Well aware of the societal, economic and environmental issues related to global warming, at SORDALAB we do everything we can to limit the impact of our commercial activity and our relations with stakeholders on the environment. For several years, we have been committed to a CSR (corporate social responsibility) approach.
This approach has had a major impact on our way of working:
- Product design and manufacturing
- Selection of our suppliers and subcontractors
- Organization of our supply chain
This has allowed us to improve the overall performance of the company both economically and socially and environmentally.
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SINCE 2019, we are signatories of the responsible supplier relations charter. |
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COMMITMENTS AND POLICY OF THE COMPANY:
At SORDALAB we make every effort to control our environmental impact.
We have appointed an environmental manager who sets the objectives, analyzes the results and coordinates the actions carried out within the company. Each of our employees is thus made aware of the company's environmental policy. During an annual meeting, the entire team receives information on what has been implemented during the year and future objectives. The staff is trained to acquire the right reflexes and adopt good daily behavior (saving energy, water, light, heating, etc.).
Within the premises of SORDALAB, in 2018 and 2019, we invested in new heating systems with thermostatic regulation, we replaced the paper towel rolls with electric hand dryers and then we installed light detectors in hallways and toilets.
Since 2017, we have undertaken to replace the DIESEL vehicles in our fleet with gasoline vehicles equipped with an eco-driving assistance system to limit emissions of atmospheric pollutants. We also regularly educate our sales team by closely analyzing mileage and fuel consumption monitoring tables (eco-citizen driving of vehicles, promotion of train travel and carpooling, etc.).
PRODUCT DESIGN, MANUFACTURING AND LIFE CYCLE:
The design of our products systematically integrates economic and environmental issues. Our clientele being made up of more than 99% of schools, it is our duty to design in such a way that our clients can control their budget. This is why, during the design, we develop products that are easy to disassemble, easy to repair and ensure the maintenance and monitoring of spare parts in stock for at least ten years following the marketing of the products. We are thus fighting against the planned obsolescence of devices. Our products are designed to limit the impact on the environment.
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In particular, we favor LED light sources, which have much better energy efficiency than halogen technology (on average, the efficiency of LED technology is around 15 times higher than that of halogen technology). |
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In the choice of raw materials, we favor whenever possible materials with the European Ecolabel and 100% recyclable. |
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At the manufacturing stage, we select local economic players as a priority to promote the emergence of circular economy loops, particularly in the choice of raw materials and subcontractors. |
ORGANIZATION OF OUR LOGISTIC CHAIN:
Our supply chain has been completely reviewed according to the conclusions and instructions of the Grenelle Environment Forum. The manufacture, storage of chemicals and waste management comply with regulations.
SELECTION OF OUR SUPPLIERS AND SUBCONTRACTORS:
We only work with suppliers and partners who have an environmental approach. The manufacturing units with which we work respect and apply the ISO14001 standard. We are committed to discussing and working with local economic players to promote the circular economy and give preference to eco-designed or reusable products. Regarding laboratory furniture, we have chosen partners committed to a sustainable forest management policy (PEFC Label = Program for the recognition of forest certifications).
PACKAGING OF OUR PRODUCTS:
Since 2014, SORDALAB has invested heavily in different solutions to significantly reduce CO2 and air pollutant emissions related to the transport of its packaging materials. The solution: 99% of our packaging materials consist of air bubble films (inflated on our premises) and expanding foam. The volume of the raw materials of these two solutions is 85 times lower than that of the particles conventionally used for the protection of fragile products. We have also opted for recycled cardboard. For hazardous materials (chemicals), the bottles are protected with vermiculite, reusable in our customers' laboratories and therefore directly recycled by the user.
SELECTION OF OUR CARRIER:
98% of our shipments are carried out in partnership with CHRONOPOST.
Here is the responsible commitment:
As a sustainable business, Chronopost has been committed for 20 years to delivering your parcels while reducing its impact on the environment. We choose to make strong commitments related to our business in order to deeply reshape our activity.
DrivingChange is our CSR program. It is based on four key areas:
- Committing to carbon-neutral deliveries
- Tackling the challenge of smart urban deliveries
- Supporting innovative entrepreneurship
- Bridging the gap between business and civil society
Committing to carbon-neutral deliveries
Chronopost commits to an ambitious and voluntary environmental policy: we offer to all our clients carbon-neutral parcel deliveries at no additional cost.
