Paper

Objectives :
  • Reduce paper consumption,
  • Instil the responsible use of paper (recycled and eco-label).
Priority for 2010 :
  • Set up more awareness campaigns around the theme of "Let's consume less, let's consume better",
  • Implement a "paper" consumption policy.
Highlights in 2009 :
  • Printing programme set in place in the Granite tower to increase the number of users per printer,
  • Exclusive use of recycled paper in the Granite tower,
  • Recycled paper represents 54% of the total paper consumption in France,
  • Setting of targets for the reduction in paper consumption per business line as part of the Carbon Plan,
  • Publication of a user guide to replacing paper with electronic formats.
Improve the way in which paper consumption is managed
The use of paper and its ecological value is a core priority for any "responsible" services company.
Substantial progress has been made in recent years :
  • Increasing use of recycled paper (33.1% Group wide in 2009 compared with 21.4% one year earlier),
  • Printing and reprography equipment offers more solutions for the optimisation of paper consumption,
  • All printing paper is guaranteed 100% chlorine-free,
  • The Group is a founding stakeholder in Ecofolio.
"Responsible paper" project
Société Générale's "Responsible paper" project was approved by the Group's Executive Committee in 2007. Under the banner of "Let's consume less, let's consume better", the project has two objectives: to reduce paper consumption and encourage the use of eco-label paper.
The project not only covers office paper but each of the Group internal and external publications. It also aims to ensure that those employees that can play an important part in the responsible management of paper (administrative staff, secretaries, reprography managers) :
  • Prioritise the use of eco-label recycled paper,
  • Use paper that has been manufactured according to eco-label standards for the sustainable management of forests if the supply of recycled paper poses a particular problem in terms of cost/logistics (depending on the location of Group entities).
A series of best practices have been published in order to reduce the consumption of paper and improve the way in which it is used :
  • Organisation of the Challenge Bonnes Pratiques Papier Responsable (Responsible Paper – Best Practices Challenge) in 2008 to involve employees in the implementation of new practices,
  • Setting up of a quarterly report on paper consumption within the Group's entities in France two years ago,
  • Exclusive use of a service provider that supplies recycled and eco-label paper in France since the start of 2009,
  • Posting of a Guide Bonnes Pratiques Papier (Guide to Best Practices in Paper) for all staff on the Group intranet,
  • Printing of business cards on recycled paper with the words "100% recycled paper" for all staff in France since the beginning of 2009,
  • Instructions to privilege the use of recycled paper over all others throughout the Retail Banking network. The consumption of recycled paper has increased from 20% to 63% of all office paper within the Retail Banking division in the space of two years,
  • Publication in 2009 of a guide to replacing paper with electronic formats. The aim is to provide staff looking to reduce their paper consumption with the answers to questions they may have regarding legal and regulatory issues, sustainable development criteria, technical resources and solutions, best practices and feedback.
Printing programme for Group corporate center buildings
When the Granite tower was opened in 2009, Société Générale Group applied new rules governing company printers. By streamlining printing requirements and creating multi-function printer rooms, the Group was able to increase the number of users for each printer (six users instead of three). A page printing service was also set up to improve the way in which printing is managed. Given the success so far, the programme will be extended to the other corporate center buildings and a procedure is currently underway to replicate the set up whenever there is a change in offices.
Responsible waste management
In 2006, Société Générale began equipping all of its offices with 17 500 FFNE-approved bins that enable waste to be sorted and the optimal recycling of paper (paper disposed of is kept flat). Since the start of 2008, contracts have been signed with those service providers managing the Group's corporate center buildings that include the collection, sorting and recycling of waste. However, the reporting of data (particularly in terms of waste) from these service providers needs to be improved. Work on this began in 2009 and will continue throughout 2010 as part of the overall improvement of the Group's environmental data reporting.
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