Discover Res publica's latest carbon footprint report

As part of our CSR policy and in order to reduce our carbon footprint across all our activities, Res publica conducts an annual carbon audit. Now that our latest audit has been completed, we'd like to take this opportunity to tell you more about our approach.

What is a carbon footprint?

A carbon footprint assessment is a methodology for quantifying greenhouse gas emissions developed by the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME) in the early 2000s. The calculation takes into account direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions an organization's

Carbon footprint assessments are mandatory every four years for companies with more than 500 employees. To go even further, and following the recommendations of the Citizens' Convention for Climate (which Res publica supported), we have been conducting one annually since 2020, with the help of Sami, a French agency that assists companies in calculating their carbon footprint and developing their low-carbon strategy.

Our carbon footprint assessment covers the three "scopes" that define the different areas of greenhouse gas emissions:

• Scope 1 : direct greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from the combustion of fossil fuels for heating or company vehicles
• Scope 2 : Indirect emissions associated with electricity and heat production
• Scope 3 : all other indirect emissions in the company's value chain (travel, purchases, waste, etc.). It generally encompasses the majority of emissions.‍

Res publica’s 2022 carbon footprint

In 2022, Res publica emitted 104 tonnes of CO2e (CO2 "-e" stands for "equivalent": this is a unit created by the IPCC, which takes into account allthe different greenhouse gases, the main one being CO2).

This represents an increase of 5 tonnes compared to 2021 (99 tonnes). This increase is mainly due to the growth of our activity and the size of our team, resulting in a greater number of trips (travel, meals, and accommodation must be taken into account) and an increase in some of our equipment expenses.

Beyond the gross value of our balance sheet, the economic carbon intensity of our company (the ratio of our emissions to our revenue) nevertheless decreased in 2022, from 46 kgCO2/k€ in 2021 to 43 in 2022. This indicator helps to neutralize the effects of changes in activity and turnover on the carbon footprint: from this point of view, our overall carbon performance has therefore improved compared to last year, even though we are seeing a slight increase in our carbon intensity per employee (the ratio of emissions related to our employees compared to the average workforce over the year), which goes from 1.3 in 2021 to 1.4tCO2e per employee in 2022.

What do we do next?

For several years, we at Res publica have made strong commitments to minimize our emissions. This assessment allows us to refine the actions we have been implementing for several years and to intensify whenever possible. This is particularly true for recycling and reducing our waste (containers have been made available to employees to reduce their waste during lunch breaks). We are working to reduce the energy consumption of our premisesthrough a 100% renewable electricity contract with the cooperative Enercoop, the installation of a programmable thermostat , and theoptimization of heating during the winter (which led us to invest in blankets that have been very popular with some of our colleagues on the coldest days). Finally, we strive to prioritize low-emission modes of transport for our business trips and commutes (public transport, train, bicycle, electric car rental). We only fly when absolutely necessary for a business trip, and only with management approval on a case-by-case basis.

Furthermore, it's important to us that all our employees are aware of climate issues. Each of us is invited to participate in a Climate Fresk workshop. In 2024, we aim to go even further in raising awareness about decarbonizing our individual lifestyles and activities through new training programs !