Within the framework of the COP21 agreement, the Carrefour group set a voluntary target of reducing CO2 emissions by 40% by 2025 compared to 2010 levels. Carrefour has since joined the carbon pricing program of the UN’s “Caring for Climate” initiative thus providing a further means by which to meet our targets. An internal carbon price enables Carrefour to include the impact of greenhouse gas emissions as part of our investment decision processes. We are the first European mass-merchandising retailer to do so.
Setting an internal carbon price is a means of accelerating change. Doing so will result in our giving preference to technologies which emit lower quantities of CO2 and which require less energy in our stores. We are continuously testing new technologies such as bio methane, solar and wind power, and we are also creating partnerships with alternative energy providers.
The carbon price has been calculated on a country-by-country basis, factoring in each country’s specific characteristics in terms of the energy mix and the level of technological development. Setting an internal carbon price ensures that our approach forms part of Carrefour’s investment decision process in the long term. Improving our non-financial performance also means acting in a responsible, profitable and sustainable way in coordination with the company’s partners to help our customers. Quite simply, it means doing our job well.