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Green IT Project**

Objectives:

reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption linked to IT systems and resources,
use technology to improve the environmental footprint of all activities.

Priorities for 2009:

launch of the Green IT program,
improve the way in which electronic and electrical waste is managed.

Highlights in 2008:

audit by Accenture.

Increase the environmental maturity of the IT sector

The Green IT initiative launched by the Group's Information Systems Division (DSI) and Sustainable Development Department not only aims to reduce CO₂ emissions, but also to use technology in order to improve the environmental footprint of all Société Générale Group activities. IT accounts for close to half of the Group's electricity consumption and close to a quarter of its CO₂ emissions. These figures are by no means unusual and all major banks are adopting new measures to limit their impact on the environment.

Société Générale has taken a first step with an analysis of the maturity of its IT systems by Accenture in the second half of 2008. Accenture's audit highlights three core priorities:

the optimisation of IT production centres,
the reduction of the environmental impact of office equipment,
the development of remote working resources: web-conferencing, video-conferencing, teleworking, etc.

The aim of these three priorities is to:

substantially reduce the consumption of electricity by IT systems and resources,
significantly reduce the level of CO₂ emissions per employee,
generate savings, notably with respect to the Group's energy bill and transport expenses.

A number of employee initiatives show that the staff concerned are already committed to the Green IT project.

Responsible electronic and electrical waste management

Société Générale also plans to ensure its employees take a more responsible approach to electronic and electrical waste management. IT, office and telephone equipment that is replaced must be correctly treated when it is thrown away in order to keep its impact on the environment to a strict minimum. A Group directive on electronic and electrical waste which systematically applies to all, as of 2009, lists the procedures to be followed and precautions to be taken in terms of security and the preservation of the environment. In April 2009, in France Société Générale signed a WEEE (Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment) collection and reconditioning contract with UNEA (the national union for the regulated and adapted enterprises). This contract allies both aspects the environmental (destruction of waste equipment) as well as the social (the service provider - UNEA - employs disabled people).
The Group is also planning to disseminate best practice to encourage its overseas subsidiaries and entities to replicate this approach at local level.