Page 86 - 2012 Annual Report

86 VIVENDI l 2012 l Annual Report
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SOCIETAL, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
SECTION 4 - ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
KEY MESSAGES
SECTION 4 ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
4.1. KEY MESSAGES
4.1.1. Certification at the Heart of Vivendi’s Process
In 2012, an increased number of sites (i.e. technical, sales and support
function) were assessed and certified as compliant with environmental
standards, providing objective confirmation of the quality of the policies
and the measures deployed. For many years, Vivendi’s subsidiaries have
made sustained efforts towards achieving environmental certification of
their facilities.
In 2012, Vivendi’s corporate headquarters received renewed
European EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) certification
for environmental responsibility. The French Ministry for Ecology,
Sustainable Development and Energy has only awarded this certification
to approximately 30 companies. EMAS is one of the most demanding
environmental management standards and is more rigorous than
international standard ISO 14001. In practical terms, obtaining this label
affirms that certain specific actions have been implemented: optimization
of the site’s energy consumption, elimination of equipment containing
substances that deplete the ozone-layer and the launch of a campaign
raising awareness in relation to environmentally friendly conduct and
the recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
This environmental policy is managed by an internal “Green Team”
composed of nine members, who work in conjunction with the site
maintenance service provider.
In 2012, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) renewed, for the
sixth consecutive year, the Energy Star certification of the UMG corporate
headquarters at Santa Monica and gave it a rating of greater than 75/100
for energy savings.
At year-end 2012, SFR obtained, for the seventh consecutive year, the
ISO 14001 certification for its Environmental Management System
(please refer to Section 4.2.1.1. of this chapter). The future corporate
headquarters for SFR, in Saint-Denis, near Paris, has obtained HEQ (High
Environmental Quality) construction certification and BREEAM (Building
Research Establishment Environmental Assessment) certification for the
design phase, two of the most rigorous certifications for the environmental
performance of buildings.
In 2012, GVT successfully continued its efforts to implement a program
of comprehensive environmental assessment. Two of its sites (Visconde
de Nacar and Vila Hauer) were assessed in relation to their support and
call center activities. Future assessments will be undertaken in relation
to the warehouses and data centers at other sites.
4.1.2. Reduction of Electricity Consumption, the Main Source of CO2 Emissions
Vivendi regards the reduction of the carbon footprint from its activities’
electricity consumption as a priority objective. In 2012, the Group’s
environmental reporting indicated that 88% of CO2 emissions were in
fact generated by electricity consumption at various Group subsidiaries.
A reduction of the Group’s electricity consumption requires the smart and
optimized management of equipment and buildings.
At UMG, numerous initiatives have been undertaken: the “virtualization”
of IT servers, replacing energy-inefficient bulbs with LEDs and optimizing
the energy management system for the buildings at the corporate
headquarters in Santa Monica, including such techniques as the dynamic
adjustment of office temperatures depending on outdoor temperature.
At SFR, an “energy” progress plan was adopted following its energy
audits, which includes the following measures: the establishment of
tele-measurement systems, the deployment of less energy-intensive
equipment, the monitoring and optimization of energy consumption in real
time, the use of natural ventilation (“free cooling”) and experimenting with
renewable energy.
At Maroc Telecom, the company’s efforts to reduce electricity consumption
have yielded results. In 2012, the natural ventilation “free cooling”
equipment installed produces energy savings of up to 70% per site.
The operator has also equipped two pilot sites to test hybrid energy
installations (solar and wind) and its suppliers of energy systems and
inverters are required to deliver equipment with a minimum energy
efficiency level of 94%. In certain regions, the energy consumption of air
conditioning in technical rooms has been reduced through the installation
of double glazed glass. The most energy-intensive technical sites have
been subject to specific measures that adjust the scale of power usage
and redirect power in an effort to reduce energy expenditure.
Finally, GVT has also replaced its air conditioning equipment with new,
less energy-intensive items. In some IT server rooms, natural ventilation
has replaced the electric system. In addition, computers have been
programmed to switch off the lights outside office hours.