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At Sterne, sustainable development is a strong commitment that lies at the heart of our operational strategies and involves our entire value chain. A commitment that constantly drives us to improve our behaviour and transform our activities. A commitment to sustainable logistics.
Very early on, we committed ourselves to the fight against climate change, by activating the levers over which we had the most control to effectively improve the environmental impact of our activities.
From 2014 onwards, we focused our efforts on using low-carbon vehicles and optimising the distances travelled. Today, we support our customers in their decarbonisation trajectory with truly sustainable and eco-responsible solutions.
Our ambition is to be an exemplary environmental player in our sector. This is why we have had our transition plan validated by the SBTi (Science Based Target Initiative) to guide us in our efforts. Our objective is to reduce our GHG emissions by 42% in our own operations (scope 1 and 2) and by 25% across the entire value chain (scope 3) between 2021 and 2030.
To achieve this objective and significantly reduce our carbon emissions, we are taking action every day that has a positive impact!
100% of our fleet complies with EURO 5 and 6 standards. Since 2022, every 6m3 vehicle has been replaced by a clean vehicle. We provide 100% carbon-free transport in urban areas thanks to our 33 electric vehicles, 30 bicycles and cargo bikes. We are currently testing the use of alternative fuels
10% of our staff are actively working on optimising and pooling routes and rounds in order to drive less, save time, consume less and achieve the lowest carbon emissions.
By favouring the use of sustainable packaging in our activities, such as polypropylene crates and canvas bags, we avoid the use of 7,500,00 cardboard boxes a year. These sustainable alternatives have saved 100,000 tonnes of CO2e over 10 years.
We aim to achieve a 40% reduction in our energy consumption (in France) by 2030 by integrating only BREEAM or HQE-certified new buildings and by optimising all our historic branches through efficient installations and the use of renewable energy.
A sustainable supply chain is only possible if all the players in the chain are committed, which is why we raise awareness among our suppliers and partners on a daily basis so that they too adopt more sustainable practices and reduce their carbon footprint.
Aware of the incompressible nature of some of our emissions, to reverse the loss of biodiversity caused by our activities, we are involved in carbon offsetting projects aimed at protecting and regenerating nature.
With the help of our customers, we are restoring forest sites and creating new, sustainably managed forests throughout France.
Discover our Tree Initiative
We support the creation of wetlands and hedgerows to encourage the creation of natural habitats and the establishment of indigenous species.
In association with local beekeepers, we install beehives on the roofs of our sites, thereby helping to preserve bees, the sentinels of the environment.
We are committed to providing an inclusive working environment where people are given every opportunity to find their place and flourish. All our employees and managers are made aware of practices that promote equality and inclusion for all, while respecting differences.
With this in mind, in 2021 we created the #TOUSàBORD project to turn our convictions into action and promote diversity within the Group.
Ensuring equal opportunities
To eliminate all forms of inequality, our recruitment policy focuses solely on skills. We are committed to ensuring a fair pay system and equal treatment in access to career advancement. (Professional Equality Index 2018: 71/100 – 2022: 90/100)
Raising awareness of disability in the workplace and taking action
Sterne promotes the inclusion of people with disabilities and implements support measures to ensure a suitable working environment and conditions. Un partenariat avec l’Association APF France handicap permet l’emploi de personnes en situation de handicap dans
une dizaine de salles de tri en France.
Every year since 2021, the Group has been taking part in DuoDay, an initiative aimed at welcoming disabled people to its logistics sites for a day and giving them the opportunity to discover a profession alongside a volunteer employee.
Because of the nature of our business, preventing risks in the workplace and ensuring the safety of logistics warehouses are at the heart of our daily concerns.
Sterne is committed to:
1. reduce workplace accidents
2. preventing and protecting against business-related risks
3. ensuring the safety of its employees
4. preventing occupational illness
Our commitments take the form of specific actions such as:
All our subsidiaries now have external ISO 45001 certification, which ensures continuous improvement of our occupational health and safety management system.
At Sterne, purchasing is a fundamental lever for improving our social and environmental footprint. They contribute directly to achieving our CSR objectives.
As a committed player, we make ever more stringent demands of our suppliers and partners in terms of ethics, human rights, working conditions, health and safety and environmental protection.
Our selection is based on an assessment of their CSR performance.
Our purchasing charter forms part of the contractual arrangements with the partner. We are aiming for 100% signatory partners by 2023.
Our responsible purchasing policy is based on 4 pillars
1. The contribution of subcontractors to the ecological transition
2. Collective well-being
3. Biodiversity and the environment
4. Creating added value in the company
All our commitments and policies have led us to become a company with a mission. We are one of the first transport and logistics companies to have taken this voluntary and particularly committed step.
Recently established by the PACTE law in 2019, this status allows a company to declare its raison d’être through various associated social and environmental objectives. This type of company requires specific governance arrangements to be put in place and the achievement of the objectives set by an ITO to be assessed.
Groupe Sterne became a company with a mission and amended its articles of association on October 12th, 2023.
Contact Loic CHAVAROCHE directly,
QSSE, CSR and ESG Director for Groupe Sterne.