This carbon-neutrality is achieved in first place by a policy of ambitious carbon emissions reduction, and then by a carbon offsetting of all the remaining emissions. This process is allowed by evaluating and measuring the impact of our business..
The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
Chronopost is a signatory to the Objectif CO2 charter since 2008. This charter is implemented by the Ademe (French public institution dedicated to environmental policies) and the Ministry of Sustainable Development. It sets a program of voluntary commitments on reducing CO2 emissions by goods road haulers. Our commitments under the charter cover four areas: vehicles, fuel, drivers and tour optimization.
We implemented many actions to reduce our environmental impact: development of our green vehicles fleet (electric vehicles, natural gas, cargo bikes…), tour optimisation, densification of our depots network, ecodriving… These actions resulted in a 35% drop of our CO2 emissions per parcel between 2012 and 2018.
Chronopost develops its alternative vehicles fleet, with already more than 300 vehicles (electric, natural gas, cargo bikes).
Nous travaillons aussi à la diminution de l’impact environnemental de nos bâtiments . 6 de nos agences sont désormais alimentées en énergie 100% renouvelable grâce à notre partenaire Enercoop.
Carbon offsetting
Chronopost not only reduces its emissions but supports 2 clean and renewable energy projects to compensate 100% of its remaining emissions. These 2 projects are the development of wind-generated electricity in India and the production of energy through methanisation in Brazil.
Tackling the challenge of smart urban deliveries
In order to make the city a pleasant place to live while getting ever closer to our customers, we are focusing our efforts on the last mile by developing urban logistics centers, using alternative vehicles and implementing solutions such as PickUp points and Predict (a tour optimization tool).
We now have 7 urban logistics centers (in Paris, Marseille, Toulouse, Lille and Nice) and 5 ChronoCity which allow us to deliver in city centres using electric and VNG vehicles and cargo bikes. These urban depots allow us to start our delivery tours as close as possible to delivery and collection points, reducing the distances by 20% and thus decreasing pollution. We are also reducing noise pollution and city-centre congestion.
Finally, this central location is an opportunity to offer new services to our clients, such as fitting rooms or packaging material.
Since mid-2019, 100% of Chronopost’s deliveries in Paris are made with alternative vehicles (over 80% of electric vehicles as well as some NGV vehicles and cargo bikes). Our project is to deliver with a 100% green fleet the A86 perimeter (suburbs around Paris) and over 60 of the largest cities in France as soon as 2020, 2021 and 2022
Bridging the gap between business and civil society
Since 2014, we have been supporting non-profit organisations through partnerships and sports events. We organise every year the Chrono United Tour: our collaborators are invited to participate in a race and we support a charity with 5 euros per kilometer run. After having supported the Pasteur Institute, Solidarités International and Laurette Fugain, we are now in a partnership with Premiers de cordée, a charity that organizes sports events for sick and disabled children.
We also encourage local initiatives in our depots throughout France, such as hives installation in partnerships with beekeepers, the collection of food or equipment to donate to charities, the hiring of disabled workers…
Supporting innovative entrepreneurship
We are committed to improving our employees' quality of life at work, developing entrepreneurship and supporting innovative businesses in order to perform better and drive innovation.
We are increasing our partnerships with electric vehicle manufacturers and leasing companies to examine all the new opportunities and contribute to develop tomorrow’s green and efficient vehicle. Our cooperation with K-Ryole, a start-up designing and manufacturing electric-powered trailers for bike and on-foot delivery, is the perfect illustration of this kind of dynamic, innovative partnerships. It resulted in some new possibilities for clean delivery in cities.
Internally, we are implementing an ambitious policy on training in eco-friendly driving. Since 2008, we have trained over 1,600 employees and offer the course to all new drivers. Eco-driving reduces by 6% the fuel consumption, and also dropped the number of accidents.
Evaluation of Chronopost’s CSR policy
Our Corporate Social Responsibility policy is evaluated each year by Ecovadis, an independant rating organisation. Chronopost is one of the 10% highest ranked societies of its business sector, with 68/100 in 2019. Chronopost reaches the Gold level every year since 2017.
RECYCLING:
SORDALAB commits to recover (unless the educational institution objects) the packaging of the devices delivered. This packaging is then recycled according to the standards in force.
