BIC - 2019 Universal Registration Document

OUR ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND SOCIETAL RESPONSIBILITY

Responsibility concerning our products [NFPS]

BIC’s partnership with TerraCycle for the collection of used writing instruments: since 2011, the BIC-TerraCycle program has been offering the collection and recycling of used writing instruments in Europe. A pioneer in this field, the program allows users of these products to organize at their consumption sites the collection of all types of writing instruments, whether BIC ® branded or not, to be recycled. For each instrument collected, one euro cent is donated to a charity or non-profit association of the organizer’s choice or, in the case of schools, directly to the school to finance an educational project. As of the end of 2019, more than 46 million pens had been collected and 615,000 euros in donations made. This program, funded entirely by BIC, enables the Group to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms of selective collection and to promote the habit of waste sorting at the site of consumption. A partnership with Govaplast and Plas Eco for the design, manufacture and distribution of “Ubicuity™, the ‘write’ kind of bench™” furniture. Used pens are collected, sorted and shredded by a recycler. The plastic materials are shipped to Govaplast, which converts them into recycled plastic boards. The boards are in turn used by Plas Eco, which designs, manufactures, distributes and markets the products in the Ubicuity™ line. This range comprises seven models. Made entirely from recycled plastic, these products are themselves recyclable, resistant to rot, ultraviolet radiation and graffiti as well as very durable (guaranteed 10 years). Long-lasting and easy to maintain – qualities in keeping with the Values of BIC ® products – they have a smaller environmental footprint than outdoor furniture made from farmed wood. BIC wishes to develop this pioneering recycling sector with its partners by seeking to finance the extension of the collection program for used pens and long-term solutions for financing collection. This innovative sector provides solutions that meet citizens’ expectations by showing them the outcome and the practical usefulness of their sorting gesture: by collecting used pens, they participate in their transformation into outdoor furniture to equip local authorities and schoolyards. Through this experiment, BIC and its partners are accelerating the process of recycling post-consumer waste and are working to remove the technological obstacles to plastic recycling. Progress made in 2019 and results ❯ In 2019, building on the positive response to the TerraCycle program, BIC launched an action plan to expand the network of collection points to include public spaces, thus covering the territory more completely and effectively. An interactive map of the collection points has been created in order to make each collection point as user-friendly as possible. In February 2019, the Ubicuity™ product range won the Students’ Special Mention award in the fourth edition of the ESSEC business school’s Grand Prix for Responsible Consumer Goods. In August 2019, the BIC TerraCycle program for the collection and recycling of writing instruments expanded to Australia and New Zealand, with the goal of collecting writing products at consumption sites, primarily schools and businesses. At the end of 2019, Ubicuity™ posted good sales results in France (more than 450 pieces of outdoor furniture in two years), reflecting steady growth for the past two years. Following up on the success of Ubicuity™, Plas Eco and BIC developed a new line of products for kindergartens in 2019, to be launched in 2020. Educational, fun and constructive, these products provide the basic function of seating while developing the children’s imagination (pirate ship).

Development of refillable and hybrid products Shavers

Two launches in North America: the BIC ® Flex 2 Hybrid in a • pack containing one handle and ten heads, and the BIC ® Soleil Click 5, a five-blade women’s shaver sold as a handle and three heads; One launch in the United States: in partnership with a major • e-tailer, the “Made For You” brand of refillable five-blade shavers, sold online only; One launch in Europe (Italy): the BIC ® Soleil Click, a • three-blade women’s shaver sold as a lightweight hollow handle and six heads; Two launches in Latin America: the BIC ® Soleil Click, a • three-blade women’s shaver sold as a lightweight hollow handle and six heads, and the BIC ® Flex 3 Hybrid, sold as a handle and five heads; Two launches in the Middle East-Africa zone: the BIC ® Flex 3 • Hybrid, a three-blade shaver sold with four heads, and the BIC ® Flex 5 Hybrid, a five-blade shaver sold with four heads. 3.2.1.5 Building on the momentum of recent years, BIC plans to expand the distribution of its men’s and women’s hybrid shavers in 2020, with: the launch of the new BIC ® Soleil Click Sensitive and the ● deployment of the BIC ® Flex 2 Hybrid in Europe; expansion of the distribution of the BIC ® Flex 3 Hybrid and ● BIC ® Flex 5 Hybrid systems in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa; expansion of the distribution of the BIC ® Flex 3 Hybrid and ● BIC ® Soleil 3 Click systems in Latin America. Perspectives: BIC’s eco-design approach Challenges ❯ Understanding the end of life of products by exploring the recyclability or otherwise and by experimenting with new recycling channels is one of the major challenges of the 21 st  century. It means bringing about a real circular economy, decoupling economic growth and waste production. Approach ❯ BIC has always been committed to the preservation of resources, offering high-quality products with a long service life. Putting this commitment into action through its eco-design approach, the Group is constantly renewing its goal of always using a minimum of materials and experimenting with alternatives, in particular recycled materials. Since 2011, BIC has been exploring the development of channels for the recycling of its products, thus becoming active in the field of waste management, a completely new activity for the Group in relation to its core business. Taking part in a collaborative effort with different stakeholders, BIC is the initiator of an independent recycling industry, which offers a circular economy model unique in France. This circular economy sector relies on two major partnerships: Opportunities: BIC’s innovative contribution to the circular economy 3.2.1.6

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• BIC GROUP - 2019 UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT •