On 7 May 2020, the EDF group formulated its raison d’être, which breaks down into 16 CSR commitments divided into four key issues each (see the introduction to chapter 3), and on 7 December the Group’s commitment to carbon neutrality took concrete form with the validation by the Science Based Targets initiative of a new “Well Below 2° C” trajectory for reducing the Group’s direct and indirect CO2emissions (see section 3.1.1 “The Group’s carbon trajectory”). To date, nearly two-thirds of the projects undertaken in connection with the CAP 2030 roadmap are directly tied to the carbon neutrality objective. It is in particular to take note of these important developments that the Group has reviewed its sustainable development policy and renamed it the CSR Policy.
The Company’s environmental, social and economic performance is driven in the first place by the contributions of the various entities. The CSR policy provides a framework for these actions by formulating common requirements and action principles. In addition to regulatory compliance, the requirements of this policy endeavour to implement the 16 CSR commitments as concrete proof of the deployment of the Group’s corporate raison d’être. It applies to all Group entities and defines the priorities for 2030 at the Group level, which each entity implements taking into account its specific activities and challenges, in line with the principle of subsidiarity. Where appropriate, an entity may choose to supplement the requirements of this policy.
In addition to the Sustainable Development policy, other Group policies focus on other specific aspects of corporate responsibility (HR policies, Procurement policies, Ethics & Compliance policy, Nuclear Safety policy, etc.). Corporate responsibility policy is progressively being implemented in all the Group’s fields of business.
The duties, powers, composition and operation of EDF’s Board of Directors are described in detail in chapter 4, section 4.2 “Composition and operation of the Board of Directors”. The Corporate Responsibility Committee, as one of the Board of Directors committees(1), examines, in connection with the Group’s strategy, the Group’s commitments and policies, as well as their implementation, in terms of ethics, compliance, and corporate responsibility. For more information, see section 4.2.3.4 “Duties and activities of the Board’s CR Committee in 2020.”
The CSR Strategic Committee, which is composed of the Group’s Executive Directors, conducts an in-depth review of all CSR issues, for which it provides strategic management and coordination. The Committee was created in 2019 and is chaired by the Executive Director for Innovation, Corporate Responsibility and Strategy. In 2020, the CSR Strategic Committee met three times and focused, in particular, on the new CSR structure in light of the Group’s raison d’être, the Group’s new commitments in terms of biodiversity, the biomass policy, the duty of vigilance in Mexico, the carbon neutrality passport and reverse factoring. With regard to the issue of how the raison d’être should be applied in the business lines and in the territories, the CSR Strategic Committee approved the conditions for harmonious deployment in the business lines and units, coordinated by the regional action delegation. Depending on the agenda, the conclusions of the meetings are reported to the Board of Directors(2).
It reports to the Executive Director, Innovation, Corporate Social Responsibility andStrategy, a member of the Executive Committee.
It contributes to the Group’s strategic transformation by accompanying business lines and projects:
It is particularly responsible for monitoring the Group’s target for reducing direct GHG emissions “scope 1”(4).
Its aim is to represent a differentiating factor for the Group’s performance, as a responsible company and while respecting the management independence of network managers, that creates value for all stakeholders (employees, shareholders, customers). It coordinates sustainable development in the Group: corporate coordination of the business lines and subsidiaries through the SDC(5) (Sustainable Development Committee), coordination of the dedicated internal networks such as the EMS and the predictive watch networks (see sections 3.5.2.5.2 “The environmental management system (EMS)” and 3.5.2.5.3. “Predictive watch networks”), coordination of relations and dialogue with external partners. It brings together and coordinates the expertise necessary for taking into account sustainable development issues, and implementing of the Corporate Social Responsibility Goals.
The Group’s actions go beyond merely integrating environmental issues into its strategy, as EDF remains a socially-responsible, committed employer and a leader in terms of the professionalism and involvement of its employees, by building their skills and fostering greater workforce diversity. The EDF group’s Corporate Social Responsibility was signed in 2018, and sets out the major principles to be respected in several areas:
All Group employees and subcontractors worldwide are covered by the provisions of this agreement, which the Group’s subsidiaries apply by including it in their strategic action plans and incorporating it into their progress approaches. The global framework agreement is implemented within the Group’s subsidiaries by the action plans they develop and on which they will report in 2021.
In 2020, the trade unions were involved in developing the Group’s new vigilance plan(see section 3.6 “Vigilance plan”). Work was carried out in 2020 on the Group’s CSR commitments for the purpose of producing an ad hoc document that will be published in 2021.
Local projects reflect the vitality of this agreement within the organisations. The agreement serves as a vector for social dialogue (for example, the dialogue initiated at the Chinon power plant), policy development (digital accessibility) and innovation(such as “Icovet” a circular economy project involving work clothing). The CSR officers of the divisions and subsidiaries request the social dialogue department’s assistance in implementing action plans and communicating with the trade unions at the CSR Dialogue Committee meetings in the event of an alert.
(1) Internal rules of procedure of 8 October 2019.
(2) Through its Social Responsibility Committee.
(3) See section 3.1.2.2 “Integration of the corporate responsibility goals into the Group’s strategic process and project screening”.
(4) See. section 3.4.2 “Methodology”.
(5) In 2018, the SDC met five times. It reviewed the carbon trajectory, the biodiversity agenda, the organisation of non-financial reporting and the Group’s EnvironmentalManagement System.
