Sopra Steria commits itself to achieving “net zero” emissions in 2028

Sopra Steria, a European leader in consulting, digital services and software publishing, announces today its commitment to reaching “net zero” emissions in 2028.  Through this commitment, which is built on the performance of its environmental programme, the Group stands as one of the most ambitious companies in its sector in the fight against climate change.

 Sopra Steria commits itself to reaching the ambitious target of “net zero” by 2028, which is 22 years earlier than the UN’s and EU’s recommendation, on the basis of the tangible results of the decarbonisation programme that it started nearly ten years ago. This has already allowed the Group to reduce the impact of its direct activities and to be carbon neutral since 2014 by offsetting its non-avoided emissions from offices, data centres and business travel.

Three priorities for reaching “net zero” emissions by 2028

To reach this objective, Sopra Steria will strengthen its environmental programme aligned with three priorities:

• Carbon Neutral: maintain the carbon neutral programme for emissions from offices, data centres and business travel.
• Sustainable IT: accelerate the adoption of digital sustainability, particularly in selecting the infrastructure and technologies best aligned to the client’s and the Group’s sustainability objectives, in applying eco-design principles to solution development, and in assessing the value of new services against their environmental costs
• IT for Sustainability: applying the potential of new technologies to develop innovative solutions that protect the environment and climate.

“Action for the climate and the environment has been at the heart of the Sopra Steria’s strategy for many years. The Group’s ability to anticipate and implement innovative initiatives ahead of the requirement has made us a corporate leader in the fight against climate change,” declares Vincent Paris, CEO of Sopra Steria.  “As a responsible company, and even more in the current COVID 19 pandemic situation, we must go further by mobilising all of our stakeholders in building a sustainable world.  Our commitment to “net zero” emissions in 2028 is a strong sign of this ambition.”

A pioneering commitment for significant progress

In 2017, Sopra Steria became the first technology services company to have its long-term emissions reduction objectives, covering all its activities world-wide and aligned with a 2°C trajectory, validated by the SBTi.  In 2019, its new objectives aligned to the 1.5°C trajectory were again approved by the SBTi.

Sopra Steria has already reduced emissions due to activity in its offices and on-site data centres by 64% since 2015.  It has also lowered its business travel emissions per employee by 32% in 5 years.  By the end of 2019 the Group drew 90% of its electricity consumption from renewable sources.

Thanks to its strategy and achievements, Sopra Steria has been in the CDP’s “A list”, the highest level, for 3 consecutive years[2] (from 2017 to 2019). At the start of 2020, Sopra Steria reached the Platinum level (Top 1% of the most outstanding companies in corporate responsibility) in the Ecovadis Sustainability rating.

Concrete actions to fight climate change

To become “net zero” by 2028, Sopra Steria will accelerate its environmental programme particularly by rethinking its workspaces around sites with low environmental footprint: by reducing business travel further by developing collaborative tools and by mobilising its value chain.  For non-avoided emissions, the Group will invest in carbon removal projects in afforestation[3] and, where possible, carbon capture technology.  These projects will remove from the atmosphere carbon dioxide in the greenhouse gas emissions that Sopra Steria has not been able to avoid.

“Sopra Steria’s dynamic Climate Action plan is providing the agenda and vision other corporates will want to imitate and follow,“ remarked Mark Maslin, Professor of Climatology at UCL and independent advisor to Sopra Steria’s Corporate Responsibility Advisory Board.  “Sopra Steria Net Zero 2028 is based on accelerating the successful actions they have undertaken over the past few years.  They are continuing to engage all their employees and stakeholders, building resilience in their supply and value chains, while supporting their clients in the transition to the net zero carbon economy.”

As the Covid-19 crisis threatens to delay achievement of the UN’s sustainable development goals, Sopra Steria is mobilising alongside many others.  Sopra Steria has also signed the declaration of the UN Global Compact and the Science Based Targets initiative calling on governments and companies to limit the increase in global warming to 1.5°C and to give priority to a quicker and fairer transition.

Sopra Steria’s commitment to achieving “net zero emissions” by 2028 is part of the Group’s desire to make digital technology an accelerator of energy transition and, more broadly, a source of opportunity and progress for all.