Our main programmes and initiatives in the Environmental dimension

“One of our biggest successes is to see how Groupe Adecco France implemented ’Covoiturage’. As well as reducing its impact on the environment, Adecco used the initiative to change mind-sets, promote new ways of mobility and provide sustainable access to employment for colleagues and associates.”

Benjamin Dekester, Associate Director, ekodev

Global programmes and initiatives

Making a difference through CO2 emission reduction Since 2010, environmental conscious management, subsequent monitoring and reduction are carried out in the areas of:

1. Electrical energy consumption
2. Mobility: company car mileages and air miles flown
3. Office supply: paper and toner consumption
4. Office equipment: computers bought and replaced

in our 13 largest markets (France, North America, UK & Ireland, Germany, Japan, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Spain and Mexico) including the joint global & Adecco Switzerland headquarters. These countries represent over 86% of our business operations in terms of revenues. In the past two years, we have made the following steps:

1. Identified our Carbon Footprint in 12 major countries including global HQ
2. Used the data for all stakeholder enquiries
3. Started reducing our CO2 emission through targeted projects
4. Communicated about it accordingly to all stakeholders.

In addition, in 2012, the Adecco Group set an emission reduction target of 12% by 2022 and we expect to reach this goal through concrete action points. For the measurement and calculation of our data according to Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, we use a customised platform called ‘myclimate’.

With our business activities as a service provider, our action points include:

• decreasing our use of electricity and fossil energy
• decreasing the amount of CO2 emissions through the
  reduction of air miles flown
• increasing the number of environmentally friendly cars in our fleets or decreasing car usage
• decreasing the amount of paper used and increasing the use of electronic documents
• increasing the proportion of environmentally friendly paper where paper is needed
• encouraging the re-use and recycling of paper
• encouraging the use and recycling of other recyclable products such as toners, cardboard, PET containers
• encouraging our Business Units to incorporate environmental considerations into the procurement of goods and services.

The Adecco Group expects that improving its environmental performance will impact the following:

1. Our CO₂ footprint on the environment
2. Financial performance
3. Being a credible company for investors and analysts
4. Being a trustworthy partner and employer to our clients, associates/candidates and employees

Our Environmental Guidelines In 2012, we published Environmental Guidelines which build on and replace our 2007
Environmental Policy. We are conscious of the impact of our operations on the environment and of the difference we can make by acting responsibly.

Our environmental commitments and progress are reported annually in the Adecco Group’s CSR Report and CoP as well as through our participation in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and the RobecoSAM’s Dow Jones Sustainability Indices.
View our Environmental Guidelines

Select country programmes and initiatives

Norway, Sweden and Spain are all ISO 14001 certified To date, Adecco in Norway, Sweden and Spain have been ISO 14001 certified. The ISO 14000 family of standards addresses various aspects of environmental management and provides practical tools for companies and organisations looking to identify and control their environmental impact and constantly improve their environmental performance.

Groupe Adecco France – ʻCovoiturage’ and recycling Every day, Groupe Adecco France makes contact with thousands of candidates and clients all over France which requires a lot of travelling, much of it by car. To minimise their emissions, in 2012 Groupe Adecco France introduced a service called ‘Covoiturage’, or car-pooling, for its employees and associates. The dedicated website gives employees the chance to share cars and find potential passengers. In addition, whenever possible, Adecco encourages its employees and associates to use public transport and is replacing its car fleet with models with a CO2 figure of less than 200 g. Groupe Adecco France also published their first CO2 emission report in their latest CSR Report 2012.
Read more about Covoiturage
Rapport RSE Groupe Adecco France 2012

Rapport RSE Groupe Adecco France 2013

Recycle – integrate – re-use Groupe Adecco France in a partnership with an organisation employing people with a disability, has been collecting old and damaged IT and electronic materials. In 2013, this led to an amount of 47 tons. The still functioning equipment was donated to ʻClose the Gap’, an international non-profit organisation that provides computers, software and hardware solutions for educational, medical and social projects in developing and emerging countries.
Moreover, the Paris, Lille & Lyon offices jointly collected over 16 tons of paper with the support of a company hiring people with disabilities.

Electronic invoicing and recycling in Argentina With the aim to reduce emissions and those related to services provided to clients, Adecco Argentina already began to change to a paperless invoicing system in 2010. In December 2011, 60% of clients agreed to the new handling of invoices and, in 2012, the number rose to 92%. As a result, Adecco Argentina has seen the following benefits:

• enhanced security of documents issued
• reduction of time, money and space needed for invoicing
• decrease in paper usage.

In addition to paper reduction, Adecco Argentina is also collecting used paper and bottle caps. This activity supports the Foundation ‘Garrahan’ where employees can dedicate their time to help children in need and at the same time support our CO2 reduction efforts.
In 2013, thanks to the dedication of our employees in Argentina, 1,340 kilograms of paper were recycled and about 28 kilograms or 11,200 plastic caps collected and donated.
Adecco Argentina CSR Report 2013