Translations

CETELEM raises its employees’ and consumers’ awareness on environment

4. Environment

Energy / Greenhouse Gases (GHG)

Sector Finance / Bank / Insurance

Year 2008

Country France

Transmitter

Context

Changing everyday behaviours within the company and in society is necessary to cut carbon emissions. Cetelem launched the « Oxygène » program to make its employees, customers and consumers aware of the stakes.

Objectives

- Cutting direct and indirect environmental impacts related to its industry

- Making the employees aware of the eco-friendly habits

- Making the consumers aware and helping them buy green products.

APPROACH

Cetelem calculates its carbon footprint in association with Good Planet. First, effort is made within the company as massive use of recycled paper and more efficient waste separation system (paper, plastic, glass, print cartridges) are implemented and electricity consumption is better managed. The company also gathers its employees’ suggestions and opinions through an internal, environment-focused challenge on innovation.

The company first identified green products it would ecourage its consumers to buy. These products are greener cars emitting less than 120g CO2/km, household appliances with a low energy consumption (class A), heating and air conditioning equipments working on renewable energy sources, etc...From October 2007 on, every consumer buying on Internet a so-called « green product » can ask Cetelem to pay 25 euros for an eco-friendly project, being in this case the production of clean coal in Senegal, as part of the Action Carbone program of GoodPlanet association.