BIC_REGISTRATION_DOCUMENT_2017

OUR ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND SOCIETAL RESPONSIBILITY Responsibility concerning our products

range is a complete stationery line that consists of products manufactured using recycled materials (at least 50%) in compliance with the standard ISO 14021. For example, the BIC® Matic Ecolutions® mechanical pencil contains 65% recycled materials. All stationery lines now include at least one product made with alternative (e.g. recycled) materials.

BIC ® WRITING PRODUCTS EARN THE D NF ENVIRONNEMENT ECOLABEL

For equal performance in use, the NF Environnement ecolabel granted in France by AFNOR Certification certifies products that have a reduced impact on the environment. To obtain this ecolabel, a product must comply with certain functional and ecological guidelines conceived to reduce its environmental impact throughout its life cycle. In the case of BIC® writing products, the main criteria for receiving the ecolabel are limited quantities of raw materials or the use of recycled materials, a long performance life and the strength of the pencil leads. BIC was the first manufacturer of writing instruments to earn NF Environnement certification. Today, a full range of 19 BIC® products has been granted this ecolabel , including historical products like the BIC® Cristal® sold in boxes of 50 and the BIC® 4-Colors™ ballpoint pen, as well as the pens in the BIC® Ecolutions® line. Regarding new materials, the BIC Research and Development teams, in collaboration with the Purchasing departments, focus on two approaches: the use of existing innovative materials . An inventory of ● innovative materials available for industrial use is kept up to date. From this list, engineers select materials that correspond to industrial and economic requirements with the objective of conducting feasibility tests. In the absence of a simple, economical solution to develop a material based on biological material from plants, recycled materials are chosen; collaborative research with suppliers to identify new materials ● (e.g. plant-based or recycled, etc.), new concepts or hybrid materials. Many materials are considered and then analyzed. These have included potato starch, sugarcane, plant fibers, woodchips, etc. Once a formulation is ready, it is tested to ensure that it meets industrial specifications for quality and safety, sometimes going all the way to the final qualification stage. By the end of 2017, 94 alternative materials had been tested, including 38 recycled plastics, 29 hybrid materials and 27 materials derived from renewable resources. Integrating alternative materials Research & Development

THE RECYBIC PROJECT RECOGNIZED BY ADEME D

The RecyBIC project was launched in 2016 at the Boulogne site (France) with the goal of increasing production capacity for pencils in the Evolution® line using recycled materials (+ 100 million units). Submitted in response to an ADEME (French Environment and Energy Management Agency) call for proposals entitled ORPLAST ( Objectif Recyclage PLASTiques ), the project received a subsidy to fund the supply of recycled rather than virgin polystyrene, investment in the necessary equipment and further research. In early 2017, recycled polystyrene was purchased, and the equipment was put into production. At BIC Sport, a new, cleaner and more easily recyclable technology In 2017 BIC Sport continued its efforts to reduce the environmental footprint of its products and operations. The new technology TOUGH TEC, introduced in 2016 and developed to produce stand-up paddle (SUP) boards for beginners and schools, has been extended to windsurf boards, also for schools. It produces lighter, stronger boards than the DURA TEC technology using polyurethane foam. TOUGH TEC replaces this material with using a more recyclable polystyrene foam. The Earth SUP and Earth Surf lines, made from paulownia wood and flax fiber, were once again expanded with the addition of several models in 2017. One of the Earth SUP models, the 12’6 Biscayne, had been awarded the 2016 “Étoile du Design” prize by L’Observeur du design for its environmentally-friendly design and production. BIC at the heart of an innovation community Over the years, BIC has cultivated more than 100 strategic partnerships in research and development with startups, companies at the forefront of innovation, universities, research institutes and external laboratories, playing a leading role in a community with which it pursues long-term prospective and development programs. For example, BIC Group works closely with a number of French startups, like Pilibio and Inofib, specializing respectively in the production of inks from microorganisms and in natural cellulose fibers. Since 2012, BIC Group has also been a member of Matériaux Chimie , Chimie Verte (formerly called MAUD), a competitiveness cluster based in Villeneuve-d’Ascq that backs innovative projects in materials, chemistry, green chemistry and sustainable development. The projects sponsored by the cluster concern multifunctional, eco-designed and bio-sourced materials, high-efficiency processes and clean technologies. To further its involvement in sustainable development, BIC has joined Bio-speed, a consortium bringing together multiple groups, including Danone, Faurecia, Lego, Michelin, L’Oreal and Quicksilver, for the purpose of accelerating the emergence of a biomass economy. Its goal is to reduce fossil fuel dependency and the environmental footprint of manufactured products by promoting the conversion of non-food biomass into polymers.

94 alternative materials tested D

Integrating alternative or recycled materials into stationery products

Since 2014, BIC has been conducting a research program to maximize the use of recycled and alternative materials in BIC® products. To achieve this, the research teams have identified all BIC® products whose design could be modified or adapted for production using alternative/recycled materials without sacrificing quality. The challenge is, first of all, to ensure a perennial source of such materials that meet the specifications and are available on the market, and secondly, to convert any products that lend themselves to this adaptation. Exemplifying this approach, the BIC® Ecolutions®

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BIC GROUP - 2017 REGISTRATION DOCUMENT