A brief introduction

Knowledge enables us to choose and act in the right way. It is with this simple idea that we embarked on a fairly detailed calculation of our CO2 emissions, taking into account the entire life cycle of the products we sell. If we were to take full responsibility for the CO2 emissions of the products distributed by our Group, they would account for 95% of the total.

From our point of view, this responsibility should be shared between the different actors: suppliers of extracted or recycled raw materials, manufacturers and their subcontractors, importers, distributors, installers, users, repairers and collection and recycling companies. Logically, future progress on our most carbon-intensive products will depend on our ability to convince our suppliers upstream, to encourage their initiatives and even to become a force for eco-design. Downstream, we must be a force for proposal to our customers to promote eco-responsible products, continue our efforts to keep the equipment we sell in service for as long as possible and contribute to efficient transfer to recycling channels. With this in mind, in 2021 we set out our first CO2 emission reduction targets, both in areas where we can act directly and in areas where we need to engage other stakeholders (cf: page 62 of URD).

We have also enhanced this Extra-Financial Performance Statement to clarify our achievements, plans and strategy. To give us the wherewithal to achieve our ambitions, we are opening up the position of sustainable development director to sit on the Executive Committee, extended to all the Group’s corporate officers, with the aim of building a team of experts to help our subsidiaries achieve their CSR objectives. Finally, from 2022 onwards, we will be opening an investment programme to finance the energy renovation of our own buildings for a total investment of €1.6m, eligible for European taxonomy like all our real estate operations. Our turnover is not eligible for this new regulation as distribution is currently one of the activity sectors excluded.

THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE INVOLVED AT THE HEART OF OUR CSR STRATEGY

Meeting of our Executive Committee on December 16, 2021 to endorse the Group’s priority sustainability objectives

In 2021, we responded to 6 extra-financial rating questionnaires, some of which came directly from investors:
- Gaia - ESG Index.
- Gaia - Human Capital in Business Index.
- Humpact France, an extra-financial rating agency on employment in France.
- La financière de l’échiquier (LFDE).
- Management 21.
Striving for transparency and openness, particularly towards investors and shareholders, Thermador Groupe also participates in conferences
dedicated to ESG issues.