Direct impacts on the environment

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions

In order to reduce its emissions, the Crédit Agricole Group conducted a carbon footprint assessment in 2006 of its activities in the Paris region, representing a total of 45 buildings housing 17,700 employees over an area of 480,000 m2. Other assessments were carried out at Calyon, Crédit Agricole Asset Management, LCL and four Regional Banks. The verdict was that the Group's greenhouse gas emissions are equal to those of the 100th largest industrial site in France, or around 0.05 % of the country's total emissions. The majority of the 250,000 tonnes emitted come from energy, transportation and materials purchasing.

Three working parties have been set up to look at these issues and introduce measures, some of which - such as using train travel for all journeys of less than three and a half hours - were adopted in 2007. Additional measures will follow in 2008, such as further energy-saving measures at the Group's buildings, a business travel plan and projects concerning paper purchasing. Furthermore, given the time needed to make changes to buildings, the Group has revised its target to reducing energy consumption by 15 % over three years rather than 10 % in one year.

In addition to these measures, Crédit Agricole S.A.'s Sustainable Development Committee has decided to offset emissions from the Group's operations in the Paris region relating to energy usage :

• by investing in a CDM¹ project in accordance with the Kyoto Protocol. A number of possibilities are being considered, including a forest biomass project in Brazil;
• by redeveloping industrial wasteland by planting a forest.

Controlling water and energy consumption

As in 2005 and 2006, the Group conducted a review of water and energy consumption at its properties in the Paris region concerning four out of five divisions, managed by Crédit Agricole Immobilier and occupied by the Group, representing a total area of 483,000 m².

In 2007, the Group's total energy consumption at these sites was more than 350 kWh per m². Total greenhouse gas emissions relating to energy usage came to just under 6,900 tonnes, equivalent to 0.000013 % of greenhouse gas emissions in France in 2006.

Environmental indicators

Adopting recycling practices

The Group endeavours to support responsible waste treatment by encouraging recycling of items such as batteries, ink cartridges, paper and computers.

A total of 760 kg of batteries and 7,940 kg of ink cartridges were collected in 2007 thanks to the extension of the recycling system to all of the Group's sites in the Paris region² since 2006.

The paper collection system - which was introduced at sites in the Paris region in 2007 - began with office waste bins allowing for paper to be separated from other waste and a programme to raise employee awareness about selective sorting.

Lastly, SILCA³launched a system for recycling obsolete equipment in conjunction with Emmaüs⁴.

Raising employee awareness

As action needs support and support needs understanding, Crédit Agricole S.A. has taken steps to raise the awareness of its employees about sustainable development. For example, in 2007 it showed them the Al Gore documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" about climate change, which was also shown by Eurofactor and CACEIS. During the 2008 sustainable development week, a programme to raise the awareness of Crédit Agricole S.A. assistants was implemented in collaboration with ADEME, the French Agency for the Environment and Energy Management.