipment (servers, workstations and laptops, screens, cellular phones, tablets, printers, etc.) are taken into account in the form of an exhaustive inventory of all office equipment and connectivity used by employees for their daily activities, in the workplace or at home. The Groupe seeks to use Green IT solutions wherever possible in order to be able to work on more energy‑saving computers and use more virtuous software packages and programs. Paper consumption: 159 metric tons were consumed, of which 70% were certified or standard‑compliant paper (FSC, PEFC or other labels), as were consumables (ink cartridges, office supplies, etc.), i.e. an impact of 182 TeqCO2. For several years now, the “zero paper” policy has been encouraged everywhere. The roll‑out 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 pass to activate printing.
