Universal Registration Document 2020

Key non-financial performance indicator

The methodology for this indicator is set out in detail in section 3.7.2.2 "Details on performance indicators".

3.4.1.2 Some recent examples of local dialogue and consultation

In 2020, EDF continued to use participatory dialogue and consultation procedures for all its projects, regardless of the technology used. These procedures normally lead to the adoption of proportionate solutions balancing environmental, economic, energy and technical criteria. They are monitored closely, in line with the extent and nature of the consultation.

In the hydropower field⁽¹⁾

Due to the type of impacts its projects may have, EDF Hydro has developed specific expertise in this area. In 2020, it produced a corpus of technical guidelines for dialogue and consultation to better address the growing demands for public information and participation.

The following are just a few examples of this expertise:

• an Environmental Monitoring Committee (CSE) was set up at the Sabart site at the launch of the works to act as an oversight, monitoring and steering body and met six times between the end of 2017 and September 2020;
• several information meetings were held for the Malause dam fishway project (Tarn-et-Garonne) with the elected representatives of the eight municipalities affected by the project, the Federation of Municipalities (Communauté des Communes) and the Departmental Committee of Tarn-et-Garonne, the local branches of the Fédération de pêche (Fishing Federation) and the Fédération française de canoë-kayak (French Canoeing Federation), the Tourist InformationOffice and the various local leisure centres and sports clubs. Their expectations and additional questions will be addressed during the second part of the project, involving the works to be carried out on the bypassed section to address the various local economic development issues;
• a voluntary consultation process was launched by the French government, Natura 2000 and EDF for the Rance river (Ille-et-Vilaine) with all those affected by these award end of the river (70 people including representatives of local authorities, local residents, users, economic operators and environmental associations, etc.) and led to the validation of a new Rance water level handbook in March 2020. This met the expectations of many of those affected and will ensure that any rises in the upper water level of the estuary are monitored in the best possible conditions. The Saint-Malo sub-prefecture has proposed to continue the consultation process, by organising two monitoring committee meetings each year, attended by the parties involved in the consultation, designed to obtain feedback from those on the ground and adapt the new handbook accordingly.

In the field of new renewable energies

Two preliminary consultations for photovoltaic projects were successfully implemented in the Pays Terres de Lorraine area. EDF Renewables made a public commitment to remain in the area for twenty years, to maximise the economic benefits for the area. Public meetings were organised with the inhabitants, which led to the creation of a monitoring committee and a participatory workshop on the uses of the site and meetings with nature experts on environmental aspects.

A preliminary voluntary consultation has been launched for the Le Blayais wind power project proposed by EDF Renewables (the first consultation of this type in France, with the support of the Commission Nationale du Débat Public (French national public debate commission)) within the local development area of the Blayais nuclear power. In order to facilitate the acceptance of the project, EDF Renewables has decided to develop the project in the form of an extended mix, to be presented in 2021.

In the nuclear field

The listening and dialogue phase launched by the public debate on the PNGMDR (French national radioactive materials and waste management plan) was continued in 2020 through a post-debate public consultation on the plan (September 2020– February 2021). It involved an online consultation (opinions, questions and answers) and five public meetings held face-to-face or as webinars. EDF has once again raised the issue of changing the status of very low-level waste and creating anew temporary storage site. The conclusions of the public debate officially recorded these principles.

In the UK, the planning permission application for the building of Sizewell C was filed with the Urban Planning Inspectorate (PINS) in May 2020. After its acceptance, EDF in the UK reached out to local residents and stakeholders for their opinions, over a period of 12 weeks. By 30 September, PINS had received 1,287 observations that a recurrently being processed. Likewise, the project team is also processing all the comments and queries submitted to the Sizewell C information office to ensure that they are taken into account. Some of these have led the project team to consider possible improvements and changes will be discussed with the Suffolk local authorities in the first quarter of 2021.

3.4.2 Responsible regional development

The EDF group is committed to contributing to the development of the regions where it operates, by creating local jobs, purchasing locally and creating economic value and providing a tax revenue. The EDF group is also committed to developing low-carbon sources of energy and access to energy in developing countries.

3.4.2.1 Contribution to development through jobs

3.4.2.1.1 EDF group workforce

A stable workforce in a transitional context

The EDF group’s consolidated workforce totalled 165,200 employees at 31 December 2020, including five companies with a workforce of over 10,000 employees: EDF (63,244), Enedis (38,624), Framatome (15,015), Dalkia (18,198⁽²⁾) and EDF in theUK (11,717). The overall workforce rose slightly compared to the end of 2019 (+0.3%) against a backdrop of the energy transition, technological developments and intensifying competition in France and the UK. 80% of the workforce is French, 96% of the workforce is located in Europe (including France) and 4% outside Europe.