Contributing to environmental protection

Raw materials, energy, water are our common good. And we have implemented tangible objectives to preserve it.

A group that is guided by a vision of a more sustainable world

Large groups must be tireless advocates for responsible and sustainable development, aware that their size and global outreach provide a rare platform to defend these values.”

Pierre-André de Chalendar, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Saint-Gobain

At Saint-Gobain, we are working hard to help create an economy with as little environmental impact as possible. By 2025, we have committed to reducing our CO₂ emissions by 20%, our non-recovered waste by 50%, and our industrial water emissions by 80%. We have committed to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 in line with 1.5°C scenarios. To achieve this ambition, we have set out new ambitious reduction targets for 2030:

33% reduction in scope 1 and 2 absolute emissions from a 2017 baseline
16% reduction in scope 3 absolute emissions from a 2017 baseline.

To contribute to environmental protection

Saint-Gobain's ambition is to guarantee the preservation of the environment and to offer its customers the greatest added value with the minimum environmental impact. We have therefore set two objectives: zero environmental accidents and the minimization of our activities' impact on environment thanks to our actions on five priorities:

a policy of sustainable resource management with minimal production waste, reuse, and integration of maximum recycled content into our products,
a reduction in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of our industrial processes, infrastructure and transport, thanks to our industrial excellence programs (WCM), the involvement of all operators, the sharing of best practices....
a reduction in water withdrawals to move towards "zero discharge" of industrial water, starting with areas of water stress and ensuring that it does not interfere with the local population's access to drinking water,
preserve, restore, strengthen and enhance the biodiversity of all our sites,
anticipate and deal with risk factors related to environmental accidents and nuisances.

To curb the effects of climate change

Faced with climate change and the risks posed by rising temperatures, Saint-Gobain must promote the emergence of a low-carbon economy capable of preserving the common good.

This starts with providing a response directly in our core businesses, by developing products and solutions that promote energy efficiency and reduce CO₂ emissions.

We must as well continue to reduce the carbon footprint of our production to reach net zero carbon by 2050. To this end, our dedicated R&D program coordinates and amplifies efforts to improve manufacturing methods. An internal carbon price has been introduced to encourage the use of these low-carbon technologies.

Our group is a committed actor for the climate, aware that this challenge requires the cooperation of states, companies and civil society around a demanding international framework. In particular, we endorse the recommendations of the Task Force on Financial Disclosure (TCFD) we have been participating in Science-Based Targets (SBT) since 2018, and we stand as a driver of the sustainable construction deployment through our participation in the Green Building Councils (GBC), a network of diverse actors working to create sustainable buildings that limit this sector's impact on the environment.

To take part in building a circular economy

Through our ability to constantly rethink the way we design, produce and distribute, we are working for a successful transformation towards circular economy.

We upgrade our products and solutions to help the integration of recycled or renewable materials, extend their lifespan, and facilitate their recycling or reuse. We integrate eco-innovation principles right from the conception of our products in order to further progress towards our objective: zero non-recovered waste.

To participate in the development of a circular economy, suited to the available resources and beneficial to all.

We are also engaged through collective initiatives, such as the WBCSD Factor 10 program, to advance the debate.

Key Figures :

2343 GWh of renewable energy consumption in 2018 (electricity purchases, on-site produced electricity and biomass)
A 15.9% reduction in non-recovered waste since 2010/ Target: a 50% reduction by 2025