BIC_REGISTRATION_DOCUMENT_2017

OUR ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND SOCIETAL RESPONSIBILITY Environmental responsibility concerning our operations

To reduce these emissions, the Group is making a dual effort to optimize energy consumption and to use more energy from renewable sources. Optimizing energy consumption Many factories forge partnerships with their suppliers to explore all options for reducing electrical consumption. BIC constantly strives to strike a balance in its factories between optimal productivity and associated energy needs. For example, the Group has implemented a program to replace hydraulic injection machines with more energy-efficient electrical machines. Energy consumption per ton of production decreased between 2016 and 2017 (-0.3%), resulting from a continuous effort to improve efficiency, led by BIC Group factories. By normalizing energy consumption to production, the measure of energy efficiency is less dependent on fluctuations in production volumes. However, it is important to note that: a portion of energy consumption, for building heating or lighting ● for example, cannot be entirely correlated to production, mainly because it depends on external events (climatic conditions for instance); the ratio per ton of production is a more relevant measure for BIC ● Group activities with high levels of production (which is not the case for product storage and packaging or for advertising and promotional product printing); the gross indicators are disclosed on page 97 as additional ● information. Nine sites improved their ratio of energy consumption per ton of production in 2017. BIC Écriture 2000 (France), BIMA 83 (France), Conté-Boulogne (France), B.J.75 (France), BIC Graphic Europe (Spain), BIC South Africa (South Africa), BIC Mexico (Mexico), BIC Shavers Mexico (Mexico) and BIC Ecuador (Ecuador), representing 34% of the Group’s energy consumption and 43% of the production of finished and semi-finished products, have improved their energy efficiency by 7%. For example, BIC Écriture 2000 (France) achieved a 6% reduction in its energy consumption per ton of production thanks to the implementation of automation for the regulation of cooling systems and new LED lighting. Energy efficiency programs at Group sites also included employee awareness, replacement of production equipment, heating or cooling systems and lighting with more energy efficient units. The new Conté-Samer (France) building, inaugurated in 2017, integrates equipment that enables energy savings: improved building insulation, heat pumps and cold heat recovery units as well as natural or LED lighting.

BIC plants completed or implemented 20 projects targeted specifically at energy savings during 2017.

ANNUAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION NORMALIZED TO BIC FACTORIES PRODUCTION – IN GIGAJOULES/TON

12.21

11.77

11.70

2017

2015

2016

BREAKDOWN OF BIC FACTORIES ENERGY CONSUMPTION

15% 1%

14% 1%

13% 1%

84%

85%

86%

2017

2015

2016

Fuel Oil

Electricity Fuel Gas

The use of renewable energy The use of renewable energy has enabled the Group to promote the development of these energy sources while reducing its market-based indirect emissions (scope 2)  (1) . BIC Group continues to seek and seize opportunities to promote renewable energy sources, depending on local contexts. Since 2012, BIC has purchased renewable wind energy certificates (U.S. RECs) for 100% of the grid electricity used by BIC’s two Connecticut (U.S.) locations: the U.S. headquarters and a factory. A portion of this certificate purchase concerns the electricity consumption of BIC CORPORATION in Milford (U.S.), included in the environmental reporting. Lighters manufactured in the U.S. are produced using renewable electricity.

There are two ways to account for indirect (scope 2) emissions: a location-based method reflecting the average electricity mix of grids in each (1) country in which energy consumption occurs, and a market-based method reflecting emissions from electricity that companies have actually bought.

67

BIC GROUP - 2017 REGISTRATION DOCUMENT

Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online